ANZA-BORREGO WILDFLOWERS

Blooming Anza-Borrego wildflowers will enrich any desert visit. California wildflowers are beautiful to see all across the state, but the Anza-Borrego Desert is known for showing off in Spring. The typical sandy landscape is transformed into a carpet of vibrant colors during historical “super bloom” seasons. In this portion of our guide to Anza-Borrego with kids, we cover all you need to know about enjoying the Anza-Borrego wildflowers.

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WHAT SHOULD WE DO IN ANZA-BORREGO STATE PARK?

STOP BY THE ANZA-BORREGO STATE PARK VISITOR CENTER
EXPLORE THE TOWN OF BORREGO SPRINGS
MARVEL AT THE LARGE ANIMAL SCULPTURES OF GALLETA MEADOWS
YOU ARE HERE (PART 4) -ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF DESERT WILDFLOWERS
EXPLORE THE GEOLOGY OF THE AREA ON THE TRIANGLE TOUR DRIVE
OFF-ROAD TO THE THE WIND CAVES
HIKE BORREGO PALM CANYON
HIKE SLOT CANYON

WHEN SHOULD I VISIT TO SEE WILDFLOWERS?

I highly recommend planning a visit during wildflower Spring blooms. Wildflower blooms begin in February and peak in mid-March through April. I also like to check the Anza Borrego Desert Natural History Association’s current wildflower update to know what is going on in the park before we head out.

Depending on the level of rain during the previous winter, in combination with colder temperatures (that hold the moisture in the ground), a potential “super bloom” can cover the valley floor. We had a great visit during the 2017 super bloom. More on that visit and strategy for super bloom weekends below.

WHERE CAN I SEE THE WILDFLOWERS?

Anza-Borrego wildflowers bloom throughout the park in Spring, but some areas are known to pop with extra color. These are our favorite places to view the blooms.

ANZA-BORREGO STATE PARK VISITOR CENTER WILDFLOWERS

I always recommend checking in with the Visitor Center before visiting Anza-Borrego to ask about current conditions. However, this is an especially convenient strategy as the Visitor Center landscape is one of the best places to see the Anza-Borrego wildflowers!

BORREGO PALM CANYON TRAIL WILDFLOWERS

As one of Anza-Borrego State Park’s most popular hikes, The Borrego Palm Canyon Trail leads to a lush oasis in the desert. At a 3-miles round trip, this hike is family-friendly and a great option any time of the year. In addition, due to the water in the area, this hike is a top pick when exploring Anza Borrego wildflowers. You can read this post for more about the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail.

DESERT MEADOW ALONG HENDERSON CANYON ROAD

The open desert landscape becomes a beautiful meadow during wildflower season. The surrounding mountains and flowers that seem to go on forever make this a fun place to explore. In addition, when other areas like the Visitor Center and Borrego Palm Canyon Trailhead have no parking available, these meadows are accessible by just pulling over on the side of the road.

DESERT MEADOW ALONG DIGIORGIO ROAD

This is another meadow we love that is easily accessible by pulling off the side of the road. These meadows are especially great with kids, as they can hop out of the car and roam. They also make for some beautiful pictures with your kids.

HOW CAN I ENJOY A VISIT DURING SUPERBLOOM?

DO NOT SPEND HOURS WAITING IN TRAFFIC, FOR PARKING, FOR MEALS, ETC.

Super bloom years, like 2017 and 2019, draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to Borrego Springs searching for the colorful blooms blanketing the desert floor. In 2017, visitors to Anza-Borrego were at an all-time high, and traffic was horrendous. What usually takes about 10 minutes coming down the hill was backed up over two hours. Parking for one of the best places to see blooms, the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail, was packed full by 8 am. Here is our strategy for a successful family trip to see the Anza-Borrego super bloom.

SUNRISE ARRIVAL

We are NOT morning people, but after reading about how impacted Borrego Springs was by all of the visitors, I knew we needed to take a more drastic approach to our visit. So we left North County San Diego around 4:30 am, with the goal of parking shortly after sunrise. It was very early, but we had just moved our son in pajamas, and he continued sleeping in the car. We packed had a picnic packed to avoid the hours of waiting we had read about in town.

Although the majority of the drive was in the dark, as we came over the hill, the sun began to rise. The drive into the desert is something I always love, but this time was even more spectacular. Our excitement was building, knowing we would soon be some of the first to explore.

HIKE BORREGO PALM CANYON TRAIL

Our early morning strategy did not disappoint. We pulled into the Borrego Palm Canyon Trailhead with ease as the sun began shining over the valley. Although shortly after 6:30 am, cars were already filling in behind us. We headed out into one of the best places to view Anza-Borrego wildflowers, the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail. You can read more about this trail here.

Due to our early arrival, we were leaving the trail shortly after 9 am. This also allowed us to beat the desert heat that was starting to pick up. The backup to get down the hill and into the parking area for the Visitor Center and Borrego Palm Canyon Trail was VERY long and looked incredibly frustrating. We knew immediately that our early arrival was key.

EXPLORE AND PICNIC IN THE DIGIORGIO ROAD AND HENDERSON CANYON ROAD

After our hike, we headed out to the meadows on DiGiorgio Road and Henderson Canyon. The rangers at the Visitor Center told us that these were some of the best spots to see the wildflowers. In addition, they make an easy stop with kids because you can pull off on the side of the road. We were able to have our late morning picnic lunch here as well. I HIGHLY recommend packing a picnic as the lines in town during super blooms are VERY frustrating.

LEAVE TOWN BEFORE THE AFTERNOON CROWDS AND HEAT PICK UP

At this point, you will have been up almost 8 hours and hiked over 3 miles. As the afternoon heat and crowds pick up, you will probably find that trying to do more will flip the mood of your trip. We recommend leaving town on the 78 towards Julian and stopping in for a beverage when you get there. Also, don’t forget to enjoy the daffodils blooming near the Julian Library and Wynola Pizza.