Behold The Super Bloom!
News coverage has been intense for the past few weeks as California’s “Super Bloom” is in full – well, BLOOM! Not sure what I’m referencing? Here’s a clue:
As USA Today reported last weekend:
It started with the desert lilies in December. Since then a wave of wildflower blooms has been crescendoing across Southern California’s Anza-Borrego desert in a burst of color so vivid it can be seen from mountain tops thousands of feet above.
But can you really see them? Is the “super bloom” really all that super?
Hike Among The Super Bloom!
The answer is: oh yes, it is! One of the best things about this incredible display of nature’s beauty is that there are lots of places you can go to get an closeup view!
The entire state of California has been deluged with rain for the past few months, turning a state that was more than 60% drought stricken to one that is now full of water – and all that rain has paid off in a spectacularly beautiful way!
The “Super Bloom” Has Arrived!
Why is this happening? What causes a “super bloom?” Well, USA Today explains:
Two years after steady rains followed by warm temperatures caused seeds dormant for decades under the desert floor to burst open and produce a spectacular display dubbed the “super bloom,” another winter soaking this year is expected to create possibly an even better show by Mother Nature.
So, years of drought followed by massive rain cause the flowers to wake up in a spectacular way. Alex and I had to see it for ourselves, and that meant it was time to get up early and hit the road!
We expected crowds, so we headed to Walker Canyon early. This well known hiking area is located at Lake Elsinore, about 90 minutes from Los Angeles. As is usual with SoCal, we took a lot of freeways: the “101” to the “10” to the “60” to the “71” to the “91” and then finally the “15”, which drops you off at the doorstep to the flowers!
A sign tells you where to park – not in a parking lot but actually alongside the road, and this winding lineup of cars played out for miles, as thousands of people descended on Walker Canyon to get a closeup look at the flowers – and this is how close you can get:
Yes, it was like a red carpet full of stars wearing a rainbow of colors – truly spectacular as you wandered along wide paths into the hills – there is incredible beauty everywhere you turn – here are a few more shots:
We walked among the hills of fresh flowers for two hours – you can literally walk for far longer, and it’s a never ending sea of color – as more and more people flooded in to capture the beauty:
It’s important to stay on the main paths, so that the flowers aren’t trampled – and most people were good about it – because the flowers literally grow right down to the path – so Alex got a few shots of us to share on Instagram:
It’s a trip well worth taking, and there are a number of great places to see this year’s “Super Bloom” – here are the five best spots:
Death Valley National Park
Lake Elsinore
Anza-Borrego Desert
Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve
Joshua Tree National Park
California is a never-ending treasure trove of beauty, as we discovered when we came across a “Calla Lilly Valley” at the edge of the Pacific Ocean:
This is located just south of Carmel – here is more detail if you want to see if yourself:
https://johnrieber.com/2017/05/29/visit-natures-calla-lily-valley-amazing-pacific-ocean-adventure/
Let me know if you head out to see the “Super Bloom!”