What to see and do when the desert is in bloom

Record winter rainfall in California ended a drought lasting more than 1,300 days, and may bring Death Valley its first superbloom since 2019. Across the American Southwest, bloom season transforms the desert. Trails become more comfortable, night skies grow clearer and desert towns get busier as visitors arrive for hiking, stargazing and seasonal events.

For much of the year, the desert is known for its dry heat and wide-open spaces, but bloom season tells a different story. After winter rains, color returns to the landscape as wildflowers edge trails, cacti bloom and wildlife becomes easier to spot during milder days.

Bloom season is also when access improves, making hikes more manageable, stargazing sharper and small desert communities livelier with food-focused events, art weekends and outdoor gatherings. The magnitude and timing of bloom season vary from place to place, due to a variety of factors, including winter rainfall. However, the effect is consistent: the desert feels more welcoming without losing what makes it feel wild.

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is one of Southern California’s most reliable places to experience a desert in bloom, especially in late winter through early spring. Cooler temperatures and winter rains bring seasonal color to the park’s lower elevations. Even in lighter bloom years, wildflowers such as desert lilies, primrose and verbena often appear along washes and valley trails.

This is also the park’s most comfortable season for hiking. Short-to-moderate routes like Borrego Palm Canyon, which leads to a fan palm oasis, and easy walks through the badlands offer good scenery without extended exposure or technical terrain. Morning hikes are best for cooler temperatures and softer light.

The nearby town of Borrego Springs makes a convenient base. After the trails, travelers often stop for casual Southwestern fare, including date shakes and breakfast-focused menus that suit early starts. Many visitors also plan time to see the area’s large-scale metal sculptures, which are easily reached by car. Clear skies and minimal light pollution make evenings well-suited for stargazing before temperatures drop.

Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park is also best visited during late winter through early spring, when daytime temperatures are milder and the park’s lower elevations can show pockets of wildflowers after sufficient winter rain. While blooms are never guaranteed here, even scattered flowers add color to an otherwise stark landscape and make short walks more appealing.

Bloom season is the most comfortable time of year to explore highlights like Badwater Basin, Artists Palette and the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, where brief walks deliver dramatic scenery without long exposure. Early mornings and late afternoons offer cooler conditions and better light, especially for photography.

Dining options inside the park are limited but practical. Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells both offer casual restaurants and grab-and-go food suited to day trips, while nearby gateway towns provide more variety for travelers staying outside the park. Clear, dry air makes this a prime season for stargazing, with some of the darkest night skies in the national park system once the sun goes down.

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park is at its best in early spring, when mild daytime temperatures make hiking comfortable and seasonal wildflowers appear across both the Colorado and Mojave desert zones that meet here. Bloom conditions vary year to year, but even modest displays add color along hiking trails and roadsides without requiring long hikes.

This is a good season for short, accessible walks like Hidden Valley or Barker Dam Trail, which offer scenic payoffs with minimal elevation gain. Rock formations provide limited shade and natural rest stops, making it easier to explore at a relaxed pace. Stargazing is another draw, with clear nights and cooler air improving visibility after dark.

Outside the park, the towns of Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms offer casual places to refuel, including breakfast spots, bakeries and laid-back restaurants that cater to hikers and climbers. Many travelers plan early dinners or picnic supplies before heading back into the park for night-sky viewing, when crowds thin and the desert quiets down.

Sonoran Desert

The Sonoran Desert, which stretches across southern Arizona, is best visited during early to mid-spring, when daytime temperatures are comfortable and the region’s plant life begins to bloom. This is when saguaros start to bud and later flower. Wildflowers appear along trails and the desert feels noticeably more active, especially around Tucson and Phoenix.

Bloom season is a good time for accessible hikes in places like Saguaro National Park, where short, well-marked trails allow visitors to see flowering cacti without committing to long distances. Morning hikes are ideal before temperatures climb, and many trails offer interpretive signs that add context for first-time desert travelers.

Food is an important part of the experience in the Sonoran Desert. Spring menus often highlight regional ingredients, including chiles, citrus and cactus fruit, at casual restaurants and markets throughout the region. Visitors frequently pair morning hikes with late breakfasts or early lunches in town, then return to the desert in the evening, when cooler air and clear skies make sunset walks and stargazing more appealing.

Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park is best visited in early to mid-spring, when daytime temperatures are manageable and wildflowers appear along river corridors, desert flats and canyon trails. Bloom conditions vary widely depending on rainfall, but spring consistently offers the most comfortable access to this remote park.

Short hikes deliver the biggest payoff this time of year. Walking into Santa Elena Canyon or along the Rio Grande allows visitors to experience dramatic scenery without committing to long, exposed routes. Morning and late afternoon are best for both temperatures and light. Big Bend is also known for its exceptionally dark skies, making spring evenings ideal for stargazing once temperatures drop.

Dining options inside the park are limited, so many travelers base themselves in Terlingua, where casual cafes and local spots serve Tex-Mex staples, burgers and hearty breakfasts suited to early starts. Planning meals ahead and carrying snacks is essential here, given long distances and limited services.

Planning a trip around a desert in bloom

Timing is the biggest variable when planning a bloom-season trip. In general, late winter through spring offers the best balance of color and comfortable conditions, but bloom timing shifts by elevation, rainfall and region. Lower-elevation deserts tend to show color first, with higher ground following weeks later. Flexibility helps, especially for travelers hoping to see wildflowers rather than simply enjoy better access and weather.

Even during bloom season, preparation matters. Mornings and late afternoons are usually best for hiking, both for temperature and light. Water, sun protection and basic navigation tools are still essential, even on short trails. Dining and fuel options can be limited in and around desert parks, so it pays to plan meals ahead or base trips near gateway towns with reliable services.

Catching the desert at its best

A desert in bloom doesn’t last long, and it rarely looks the same from one place to the next. That unpredictability is part of the appeal. When conditions line up, bloom season reshapes how the desert feels and how people move through it, opening trails, sharpening night skies and bringing new energy to desert communities. For travelers willing to plan around the season rather than the calendar, it’s one of the most rewarding ways to experience the Southwest.

Sage Scott was bitten by the travel bug as a preschooler when her family moved abroad for the first time. Now settled in America’s Heartland, Sage is a travel writer, world wanderer and photographer whose favorite color is golden hour. Follow her adventures at Everyday Wanderer.