If you’re looking to make a dash to view some desert wildflower blooms, now might be the time to start planning for a trip down south.

The California Travel Girl tipped us off to the first wildflower report from Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, which is just starting to see the first flowers pop through the desert. Right now, they’re predicting peak bloom to be between the last week of February and the last first two weeks of March — and some predicted rain for this weekend might help boost those blooms a bit more, too. You can call their wildflower hotline for the most up to date info they’ve got — just call (760) 767-4684.

Anza-Borrego is a beautiful park, and if the blooms are on schedule I might have to take another trip down there soon. They also let you camp just about anywhere in the park as long as you’re a distance away from the road and keep your fires in a metal container — no charge!

The National Parks are just starting to update their wildflower reports too. No concrete data yet, but the southern parts of Joshua Tree usually start blooming in late February, with higher elevations blooming in March and April. Death Valley had a good rainstorm earlier this month, and right now rangers there predict spotty blooms from mid-March to early April.

… and now, to whet your appetite, a great view of a wildflower bloom from last March in Anza-Borrego, courtesy of Bill Gracey:

Tags: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, death valley national park, deserts, Joshua Tree National Park, rains, when to visit, wildflower blooms