Where to see wildflowers this spring in the Valley
Best places to see wildflowers in the Valley this spring
For flower chasers like me, 2019 was the Super Bowl, Christmas morning and Taco Tuesday all rolled into one. A wet winter produced a bounty of spring blooms across the Arizona desert unlike anything seen for quite a while. ❚ Superbloom years are extremely rare so its unlikely we would have them in back-to-back springs. Yet we may be poised to beat the odds. Early indications point to another excellent year for wildflowers. And nothing could make me happier.
My Facebook and Twitter feeds from late winter into spring are almost solid wildflowers. I am obsessed with desert blooms and make no apologies for it. There is magic in these ethereal beauties. They are ground-level fireworks, a spill of neon and a fleetingly joyous welcome mat in these arid lands.
One of the great pleasures of being a desert dweller is spending a 70degree winter day standing amid a field of golden poppies. And then texting friends back East and asking them what they’re doing.
Wildflower hiking dos and don'ts
But first, let’s establish a couple of rules so everyone can enjoy the season’s bounty.
First, don’t pick wildflowers. They’ll die soon after being plucked and won’t have a chance to spread seeds. Leave them for others to enjoy.
Second, stay on trails and watch where you step. There could be small seedlings all around. Do not trample the flowers by wading into a field — thus ruining them for everyone — just so you can snag a selfie.
Staying on the path is also a safety issue. I hiked more than 800 miles of Arizona trails last year and saw a total of three rattlesnakes. All were in March, while I was on wildflower hikes. This is the season snakes are most active. Stay on a clear path where you can see around your feet. Start wading into the greenery or climbing over boulders and you make yourself more vulnerable.
Now, here are some of the best places to see spring wildflowers throughout metro Phoenix.
White Tank Mountain Regional Park
Farmlands in the West Valley come to an abrupt end, breaking against the wall of White Tank Mountain Regional Park. Flowers got an early start early in this 30,000-acre park. Poppies, desert lavender, lupines, wild geraniums, buckwheat, fleabane and combseed are already in bloom. Rangers predict an early and abundant season so you may want to make this one of your first stops. The best locations will vary week to week. Goat Camp, Mesquite and Mule Deer are all good flower trails.
Details: 20304 W. White Tank Mountain Road, Waddell. $7 per vehicle. 623-935-2505, www.maricopacounty parks.net.
Estrella Mountain Regional Park
This big park in Goodyear had a bountiful season last year and things are looking very green in 2020. Visitors will find a nice medley of brittlebush, Mexican goldpoppies, globemallows, rock daisies and fiddlenecks. Some of the best sightings
can be found along the first 2 miles of the Rainbow Valley Trail. Look for swaths of color along the Quail and Gadsden trails as well. Stop at the Nature Center to see the exhibits and get the latest info. Guided wildflower hikes are offered March 6 and 14.
Details: 14805 W. Vineyard Ave., Goodyear. $7 per vehicle. 623-9323811, www.maricopa countyparks.net.
South Mountain Park
Plenty of spring visitors flock to the long flowing ridgeline of South Mountain Park for vibrant color. Try the easy Bajada Trail, which parallels San Juan Road at the base of the Gila Range. It’s known for carpets of poppies and the smallblossomed bladderpod after wet winters. Another option is climbing the north face of South Mountain on the Ranger Trail, where the slopes are often streaked with an assortment of flowers.
Details: 10919 S. Central Ave., Phoenix. See website for other entrances and trailheads. Free. 602-262-7393, www.phoenix.gov/parks.
McDowell Sonoran Preserve
More than 200 miles of trails fan out across Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve. You’re likely to find an array of blooms along many of them this spring. Here are a few that already bear a reputation as reliable wildflower hotspots:
❚ Taliesin Overlook (Lost Dog Trailhead).
❚ Marcus Landslide Trail (Tom's Thumb Trailhead).
❚ Cone Mountain Loop (Brown’s Ranch Trailhead).
❚ Granite Mountain Loop (Granite Mountain Trailhead).
See trailhead locations on the website, and check the online calendar for guided hikes offered through mid-April.
Details: Free. 480312-7013, www.mcdowell sonoran.org.
Cave Creek Regional Park
Sitting at a slightly higher elevation, the wildflower season may begin a bit later at Cave Creek Regional Park. Ranger-led hikes take place every Thursday in March. But don’t wait too late. If temperatures heat up, it could be a short wildflower season.
Details: 37900 E. Cave Creek Parkway, Cave Creek. $7 per vehicle. 623-465-0431, www.maricopacountyparks.net.
Usery Mountain Regional Park
Hillsides here were blanketed with wildflowers last spring and the stage seems to be set for a repeat performance. Poppies, primrose, lupines, rock daisies, fairy duster and the flame-orange tips of ocotillo add drama to mountains that already exhibit plenty on their own. The Userys gain enough elevation to afford tremendous views back toward Phoenix and farther east to the rolling waves of the Goldfield and Superstition mountains. Hike the slopes to Wind Cave and Pass Mountain to admire the best panoramas while wading through bands of flowers. Rangers will conduct a wildflower walk on March 4.
Details: 3939 N. Usery Pass Road, Mesa. $7 per vehicle. 480-984-0032,
www.maricopacountyparks.net.
Lake Pleasant
There’s always a bit of magic where desert and water meet. Add flowers to the mix and that’s a great way to spend a day. At Lake Pleasant Regional Park, the heaviest concentration of poppies can be found on Pipeline Canyon Trail, especially from the southern trailhead to the floating bridge a half-mile away. The bridge is guarded by some extremely robust globemallows the size of landscape shrubs. A nice assortment of blooms also lines the Beardsley, Wild Burro and Cottonwood trails. Wildflower hikes will be held March 6 and 13.
Details: 41835 N. Castle Hot Springs Road, Morristown. $7 per vehicle. 928501-1710, www.maricopacountyparks.net.
Bartlett Lake
The road to Bartlett Lake quickly leaves suburbs behind and winds past rolling hills to the sparkling reservoir cradled by mountains. Poppies and lupines were especially profuse last year. I was there on March 10 and could not have timed it better. Be sure to keep an eye peeled for white poppies; this is a good spot for them. Some of the best flower sightings are along the road to Rattlesnake Cove. The Palo Verde Trail parallels the shoreline, pinning hikers between flowers and the lake, a wonderful place to be on a warm March day.
Details: Rattlesnake Cove is 21 miles east of Carefree. An $8 Tonto Day Pass is required. See the website for directions to the lake and a list of Tonto Pass vendors. 480-595-3300, www.fs.usda.gov/tonto.