hello all!

I just returned last night from a visit to the desert, both the low desert (Anza-Borrego DSP) and the high desert (Joshua Tree). I posted some photos I took of the flowers in JTNP in the photos section. This year's bloom (so far) is amazing! The highest part of the desert is green and will bloom in the coming weeks.

Anza-Borrego is in full bloom along Henderson Canyon Rd./Di Giorgio Rd. and into Coyote Canyon. Didn't spend much time in this area because it was a *traffic jam* of people looking at them. Dune evening primrose, sand verbena, brown-eyed evening primrose, desert sunflower are all exploding right now. A better place to travel if you have 4wd is in the Arroyo Salada area (badlands south and east of Font's Point). I found all the above as well as Desert Aster, milkvetch, brittlebush and lupine.

I traveled Box Canyon Rd. near Mecca up toward Joshua Tree and there are many flowers along this road as well, desert dandelion, ghost flower, lupine, etc.

In Joshua Tree, there is a nice bloom along the southern entrance. Chuparosa, small desert star, and chia are all in this area. North of Cottonwood along Black Eagle Mine Rd. (dirt rd. but 2wd acessible) there is a most AMAZING display of yellow poppies, thousands of them! It is gorgeous. There is also purple mat, brown-eyed evening primrose, and canterbury bells.

There may be other flowers that I didn't mention in all of these areas, so go and check it out. It will make you smile and breathe deeply :)

Cheers!



In Joshua Tree,