Superbloom watch: When to expect wildflowers in Death Valley

Don’t go chasing wildflowers in Death Valley National Park, officials say. At least not yet.

In a “wildflower report” released on Tuesday, Death Valley Natural History Association President David Blacker gave new guidance about where and when people can expect the best blooms this year.

“At this time, we do not have any large areas of flowers blooming,” Blacker wrote. “However, we do have large areas of the park that are showing preliminary signs of an above-average bloom.”

The National Park Service said last week that rangers had spotted sprouts in many areas of the park, “leading us to expect a good bloom year.” Flowers at low elevations will likely bloom between February and March, rangers said, while those at higher elevations will have blooms between April and June.

Winter showers, spring flowers?

Many are on the prowl after record rainfall, with 1.76 inches of rain in November, a measure that broke the 1923 record of 1.70. Rain has slowly died down in the park, with 0.54 inches in December and 0.1 inches so far in December, said Chris Outler at the National Weather Service’s Las Vegas office.

Botanists have no real, scientific definition of a “superbloom,” but the desert park was covered in flowers in 2016, 2005 and 1998, according to the park service.

Blacker pointed to several areas that might yield blooms, such as between mile marker 3 and marker 8 on Badwater Road. He said blooms could begin in as soon as the next two weeks.

“Death Valley is poised for a better-than-average bloom, and with a little luck, it could even be better than that,” Blacker wrote. “We need mild temps and mild winds. If we get them, we could have flowers into May. Be sure to make your reservations soon and keep your fingers crossed!”

Contact Alan Halaly at ahalaly@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlanHalaly on X.