Death Valley National Park is famous for its spectacular spring wildflower displays. While the intensity of the bloom varies greatly from year to year, flowers are never totally absent. This year, wildflowers are generally sparse along popular scenic routes, but intrepid photographers like Michael Hardridge are finding desert sand verbena blooming at Ibex Dunes, a remote area that requires a 4-wheel drive vehicle and good route finding skills. Sunset photo taken on March 4 by Michael Hardridge. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 3/18/17.
California’s Mojave Trails National Monument erupts in color with spring blooms. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 3/16/17.
Amboy Crater is just one of the sights in the Mojave Trails National Monument, on historic Route 66. Photo by Bob Wick, BLM. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 3/15/17.
Only a few hours from Los Angeles, Carrizo Plain National Monument offers visitors a chance to be alone with nature. Prominent features of the monument include the white alkali flats of Soda Lake, vast open grasslands and a broad plain rimmed by mountains. When conditions are right, numerous wildflowers can carpet the valley floor, creating a beautiful, but temporary landscape of color. Photo by Curtis Kautzer. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 3/20/17.
Located about 8 miles north of I-10 at Desert Center, Desert Lily Preserve Natural Area in California was established in 1968 to protect 2,000 acres of prime wildflower habitat. Popping up in patches of purple desert verbena, yellow desert dandelion, and bright evening primrose and white desert lilies, these gorgeous wildflowers carpet the floor of the Chuckwalla Valley as far as the eye can see. The hike to the most dense bloom is a half mile from the Bureau of Land Management parking area, so be prepared for a short walk. Photo by Bob Wick. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 3/28/17.