Anza-Borrego, the desert covered in a thousand colors

Anza Borrego is a desert located in one of the driest and wildest areas of southern California, a place where summer temperatures can reach 124°F with truly remarkable temperature variations. Here, between canyons, rocks and desolate sand dunes, a real miracle takes place during the Spring: a flowering of over 200 species of splendid yellow, purple, pink, red and white flowers, which cover the entire landscape of a thousand colors. It is an extraordinary and rare phenomenon that occurs only years later after an abundant amount of rain that has fallen during the winter season.



The seeds of these wild flowers, thanks to their robust coating, are able to remain hidden underground for a long time, surviving the most extreme climatic conditions. But when a particular combination of humidity and temperature occurs, they manage to come out of their hiding place and create a truly breathtaking show. The phenomenon is short-lived, the sun and the high temperature of the desert quickly ensure their disappearance. Flowering, which usually occurs between the end of February and April, last occurred in 2019.



The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park has an extension of 243,000 hectares and with approximately 500 miles of dirt roads, 12 wilderness areas and miles of hiking trails, it is the largest in California and the second largest in the United States. The recent rains that have occurred in the area make us hope for a "super flowering" again this year. Bring your camera and remember that the best time to immortalize this marvel is during the early hours of the morning , when the flowers open completely, before opening in early afternoon heat.

"The photos on this site are owned by users or purchased from image banks"