Another rainy winter is leading in to a beautiful wildflower season in Arizona’s state parks! Trails at lower desert parks are starting to glow with color, making it the perfect time to head outdoors to explore. Many of Arizona’s state parks are bursting with beautiful yellow, orange or purple flowers, making it a perfect time to hike, camp, or picnic at the parks. Picacho Peak State Park has a bright dusting of beautiful mountainside blossoms of Mexican poppies, purple lupine, orange globemallow and yellow brittlebush. Catalina, Lost Dutchman and Alamo Lake state parks are also starting to show beautiful and different types of budding wildflowers. Flowers in the desert bloom based on the elevations, rainfall, and the temperature. Parks at higher elevations, like Oracle and Red Rock state parks, will see flowers later in the year, around May, and the blooms last well into the summer. You can check the status of the flowers by visiting AZStateParks.com/Wildflowers.
Desert blooms typically appear in this order: bladderpods, brittlebush, Mexican poppies, chuparosa, globemallow and then other various cacti species. Some park trails are already lined with brittlebush blooms and Mexican poppies, creating yellow carpets across the landscapes and mountainsides. The contrast of vibrant flowers against the desert is a stunning backdrop to your park adventure, so get your camera, hiking shoes, plenty of water, and enjoy the rich colors across the state. |
