California has been a magnet for wildflower fans in the past decade, thanks to the large-scale “flowerpaloozas” of 2016, 2019, and 2023. In those years, the bigger-than-average spring bloom was fueled by drenching rainstorms in autumn and winter.
The 2025 flower forecast hinges on a huge disparity in precipitation levels across the state. Northern California has been well-soaked, with many cities exceeding 100 percent of their average seasonal rainfall as of Feb. 7. Santa Rosa received 35 inches of rain. Redding received 30 inches. Ukiah received 26 inches. Those numbers mean a near-guarantee of prolific wildflowers.
The opposite is true in Southern California’s cities and deserts, where the region has seen its second-driest period in almost 150 years. In San Diego County, the desert town of Borrego Springs has had no measurable rainfall for almost 300 days. But with another atmospheric river expected to hit the state in mid-February (as of press time), Mother Nature may deliver the wet stuff just in time.
The upshot? Northern California is a shoo-in for fabulous flowers, and Southern California may still come through. The best blooms will most likely occur in specific locations, not regionwide—and not necessarily in the same spots as last year.
“The timing and amount of rain has to be right,” says Susan Feldtman, a retired plant biologist from the University of California at Riverside. “There are many factors that affect bloom events, and wildflowers can be fickle.”
Read on to find out where the bloom is most likely to occur in coming weeks. But first, brush up on your flower manners: Tread carefully amid the colorful splendor and follow the California Responsible Travel Code any time you’re enjoying the outdoors. Stay on established trails, don’t ever pick wildflowers, and no matter how much you want that close-up, don’t step on vulnerable plant life.
Northern California
Coastal hills and inland valleys in Northern California are primed to put on a colorful show this year. Parks in Sonoma County like Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Sonoma Coast State Park should have a kaleidoscope of flowers. Near Sacramento, expect huge swaths of lupines and orange California poppies at Folsom Lake State Recreation Area and Auburn’s Hidden Falls Regional Park. In the San Francisco Bay Area, look for a bonanza of blooms at the Peninsula’s Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve and Marin County’s Point Reyes National Seashore.
Almost anywhere in Monterey County is also a sure bet for wildflowers. If you’re seeking the classic blue-and-gold show of lupines and poppies, take a walk at Fort Ord National Monument or Garrapata State Park.
Wildflower photographer Lisa Berry suggests heading to the Sierra foothills in mid-March. One early-blooming destination is North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve near Oroville. “Table Mountain can be covered in goldfields and sky lupine with vibrant patches of pink and magenta bitter root decorating volcanic slabs, white meadowfoam lining the streams, and purple owl’s clover brushing the grasses,” she says.
Berry also recommends Buttermilk Bend Trail in South Yuba River State Park near Penn Valley. The easy path runs 2.4 miles alongside the granite-lined pools of the South Yuba River, and interpretive signs identify the flowers. Berry says to look for fairy lanterns, live forever, redbud, and the elusive Dutchman’s pipe, a vine with a distinctive saxophone-like flower.
For a longer hike, head to the Stevens Trail near Colfax, which travels 4.5 miles one-way to the banks of the North Fork of the American River. “My favorite lupine, harlequin lupine, can be seen on the Stevens Trail,” Berry says. Along with the pink-and-yellow lupine, she says you'll also see bush poppy, Chinese houses, bush monkeyflower, and slopes covered in tufted poppy.
In May, Berry goes flower-hunting north of Truckee. “Plumas County and the Sierraville area have wonderful meadows and hillsides to explore,” she says. “Blue camas emerges early in the meadows.” After the camas flowers are finished, others make their appearance: prairie smoke, mariposa lily, and Hooker’s balsamroot.
For the best petal-peeping, timing is everything. “Once the summer temps hit, the window for catching the peak bloom will soon close,” Berry says. Even small changes in the weather can affect the bloom for better or worse, so keep checking the web for updates on current conditions. The good news is that the bloom moves upward with mountain elevations, so the Sierra’s highest peaks show their flowers as late as July and August.
Southern California
The best source to track locations for Southern and Central California wildflowers is the Theodore Payne Foundation. The foundation’s wildflower hotline goes live on March 7. Call 818-768-1802 (extension 7) to hear weekly recorded wildflower reports, or check the website on Fridays from March through May.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park: The Anza-Borrego Foundation reports that “due to the desert receiving virtually no significant rain this season, a large-scale bloom is not expected.” But flower fans shouldn’t despair, especially with rain in the forecast for mid-February. Even the slightest drizzle will make hardy desert plants show their colors—brittlebush will pop with yellow blossoms and ocotillos will bust out in bright red plumes. Higher-elevation areas, like Blair Valley, will likely get the most precipitation and produce the best color. For daily updates, check the Borrego Wildflowers website run by flower enthusiasts Fred Melgert and Carla Hoegen.
Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve: As of Feb. 10, the livestream “Poppy Cam” at Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, showed golden brown grasses and no poppies. But that’s typical for mid-February—it’s still “pre-season” at the reserve. The Jane Pinheiro Interpretive Center will reopen March 1. Call the park’s wildflower hotline at 661-724-1180 or check the Poppy Cam for the latest updates.
Carrizo Plain National Monument: The Carrizo Plain Conservancy says the outlook for this grassland-covered preserve east of San Luis Obispo may be “promising.” If more rain arrives in late February, there’s potential for an expansive show along the Temblor Range’s ridgelines and Soda Lake’s shoreline. If the bloom occurs, plan on an ETA of mid- to late March.
Death Valley National Park: On California’s far eastern side, this astoundingly large and beautiful desert park hosts a rare and fleeting superbloom about once a decade—the last three occurred in 2016, 2006, and 1998. But for the 2025 flower season, Death Valley’s wildflower web page states: “A few sprouts have been seen in low areas which collect water, but due to extreme heat last summer and fall and very little rain this winter, we do not expect a good wildflower bloom this spring at low elevations.”