Chaparral Wisdom
To celebrate the magic and beauty of Nature & the chaparral
Native California Superblooms!
The best time to experience massive displays of California’s native wildflowers is between late February and early April. Every once and awhile, when the right combination of rain and temperature occurs, our wildflower populations experience what is colorfully called a superbloom!
You can check for local conditions here.
Between Feb 29 – March 1, 2016, we were lucky enough to explore the wonderful Death Valley Superbloom.
Here’s the route we took for our three day trip:
1. Drive to Lone Pine and spend the night at a comfy motel.
2. Get up pre-dawn, run outside and catch the morning light hitting the eastern Sierra Nevada.
3. Drive to Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley and snag a camp spot EARLY (all the motels in the valley will likely be booked).
4. Drive south toward Badwater. The best yellow Desert Sunflower explosions are often past Badwater. The best area we found on our trip was about 10 miles south.
5. Keep driving to Ashford Junction. About a couple miles before the Junction, the Sand Verbenas will likely be in wild display.
6. Drive back to Stovepipe Wells. Go to the bar and enjoy yourself.
7. Next morning head north toward Scotty’s Castle. Stop from time to time whether or not you see flowers from the car. There is a whole new set of species that you will have seen on your trip to Badwater.
8. Come back here and share some of your photos!
Enjoy some of our photos from the 2016 Death Valley Superbloom below.
The Range of Light in the morning from Lone Pine.
Death Valley Phacelia (Phacelia vallis-mortae).
Desert Chicory (Rafinesquia neomexicana).
Devil’s Golf Course.
Desert 5 Spot (Eremalche rotundifolia).
Desert 5 Spot with a sixth spot friend.
Human emerging from the bloom.
Prospective parents consider emerging sunflower baby.
Pollen and Boots!
Caltha Leafed Phacelia (Phacelia calthifolia).
Brown eyed Evening Primrose (Camissonia claviformis).
Bottle Washer (Camissonia boothii).
Camissonia brevipes.
Creosote hanging out at the bottom of Ubehebe Crater.
The last stand.
Sand Verbena (Abronia villosa).
The full Monty.
Telescope Peak and friends.
Loggerhead Shrike at lunch.
After lunch.
Showy Gilia (Gilia cana).
Gravel Ghost (Atrichoseris platyphylla).
Mohavea breviflora.
Artist’s Palate.
The Photographer.
The Photographer’s pal.
Returning to the Range of Light with the Owen’s Lake carpet.
Chaparral Wisdom 
Great article!