The Best Photos from the 2017 Superbloom

Some photographers we know managed to capture incredible images of the 2017 superbloom in California. Take a look!

Nicole Brown

I took these photos on March 12 at Anza-Borrego State Park and Walker Canyon near Lake Elsinore. The photos of the cactus, fields of yellow, pink, and white photos were all taken at Anza-Borrego. The photos of the blood-orange poppies on a hill are at Walker Canyon. I wasn’t able to go camping that weekend due to other commitments, so I ended up doing a day trip. Woke up at 3:00 am (which felt like 2am because of daylight savings) and drove from Los Angeles to Anza-Borrego to arrive at sunrise. I ended up spending all day there, driving around to the different areas to photograph them and ended up doing two small hikes. That weekend ended up being the most visitors the park has seen in over a decade, so there were a ton of people there. I left around four in the afternoon to drive back to Los Angeles but wanted to stop at Walker Canyon on the way back. I just missed sunset due to so much traffic, but got there right after sun went behind the hills. Even with the sun behind the hills, the light was good because it was close to blue hour and hung out until it was dark, photographing the flowers, hills and people enjoying the superbloom. It was a great day trip!

Alyssa Ravasio, Hipcamp Founder

The journey was long and we arrived late in the night, exhausted but shepherded painlessly into a sweet site at Borrego Palm Canyon Campground by a giant moon. But as the pink dawn broke and I realized we were in a sea of flowers, I was filled with gratitude for the privilege of being present for such an overwhelmingly joyful celebration of Nature.

As we wandered through the desert, a landscape I’ve always associated with barren nothingness (save rocks, sand and dust), I was mesmerized by the rainbow cacophony of yellow dandelions, golden poppies, purple lupines, elegant desert lilies, and electric pink cactus blooms. My sensory perceptions quickly became overwhelmed by the beauty, and I shifted into a state of constant awe and wonder for the entire day as my brain filled with creative new ideas.

The desert will never be the same for me.

The rain was so good this year that they say it reached seeds that have been dormant for 30 years—and they’re all blooming now. If you can, go enjoy this celebration of the resiliency of life. The sheer joy of the Superbloom will leave you filled with hope, creativity and energy.

My favorite spot for flowers: follow the dirt road off Henderson Canyon Road into the lemon grove all the way back to the end of the canyon. Also, sunrise or moonrise at Font’s Point is not to be missed. Not for the flowers, but for the incredible view of the badlands.

Huge thank you to Escape Campervans for providing that van that made this last-minute adventure possible! Their artistic campervans come with a full kitchen, bed, and table—everything you need for your adventuring.

Melissa Cunningham

Danny Brown

These were taken at Diamond Valley Lake, California. We didn’t camp there, but stopped by on the way back from a night under the stars at Anza Borrego. We were searching for the superbloom all weekend, and Diamond Valley was the location that finally satisfied our need for #bloom.

Kelsey Smith

We went a few weeks ago to Anza Borrego State Park but apparently we were a week and a half too early. Although the entire desert was greener than I’ve ever seen it, we missed the one canyon that actually had flowers. I did find those massive flowers here in San Diego though.

Ezekiel Gonzalez

Here’s proof that you don’t have to go all the way to Anza-Borrego…these shots are from Point Dume in Malibu when we stayed at the Zuma Sanctuary the weekend of March 11.

Of course, this list doesn’t nearly include all of the best photos out there—though we think it’s a great start.