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A wildflower super bloom is nearing its peak in Anza-Borrega Desert State Park
Plentiful rain over the winter is expected to make a particularly vibrant show
A wildflower “super bloom” is erupting in Southern California’s Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
Thousands of people visit the park every year to see the desert lilies, poppies, dune primrose, sunflowers, desert dandelions and other flowers that dot the rugged landscape, according to the park foundation’s website.
This winter’s rains should make this year’s display particularly vibrant.
“We’ve had the ideal conditions for a pretty good wildflower bloom which we don’t always get,” State Park Interpreter Sally Theriault told CNN affiliate XETV. “This could be the biggest bloom in 20 years and that’s what we expect.”
It’s hard to predict when the blooms will reach their peak, but the park said it’s coming soon. If the weather remains mild the flowers could continue through the middle of March.
Michael Zandy went out early Saturday to get a sunrise shot of the flowers. He’s visited the park twice since moving to the area in November and plans to go back soon.
Theriault said the park on Saturday got triple its normal number of visitors and that all of its parking lots were full by 11 a.m.
You can get a view of the wildflowers from the visitors’ center, but the park’s website says that you’ll need a 4-wheel-drive vehicle, or be willing to hike to reach some prime spots.
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