With spring 2008 shaping up to be the best wildflower season in years in the Sonoran Desert, the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department is offering suggestions and a Wildflower Viewing Guide on the best places to view wildflowers in the city’s desert and mountain preserves.
In addition to the specific locations listed below, northern-facing slopes throughout the preserve system should be good spots to view wildflowers. Wildflowers typically are at their peak from late February through March.
Those that do head out to enjoy the show should stay on established, signed trails at all times and refrain from picking flowers.
The main varieties seen in Phoenix desert preserves are Mexican gold poppies (deep yellow), brittlebush (yellow), lupine (purple), desert globemallow (orange) and scorpionweed (purple). Fiddleneck and goldeneye also are blooming in some areas.
South Mountain Park - Large areas of wildflower blooms can be found in the western part of the park along San Juan Road. The Bajada Trail and the sections of the National Trail that run through the western end of the park offer viewing on foot. San Juan Road will be open for limited hours Saturdays and Sundays from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Feb. 23 to March 30 to allow vehicle access to these areas. The road will remain closed on weekdays and close again full time on March 31. The area surrounding the roadway leading to the Gila Valley overlook also is a good viewing area.
Visitors can access these areas through the main preserve entrance at Central Avenue south of Dobbins Road. Staff is available for questions about wildflower viewing Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the South Mountain Environmental Education Center, located to the south of the main road before the main entrance gate.
The north-facing slopes accessible from the Pima Canyon and Beverly Canyon entrances of the park also are a great spot for wildflowers.
Piestewa Peak Area - Trail 8, the Quartz Ridge Trail, typically runs through impressive blooms. The trailhead is at 40th Street south of Shea Boulevard. Several trails around Piestewa Peak that are accessible from the Phoenix Mountains Park and Recreation Area also are good spots for wildflower viewing.
Dreamy Draw - Hillsides and washes surrounding Trail 100 out of the Dreamy Draw trailhead at Northern Avenue and Highway 51 often are covered in blooms.
Camelback Mountain - Both the Cholla Trail and the Echo Canyon area are good spots for wildflower displays. These trails are generally more strenuous than the others listed here with significant elevation gain. Parking is very limited, especially for the Echo Canyon area, where waits for parking spots routinely exceed 30 minutes.
