RivCo Wildflower Blooms Will Be Limited This Year Amid Dry Winter

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — This year, parts of Riverside County won’t be overrun by Disneyland-sized crowds seeking an Instagram-worthy shot with fields of wildflowers as their backdrop.

Officials say a lackluster rainy season is to blame.

The Southland's popular super bloom destinations won't have much to show in terms of wildflowers this season, following one of the driest starts to the rainy season on record. Wildflower blooms across the area generally occur from mid-March through April.

California State Parks sent out an announcement this week, delivering the disappointing news that the upcoming wildflower season is expected to be "limited."

"Wildflower growth depends on a delicate mix of weather factors, including rain and its timing, amount of sunlight, seasonal temperature patterns, and wind, that cause the bloom timing and the number of flowers seen across the region to vary from year to year," the department said.

But the parks system is still urging people to visit the following six parks that normally host spring blooms:

• Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

• Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve State Natural Reserve

• Chino Hills State Park

• Red Rock Canyon State Park

• Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area

• Picacho State Recreation Area

"Although the wildflower display may be small this year, these parks remain incredible destinations offering stunning landscapes, diverse wildlife and plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities," according to the announcement.

Chino Hills State Park, which spans Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, recently reported that its typically flower-covered hills are largely bare this season, despite a late January storm.

"As we remain in the heart of winter, there are currently no signs of significant flower development," the park said on Jan. 30.

Meanwhile, recent photos of Walker Canyon in Lake Elsinore showed barren hills where a sea of orange and yellow blooms have sprung up en masse in past years.

The canyon became a source of anxiety for the city after tens of thousands of visitors overwhelmed trails, local roads and stomped through the flower fields in 2019.

Then-Mayor Natasha Johnson described the debacle in Walker Canyon: "The flowers were beautiful. The scene was a nightmare."

That year, the event was marred by tragedy when a California Highway Patrol Sgt. Steve Licon was struck and killed while working extra hours to provide traffic enforcement along I-15.

The situation became so disruptive that the city imposed closures of parking areas and street access near the blooms. A "poppy cam" was also installed to encourage remote viewing.

This year — barring a surprise string of torrential downpour — the city will get a reprieve from unrelenting spring guests.

The city did not immediately respond to Patch in a request for comment.

Alternatively, the Wildflower Trail at Diamond Valley Lake in Hemet will open on March 1, welcoming visitors to view its seasonal wildflowers, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California announced this week.

While the park is not expecting a super bloom, the area has had enough rain to usher in a variety of flowers, including California poppies, deep blue arroyo lupines, purple Canterbury bells, yellow rancher’s fiddleneck, white popcorn flowers and pink-red maids.

Still, visitors are urged to refrain from picking the wildflowers and to stay on the trails, the district said.