Desert Wildflowers Joshua Tree NP

Plan your trip with our Joshua Tree NP Introduction Package

We'd like to see your pictures too. E-mail your digtial photos and reports to Jim@desertusa.com. Use Wildflower Report as the subject of your e-mail. Let us know where you took the photo and the date.
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Jan 23, 2012 DUSA reports: Cottonwood campground is scheduled to reopen on February 17. Cottonwood Spring and some trails remain closed. Rain in forcast for today.

Nov 12, 2011 DUSA reports: More rain in Joshua Tree Park today.

Joshua Tree National Park reopened Pinto Basin Road for visitor use on November 1st. Cottonwood Visitor Center is once again open to welcome visitors. Cottonwood Campground and Cottonwood Spring Oasis will remain closed as repairs to the campground and area trails have not yet been completed.

Pinto Basin Road has been closed since September 13 due to flash flood damage caused by approximately three inches of rain that fell in the area during a torrential rainstorm. The road is open for two-lane travel along its entire length, however, there remain several short unpaved sections where travelers should reduce speeds and exercise caution.

Oct 5, 2011 Jim B reports: Rain in the forecast for this week.

May 15, 2011 Jim B reports: Just a few miles east of the western entrance to the park is a small dirt parking lot for the Northview Trail (right at mile marker 24). If you ignore the trail signs on both sides of the main trail it goes down to a wash. In the gully, there are quite a few things in bloom. It's that time of the year when the bushes and cacti start to bloom. We saw a lot of hedgehog cacti in bloom plus a few prickly pear. But the best part were the bushes. There are mojave aster, apricot mallow, brittle brush and several others that I don't know the names. Although most of the regular wildflowers had gone to seed, the sandy wash had quite a few belly flowers still around. This was last weekend. So, it should still be worth the visit.

May 2, 2011 Park reports: The bloom has now spread throughout the park, and flowers may be seen on most trails and along the roadsides. Pine City and Covington Flats are both displaying an outstanding variety of wildflowers in bloom.

Spring Blooming Periods

Lower Elevations: 1,000 – 3,000 feet
Yuccas—March and April
Annuals—February, March, and April
Cacti—March, April, and May

Higher Elevations: 3,000 – 5,000 feet

Joshua Trees and Yuccas—March and April
Annuals—March, April, and May
Cacti—April, May, and June

Photos tips: Most digital point-and-shoot cameras have a macro function - usually symbolized by the icon of a little flower. When you turn on that function, you allow your camera to get closer to the subject, looking into a flower for example. Or getting up close and personal with a bug. More on desert photography.

We have an online wildflower field guide that is designed to help you identify desert wildflowers by color, scientific name, region and common name. The pictures are sized to work on the iPod, iPhone. iPad and similar devices. With your iPod or phone you will easily be able to identify wildflowers while in the desert. Links for downloads are on the bottom of the Wildflower Field Guide page.

For other state reports click on link below

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Mojave Desert Wildflowers book 200 color photos

Other DesertUSA Resources
Desert Plants
Wildflower Information & Hotlines
When Will The Wildflowers Bloom?
Wildflower Intro. Packages
Books on Cacti, Wildflowers, & Other Flora

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