Natural History Wanderings

Anza-Borrego Desert SP has a new wildflower update for April 1, 2014

Winter rains this year have not been enough to prompt a showy display of annual wildflowers, but a careful observer willing to spend some time looking can find something in bloom somewhere.
The Palo Verde trees still blooming at the Visitor Center, but the bright yellow blossoms won’t last much longer.
The Visitor Center also has cactus in bloom—Gander’s Cholla, Barrel cactus, and a few Hedgehog flowering.
Ocotillo are in full bloom in the north and south forks of Indian Canyon (Four-wheel drive, high clearance vehicles only!) in the southern part of the park, and along highway S-3 entering Borrego Springs from the south.
Agave are starting to send up flowering stalks along Highway 78 between Tamarisk Grove and Plum Canyon, on the north side of the road.

Drivers of four-wheel-drive vehicles can find some annuals in the Grapevine Canyon area, as well as in Coyote Canyon.
Hikers/walkers are finding some annuals in the “new” washes north and south of the road into Glorieta Canyon—ground cherry, cryptantha, poppies—and the spiny desert senna is starting to bloom along the road. It smells so good! 2WD is OK, but vehicles need some clearance to get all the way up the road. Look for dyeweed and indigo bush, also.
Coyote Canyon, Borrego Palm Canyon, and Cool Canyon, as well as other western canyons, are a good place to hike and look for blooms.
The hike to Big Spring, in the Culp Valley area, should yield several varieties of flowering shrubs, and perhaps a few annuals near water.

 

Borregohiking.com has a report for Grapevine Canyon at Anza-Borrego

The Grapevine canyon is close to the rain shadow, this is a good place for flowers, even now.
I like the prickly poppy best, seen all over the place.

For Hike description and photos see links below:
http://borregohiking.com/hiking/2012_grapevine_loop_2.html
https://picasaweb.google.com/107165536758788816617/GrapevineLoop