Spring Wildflower Bloom Lingering at Death Valley National Park

The Mariposa Lily is just coming into bloom in the higher elevations of Death Valley National Park. NPS photo.

While spring weather has been fleeting in the West, with wintry incursions, the cooler, wet weather has prolonged the spring wildflower bloom at Death Valley National Park.

While the bloom is nearing an end in the lower elevations of the park, there still is lots of Desert Gold in bloom. Park officials suggest you head to canyons and mountain passes ranging in elevation from 2,500 feet to 4,000 feet for the best displays of this gorgeous flower.

At the lower part of this blooming zone you can find Golden Evening Primrose (Camissonia brevipes), Pebble Pincushion (Chaenactis carphoclinia), Beavertail Cactus (Opuntia basilaris), Broad-flowered Gilia (Gilia latiflora), Desert Dandelion (Malacothrix glabrata) and Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa).

Head higher into the park you might catch blooms of Mojave Aster (Xylorhiza tortifolia), Globemallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), Indigo Bush (Psorothamnus fremontii), Desert Mariposa Lily (Calochortus kennedyi) Desert Paintbrush (Castilleja applegatei martinii), and Parish Larkspur (Delphinium parishii). Rare or unusual plants in bloom include Panamint Daisy (Enciliopsis colvillei) in lower Wildrose Canyon and Bear Poppy (Arctomecon merriamii) in Grapevine Canyon near Scotty’s Castle.