Nearly every spring, we get to witness one of nature’s most spectacular natural phenomena: a California superbloom. Millions of wildflowers spring up along the West Coast and throughout the Bay Area—sometimes in such quantities that they’re visible from space.
Due to heavy winter rains during the last few years, Bay Area wildflower fields have gifted us with some stunning superblooms and vast colorful displays.
Will Northern California experience big wildflower blooms in 2025?
Despite California State Parks’ prediction of a limited 2025 wildflower bloom in Southern California due to lower-than-average rainfall, the SF Chronicle revealed better prospects in the Bay Area. CA State Parks educator Ryan Forbes told them that 2025 should be a “pretty decent year” for Bay Area wildflower fields.
As of mid-March, wildflowers are starting to bloom at Mount Tamalpais, Trione-Annadel State Park, Samuel P. Taylor State Park, and Shell Ridge Open Space.
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Where can I see super blooms and wildflowers in the Bay Area?
Here’s a rundown of local wildflower hot spots from past years. Be sure to look through the respective parks’ social media pages or location tags for an idea of what to expect, as some fields are more bountiful than others.
San Francisco & Peninsula
- Crissy Field Beach dunes (San Francisco): Flowers bloom along the dunes here including pink sea thrift and seaside daisy.
- Bernal Heights Park (San Francisco): Walk up the dirt trails for a great 360-degree view of San Francisco and look for wildflowers along the way.
- McLaren Park (San Francisco): This popular dog walking spot has 313 acres to explore with trails, picnic areas, and the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater.
- Presidio (San Francisco): “Batteries to Bluffs” is a popular short route on the coastline with native plants and wildflowers along the dunes.
- Mori Point (Pacifica): This area is known to see large swathes of yellow flowers and species including beach strawberry, checkerbloom, butter cups, coastal tidy tips, and California gold fields. Take the 3.2-mile Mori Point Peak Loop for great coastal views and wildflower viewing.
- Half Moon Bay State Beach (Half Moon Bay): Look for wildflowers blooming around the dunes at Half Moon Bay State Beach.
- Edgewood Park and Nature Preserve (Redwood City): This park has sweeping serpentine grasslands that are known for large wildflower blooms every spring.
East Bay
- Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve (Sunol, east of Fremont): This 6,859-acre wilderness in the East Bay blooms with California poppies, mustard, goldfields and lupines. Stop at the Visitor Center and pick up a wildflower identification kit.
- Briones Regional Park (Martinez): This 6,255-acre park in Contra Costa County teems with wildflowers along its many scenic trails. You can see nearby Mt. Diablo and Mt. Tamalpais from its highest point, Briones Peak.
- Mount Diablo (near Walnut Creek): Over 150 species of wildflowers bloom at this popular state park. Look for poppies along South Gate Road, North Gate Road, and the Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve.
- Coyote Hills Regional Park (Fremont): This park in Fremont has seen lovely large fields of California poppies and more, and it’s worth going on a weekday to avoid crowds.
- Tilden Regional Park (Berkeley): This massive park with a lake in Berkeley sees multiple fields of multicolored wildflowers.
North Bay
- SCA Trail (Sausalito): Wildflowers here including paintbrush, checkerbloom, blue dicks, and California poppy.
- Tennessee Valley (Marin Headlands): See California poppies on the hillside after a moderate short hike to the beach.
- Nike Missile Site (Marin Headlands): The “most fully-restored Nike missile site in the country” is surrounded by blooming wildflowers including sun cups and morning glory.
- Coastal Trail to Hill 88 (Marin Headlands): This 6-mile trail blooms with California poppies, paintbrush, butter cups, and checkerbloom.
- Mount Tamalpais (Marin): Look for wildflowers on the Bolinas Ridge Trail, Dipsea Trail, Coast View Trail, and Redwood Creek Trail.
- China Camp State Park (San Rafael): Look for clusters of wildflowers including California poppy, narrowleaf mule’s ear, yellow mariposa lily, Ithuriel’s spear, and Douglas iris.
- Trione-Annadel State Park (near Santa Rosa): Take the Cobblestone Trail for a chance to glimpse mariposa lily, ookow, red larkspur, and purple Chinese houses.
- Sugarloaf Ridge State Park (Kenwood): Lower Bald Mountain Trail has whispering bells, popcorn flowers, Diogenes’ lantern, blue dicks, lupine, and California poppy. Other trails to try are Creekside, Meadow, Meadow Hillside Loop, Vista Loop, Bald Mt and Goodspeed.
South Bay
- Calero County Park (San Jose): Explore 18.9 miles of trails crossing through the “back country,” which blooms with wildflowers in April and May.
- Ed R. Levin County Park (Milpitas): See large swathes of yellow wildflowers on the Monument Peak and Agua Caliente trails.
- Wilder Ranch State Park (Santa Cruz): The bluffs at Wilder Ranch bloom with wildflowers between 3-Mile and 4-Mile beaches on the Ohlone Bluff Trail.
What is a superbloom?
“Superbloom” is a non-technical term that’s come to refer to California’s rare, above-average wildflower blooms. It happens when seeds that have laid dormant in the soil begin to germinate and blossom all at once.
National Geographic elaborates that superblooms require a few basic ingredients to come to fruition: they are “a good rain year,” (but not just a single deluge), “cool nighttime temperatures, and a well-stocked seed bank.” Historically those conditions have brought superblooms every decade or so, although climate change has made that schedule much less predictable.
Where is the superbloom in California?
In 2023, the European Space Agency, NASA, SF-based company Planet Labs, and Colorado-based Maxar Technologies all captured exciting satellite images of colorful flower fields in California. Planet Labs captured large swathes of purple taking over Carrizo Plain National Park in Santa Margarita, and NASA images show flashes of yellow and lime green in the same area. Other dependable areas to see a California superbloom include Chino Hills State Park and Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve. You can learn more about the SoCal wildflower bloom in Secret Los Angeles’ article.
Here in the Bay Area, some blooms we’ve enjoyed in past years include Bermuda Buttercups in Davenport and wild mustard in Half Moon Bay, although both are invasive species. In fact, in a rare exception to the “don’t step on the flowers” rule, Iacopi Farms invited visitors to walk among their invasive wild mustard bloom and even charged $10 admission fees. The flowers were crushed at the end of the season anyway to fertilize the land.
How to see a superbloom responsibly
No matter where you visit, it’s essential to be respectful of the natural environment. Sightseers often stray from marked paths and trample the blossoms to get the perfect picture, which can be destructive to the desert landscapes where fragile native blooms usually occur. Make sure to plan your trip carefully and, quite simply, do not step on the plants.
Want more spring flower news? Read our articles about where to see tulips, almond blossoms, cherry blossoms, calla lilies, and more.