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Death Valley Superbloom Days
“When you feel hopeless, remember that even Death Valley can bloom flowers.”
Against all odds, the desert is in bloom. After rare and generous winter rains, Death Valley National Park has awakened in a breathtaking superbloom!
Seeds that have waited years, even decades, beneath the desert floor are suddenly carpeting the valleys in gold, violet, and soft white.
Desert gold, brown-eyed evening primrose, golden evening primrose, sand verbena and phacelia ripple across the normally stark landscape, revivifying one of the hottest, driest places on earth into a tapestry of color. The same unusually wet pattern also revived Death Valley’s ancient lake, known as Lake Manly.
Death Valley National Park is a vast desert basin on the California–Nevada border known for its dramatic extremes. It holds the record for the hottest air temperature ever recorded on Earth (134°F / 56.7°C) and includes Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level. Summers are intensely hot and dry, with very little rainfall, yet winter nights can be surprisingly cold, especially in the higher mountain elevations that frame the valley. The landscape ranges from blinding white salt flats and rolling sand dunes to colorful badlands and rugged peaks, making it one of the most striking and extreme environments in the United States.
While the desert palette is dominated by warm yellows and oranges, as reflected in this tartan, additional flowers in shades of pink, blue, and red also flourish, attracting a diverse array of pollinators including hummingbirds, bees, and even bats! 🧡 💛 💚 🌵🌵 🌵 🏜️
Death Valley National Park in California and Nevada is known as the hottest, driest place in North America, yet every so often it erupts into remarkable color. These rare “superblooms” happen when a very specific set of conditions align: significant fall and winter rainfall (often during El Niño years), mild spring temperatures, low wind, and a seed bank already waiting in the soil. Desert wildflower seeds can remain dormant for decades, protected by tough outer coatings. When enough rain falls—usually a few inches spread steadily over months—the valley floor can transform into sweeping displays of desert gold, sand verbena, phacelia, evening primrose, and other species.
Some of the most notable recent superblooms occurred in 2005, when hillsides turned visibly golden across large areas of the park; in 2016, following strong winter rains; and in 2023, after historic rainfall across California deserts. Even in strong years, bloom timing varies by elevation, with lower valley floors often peaking in February and higher elevations blooming later into March and April.
Long before modern superblooms, Death Valley held vast lakes. During the Ice Ages—especially between about 10,000 and 30,000 years ago—the valley contained a large freshwater body known as Lake Manly. Cooler glacial climates brought heavier snowpack to surrounding mountains, more consistent rainfall, and far lower evaporation rates than today. At its greatest extent, Lake Manly stretched roughly 90 to 100 miles in length and may have reached depths exceeding 600 feet. It supported fish, waterfowl, and early human populations. Evidence of this ancient lake remains visible in shoreline terraces carved into the mountainsides.
As the climate warmed and glaciers retreated, inflow diminished and evaporation intensified. The lake gradually shrank and eventually disappeared, leaving behind thick deposits of salt and minerals. Today, Badwater Basin, at 282 feet below sea level, marks the lowest point in North America and occupies part of the former lakebed. After rare modern storms, shallow temporary lakes sometimes form again, briefly reflecting the mountains and offering a glimpse of the valley’s watery past.
Death Valley’s history is a study in dramatic contrasts: drought and sudden bloom, salt flats and ancient freshwater seas, record-breaking heat and Ice Age lakes.
For more on this year's superbloom, click the photo!