RENO, Nev. (News 4 & Fox 11) — Not since the days of Mark Twain has there been anything like what people witnessed in the Steamboat area of south Reno this month — a geyser shooting scalding water 30 feet into the air.

The natural phenomenon attracted curiosity seekers and scientists alike, hoping to catch a glimpse of the most spectacular geyser activity reported in the area since the 1800s.

“I’ve never been to Yellowstone. But for me, this is like a real close second,” said Rachel Micander, a geologic information specialist with the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology.

In the 1800s, Steamboat was estimated to be the third-largest geyser field in the United States. During the 20th century, much of that activity went underground, until just recently, when mineral-rich water started percolating through the surface once again

But in early June, the geyser reemerged, spouting water out from an abandoned geothermal well. Today, the geyser has subsided, but the area is still geothermally active, with several small pots bubbling up nearby.

Water bubbles up from the ground near Steamboat Hot Springs on June 26, 2025.

Geologists are actively studying the area, visiting it often to observe, take water and rock samples and monitor the temperature with probes. Cary Lindsey, research geologist with the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, said she wants to find the answer to the ‘million-dollar question’ — what caused the geyser?

“It could be a lot of things … there’s been a change in the water table in South Reno, when this area moved from more agriculture to more housing. The water table may have risen,” Lindsey said. “We could have had a little micro-earthquake and it could have shaken one of those fluid channels.”

There is geothermal production in the area. We’re not ruling that out but we’re not really looking at that as the primary cause either. We are just leaving all of our options open.

Though what caused the geyser to erupt is an open question, what caused it to since subside may have had something to do with Phil Busick, who owns the land on which it sits.

“There’s a neighbor of mine right over here who has one in his backyard. A very smart guy, he helped us,” Busick said. “We poured cold water just through a garden hose off the building … we stood back a few feet and fed it down the hole and let the water run. And after a half hour to an hour, it settled down.”

It’s kind of neat. You know, it is a natural phenomenon. Not everybody has a geyser or a fissure bubbling hot water in their backyard. So it is something special.

A fissure near where a geyser erupted in early June near Steamboat Hot Springs as seen on June 26, 2025.

The Silver State is one of the most geothermally active areas in the U.S. — it’s perfectly located for such activity because it’s positioned near two tectonic plates, making the Earth’s crust relatively thin.

“Here in western Nevada, that crust is thin enough and that magma is close enough to the surface that it can heat the groundwater as it enters deep into the Earth along these fractures,” local nuclear physicist Taylor Wilson told us last year. source

Disclaimer: Most of the geothermal activity is on private property near the Steamboat Hot Springs. It is blocked off with ‘no trespassing’ and ‘private property’ signs. The water is also over 200 degrees and the ground could be unstable, so experts say it is dangerous and that people should stay away.

It’s a fitful, intermittent eruption that’s happening for a 30-foot ‘geyser’ spouting boiling water on a small property off Alternate 395 South Virginia Street.

The water is coming from a pipe next to a long fissure in the ground – a fissure that geologists started studying last year when it became home to a collection of springs spewing hot bubbling water, less than a foot tall.

“The fissure has been there for a very long time, but it’s been dry,” Rachel Micander, Geologic Information Specialist with the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, explained to 2 News Nevada on Friday. “Last year, in March, we came down and noticed that it was doing what we call perpetual spouting – there was this water, boiling water, coming out of the ground, spouting. Jim Faulds called it a mini geyser.”

She and other scientists studying the area believe that this new geyser is connected to those bubbling water spouts.

It began erupting Sunday afternoon, June 1, and spouted water for about 24 hours by resident reports, before the area completely dried up – including the small spouts nearby. As of Thursday night, it’s erupting again.

Though it’s an interesting and scientifically significant sight, scientists are warning the community not to visit. Micander measured the water temperature at 95 degrees Celsius – over 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

“This can cause third-degree burns. It can kill you,” she said. “Also, the ground in that area is incredibly unstable. There’s hot water flowing all underneath it, and because this geyser is unpredictable, the ground is unpredictable.”

Micander and other geologists aren’t sure what’s behind the geyser activity. She’s currently studying documents outlining the property’s history and permits, to see if they hold clues to what’s facilitating the water’s path to the surface now.

Contrary to rumors, she and other scientists don’t believe that the geyser activity is connected to the geothermal plant up the street, operated by Ormat Technologies. According to Micander, Ormat operates on a closed system at a higher elevation – the water that’s pumped out is reinjected.

The geysers at Steamboat have also been around for decades more, and disappeared long before any geothermal activity nearby. Eruptions weren’t uncommon a century ago. Why the land dried up, and why the water is returning now are questions that Micander and others are studying.

“Geysers operate on a very delicate system. They have things that they need to do geyser things, and if one of those things is out of whack – it could be water, it could be pressure, it could be heat – then you’re not going to have a geyser,” she said.

After the site dried out on Tuesday, Micander almost thought that was the last of it – that South Reno’s geysers had officially disappeared once again. But as long as this new, impressive spout continues to erupt, it may hold more clues to the history and future of the hot water just beneath the South Reno’s surface. source

Like many natural phenomena, everything needs to align for it to become a reality. First, the setting sun must be at the right angle which happens to be around the second week of February. Second, the snowpack needs to be deep enough to generate enough water flow over El Capitan. Third, the sky needs to be crystal clear. We’re talking not a single cloud or haze even near the horizon. And if everything aligns for that perfect moment, it lasts for only a few, fleeting minutes.

With such a short time window and many elements intersecting, it’s a tough sight to see. The popularity of this event has skyrocketed in recent years, from only a few keen observers to hundreds and possibly thousands of spectators each year. If you are traveling to attempt to see this attraction, be aware that there will most likely be weekend reservation requirements.   Requirements are usually announced about 4 months prior to the event, so make sure to check back here for more information.

How Did Yosemite’s Natural Firefall Get Global Fame

Horsetail Fall lights up.  Photo by Darvin Atkeson

While the natural Firefall event of the Horsetail Fall that happens in February has been around for as long as Yosemite has existed, no one really knew about it until Galen Rowell took the first-known color photograph in 1973 for National Geographic (Interesting aside – in or around 1952 Ansel Adams did capture what was known at that time as El Capitan Fall. But since it was black and white, the unique colorful and fiery event we know of today was not conveyed). Now with the advent of digital photography and social media, this helped propel the ephemeral event into stardom.

The Original Firefall At Glacier Point

For almost a century nightly bonfires created at  Glacier Point that were pushed over the cliffs toward spectators located in Curry Village below. The idea originated inadvertently in 1872 with James McCauley, the owner of the The Mountain House at Glacier Point.. Every night during the summer, he would build a campfire to entertain his guests. To extinguish the fire, he would kick the smoldering embers over the cliff. It didn’t take long for the visitors 3000 feet down below in Yosemite Valley who saw the embers tumbling down the cliff to request the Yosemite Valley Lodge to see the “Firefall.” And thus, the Yosemite Firefall was born.

Long exposure of Glacier Point Firefall from Ahwahnee Meadow

The “natural” Firefall, is much more natural and of course, rare, depending on a good stream of water flowing over Horsetail Fall, a clear sky and the right light hitting the cliffs at the right time to produce the desired effect.

Over 25 years, McCauley kept this tradition until he was evicted from Glacier Point. As the years passed, the Yosemite Valley Hotel owner, David Curry, kept hearing visitors fondly remember that activity. So, he brought it back for special occasions. This continued until 1913, when the park service banned it due to a possible leasing dispute with Mr. Curry. Reinstated in 1917, the display continued again with a break during WWII and was finally ended in 1968 by the director of the National Park Service, George B. Hartzog. His thought, and rightly so, was that it was an unnatural spectacle that was more fitting for Disneyland than a national park.

The Fiery Glow of Horsetail Fall

An Unforgettable Experience at Firefly – A True Gem in Studio City!

Nine years after party-planner impresario Jeffrey Best opened this place, it’s still happening. Past the unmarked door, the bar is crowded with a usual mix of schmoozers and romancers, cocktail sippers and ardent talkers. The décor doesn’t look as if it’s changed a bit in the intervening years. Still the same books, the same inviting low red couches. Beyond the “library” lounge is the vast dining room. Two fireplaces give the room the feeling of a desert encampment.

The late-night menu continues where the dinner menu leaves off.

From the moment you step into Firefly, you’re transported into a world of elegance, charm, and ambiance. The atmosphere is absolutely stunning – dimly lit with cozy, romantic vibes that make it perfect for date night or a special celebration. The outdoor patio, with its twinkling lights and lush greenery, feels like something straight out of a movie.

The food? Absolutely phenomenal. Every dish we tried was thoughtfully prepared, beautifully presented, and bursting with flavor. Whether you’re a foodie or just someone who enjoys a great meal, Firefly delivers an elevated dining experience that satisfies on every level.

And let’s not forget the service – attentive without being intrusive, knowledgeable, and genuinely welcoming. You can tell the staff takes pride in creating a memorable evening for every guest.

Firefly isn’t just a restaurant – it’s an experience. Highly recommend, and can’t wait to come back!

https://www.fireflystudiocity.com/

On March 2, 1903 the California poppy, Eschscholzia californica, became the official state flower of California (Ca. Government Code Section 421(opens in new tab)). The plant’s bright orange flowers are an unmatched symbol of the Golden State, perhaps viewed as a floral representation of the “fields of gold” sought during the gold rush. The California poppy is commonly seen blooming in the spring and summer along country roads and freeways throughout much of the state, making this plant a highly recognizable symbol of California, and April 6 of each year is officially designated as California Poppy Day.

It is often believed that there are laws prohibiting the cutting or damaging of the California poppy because it is the state flower. While there is no law protecting the California poppy specifically, California Penal Code Section 384a(opens in new tab) requires written landowner permission to remove and sell plant material from land that a person does not own, and removing or damaging plants from property that a person does not own without permission may constitute trespass and/or petty theft. However, these laws do not prevent the collection of California poppies on private land by the landowner. California poppies are a beautiful and easy-to-grow addition to your garden, and although you may choose to pick them from your property, they last much longer in the ground!

California’s superbloom phenomenon is so big and bright this year it can be seen from space. NASA’s Landsat 9 satellite, which was launched in 2021 to capture images of Earth’s land surface, sent back images of bright purple and green blooms in Carrizo Plain National Park.

A superbloom occurs when desert areas in Southern California receive more rain or cooler weather through the fall and winter, allowing more flowers to thrive. The term “superbloom,” however, is not a scientific one: It was created by the media to describe these colorful, robust blooms, said said Cameron Barrows, an associate research ecologist at UC Riverside’s Center for Conservation Biology.

Some years, the blooms aren’t that super. Excessive rain can also help bromes, a type of grass. grow fast, filling the area and covering the flowers, said Richard Minnich, a professor of earth sciences at UC Riverside.

And it’s not every year the area gets enough rain for the spectacle to happen. The 2023 NASA images, taken on April 6, are much more colorful than the April 2022 images, NASA says. Carrizo Plain National Park is located north of Santa Barbara.

The 2019 bloom near the town of New Cuyama was also visible from space, according to NASA.  Several areas in the state are experiencing superblooms this year, with Chino Hills State Park getting a carpet of orange poppies.

Visitors often flock to the superblooms when they are vibrant, and officials have called excessive tourism a “nightmare” in the past. “The 2019 bloom became a national … and international phenomenon,” Lake Elsinore Mayor Natasha Johnson said during a news conference earlier this month. “Numerous problems occurred on our trails and roads. There were Disneyland-size crowds wanting to see the poppies.”\23

Some visitors trampled the flowers and a California highway patrol officer even died as a result of problems with visitors during the 2019 superbloom, according to the Regional Conservation Authority of Western Riverside County. Trails, parking and access to Walker Canyon were closed as a result.

The 2023 bloom was not expected to be as vibrant and vast as the one in 2019, but it was expected to be large, Johnson said. Visitors were urged to watch it from a safe distance – on a livestream of the area, as they will not be allowed in Walker Canyon in Lake Elsinore. source

California’s wildflower ‘super bloom’ transforms landscapes into paintings

Southern California is enjoying a wildflower “super bloom” after years of extreme drought.

The state had been under a drought state of emergency since 2014, but Gov. Jerry Brown lifted the order for all but four counties, earlier this month.

The wet winter strained reservoirs to the max and replenished mountain snowpacks, which are now at 164 percent of the season average.

Photographer Sarah Chah spotted a group of pronghorns, sometimes known as the American antelope, in the Carrizo Plain National Monument, about 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

The Temblor Range, a famous spot for wildflower viewing that’s part of the Carrizo Plain, is now carpeted in blue, purple, orange and yellow flowers and vibrant green foliage.Another visitor to the region, Heather Lomax, tried out her new drone camera last weekend during a camping trip and saw yellow flowers for as far as the eye can see.The Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants, in Sun Valley, has a wildflower hotline that’s updated every Friday during the season. It’s narrated with gusto by Emmy-winning actor Joe Spano (of “Hill Street Blues fame), which makes it worth a listen, even if you’re not heading to the area.

April and May are prime times for seeing the wildflowers before hot weather hits.

The Bureau of Land Management, which oversees the monument is asking people to share their photos with the hashtag #trackthebloom. source

Where to See California’s Super Blooms

Wondering where to experience the most eye-catching wildflower blooms in California? Feast your eyes on these vibrant areas in California.

Ever thought to stop and smell the flowers? California’s super blooms are the ideal colorful displays to enjoy the wonders of nature. Observe mountain ranges transforming into surreal orange canvases—floral brushstrokes of yellow, green, and purple paint the landscapes and illuminate the panoramas. You’ll discover that the hot orange of the poppies in contrast to the browns of desert bushes yields a blissful sight to see. Pair that with the dramatic blue of the clear skies above and you got yourself a pretty paradise.

To view the wildflowers in full bloom, the best time to visit Murrietta is in late March (April and May are also okay). It’s during these months that the flowers are especially fresh and vibrant—you’ll see them dancing in the sun all spring long.

JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK 

Wildflowers in Joshua Tree are one of the park’s most beautiful sights. During each spring—given the right conditions—this national park explodes in a burst of color as the super bloom season in California begins. Reds, yellows, purples, and blues splash across the majestic Joshua Tree desert landscape, adding a magical feel to the park. What most people don’t expect to find in the desert park is the orange California poppy.

Delicate and ephemeral, California poppy super blooms don’t last very long here. These stunning wildflowers only bloom for a few weeks before wilting away in the summer heat. Given the harsh nature of the desert, the blooms appear only when conditions are favorable for their survival. After rainy winters, wildflowers at the state park flourish for a few weeks in spring—just long enough to produce seeds for the next generation. Seeds then bloom into breathtaking hedgehog cactus, sand verbena, purple mat, ocotillo, and sand blazing star.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFLOWER BLOOMS

CALERO COUNTY PARK

As Santa Clara County’s most diverse regional park and recreation area, Calero doesn’t disappoint when it comes to super blooms in Northern California. The county park is a local favorite thanks to its 18.9 miles of trails found in the backcountry section of the park. If you visit in late March, you’ll see an explosion of color—California gilia, narrowleaf flaxflower, and smooth cat’s ear brighten the trails and paths in Calero County Park. Stroll along the grassy hilltops and soak in the views of the colorful wildflowers while hiking the Javelina Loop Trail at the park.

BRIONES REGIONAL PARK

More than 2,000 species of wildflowers grow in the San Francisco Bay Area alone. Visit Briones Regional Park during springtime; vibrant hues of red, yellow, and bright purple will greet you along the way. The park boasts some of the best East Bay hiking trails featuring the most kaleidoscopic wildflowers in the region. When visiting in spring, you’ll find this area dotted with Himalayan blackberry, California saxifrage, brass buttons, yellow Jonny-tuck, red-stem filaree, baby blue-eyes, and arroyo lupine. If you’ve been meaning to find the best place to view wildflowers, this is it.

SUPER BLOOMS IN THE BAY AREA

SUNOL REGIONAL WILDERNESS 

The spectacular 6,580-acre Sunol Regional Wilderness never falls short when it comes to super blooms in the Bay Area. You can hike for hours in multiple spots and end up seeing tons of different varieties. The park has more than 30 trails that lead to flower fields of seaside heliotrope, California buckeye, Western Virgin’s bower, and cow parsnip. For yellow and red varieties, keep an eye out for native annuals like Lindley’s blazing star, common fiddleneck, rattlesnake weed, California lotus, and mountain garland.

But perhaps the most impressive thing you’ll see at the Sunol Regional Wilderness is the blue and purple California wildflowers. Concentrations of royal larkspurs, dove lupines, Persian speedwells, and blue fiesta flowers—these color combinations will take your breath away.

MOUNT DIABLO STATE PARK

Over 400 species of California wildflowers bloom at Mount Diablo State Park in February, resulting in the best photo ops you can find in the Bay Area. No matter which trail you’re hiking—Mitchell Canyon, Waterfalls of Mount Diablo Loop, or Mary Bowerman Interpretive Trail—you’ll find yourself engulfed in a sea of super blooms.

Marvel at Bermuda buttercups, California barberries, checker lilies, and yellow oxalis as you explore the depth of the state park. You’ll also come across bush anemones, butterfly tulips, chaparral peas, crimson clovers, and arroyo lupine. You don’t even have to download a California wildflower identification app for this state park— the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association has a comprehensive guide to help you better understand the flora.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SUPER BLOOMS

ANZA BORREGO DESERT STATE PARK

It goes without saying that most sensational displays of wildflowers in the Golden State are found in the desert. So, if you’re searching for a Borrego Springs super bloom, look no further than this desert state park.

A chart-topper among stargazing destinations, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is home to some weird desert art, undulating vistas, and mind-blowing super blooms. Every summer, the landscape becomes electrified with colors, as wildflowers, cacti, and lush bushes come into bloom.

Hike the Cactus Loop, Hellhole Canyon, and the Borrego Palm Canyon Trails to witness unmatched floral displays. Desert marigolds, Bigelow’s monkeyflowers, lupines, and desert dandelions—you’ll find Southern California’s super blooms in all their striking glory. You might even spot desert apricots and sand verbena. No matter which wildflower you stumble upon, one thing’s for sure, this state park is bound to leave you with a lasting impression.

WALKER CANYON, LAKE ELSINORE 

Drive an hour from L.A. to Lake Elsinore to see an unbelievably epic bloom at Walker Canyon. The orange poppy-covered mountains result in a spectacular scene that you can’t help but fall in love with. Just about everything—including freeway dividers and shoulders—is filled with patches of orange poppies, bright purple ice plant flowers, and yellow hillside daisies. When you want to see super blooms near San Diego, head to Walker Canyon in Lake Elsinore and prepare to feast your eyes on that first glimpse of fiery orange.

SUPER BLOOMS NEAR LOS ANGELES 

ANTELOPE VALLEY CALIFORNIA POPPY RESERVE

Does a place like Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve even need an introduction? The stunning state-protected reserve is basically a shrine to California poppies, the official flower of the Golden State. Come here in late winter or early spring to see the California poppy’s super bloom, which carpets the area in kaleidoscopic hues.

While this naturally occurring California reserve is the most persistent poppy-bearing land in the state, it doesn’t necessarily mean that other wildflowers don’t grow here. Catch a glimpse of owl’s clover, lupine, cream cups, coreopsis, and colorful goldfield while taking a walk among the super blooms in Los Angeles. It’s easy to satisfy all of your interests at this state park.

POINT DUME NATURAL PRESERVE

While many people visit Point Dume for its white sand beaches, it’s the super blooms in Los Angeles that make us want to go there. Blankets of coreopsis, bush flowers, and California poppies carpet the headlands each spring. Yellow tickseeds line the trails at Point Dume, reminding you of the yellow brick road from The Wizard of Oz.

Spectacular vistas of the Pacific are always the bonus at Point Dume—coastal hikes are worth the trek, even if they’re uphill. Keep an eye out for sand verbenas, morning glory, and evening primrose.

CHINO HILLS STATE PARK 

The most impressive Southern California super blooms are found in Chino Hills State Park—that’s just a fact. Much like Antelope Valley, this area hits you with poppy fields that look like visions straight out of a dream. The poppy season typically lasts from February to September, so March is the perfect time to marvel at orange-gold beauties.

Besides California poppies, you’ll most likely spot violet owl clovers, silver lupines, and bush sunflowers. Not every state park can stir up emotions with its beauty, but Chino Hills manages to do that again and again. source

The United States has some of the most spectacular wildflower super blooms in the entire world. Spring wildflowers emerge across the coastal valleys of the west, mountainsides and even in the harsh desert environments of some of our National Parks. But, did you know a super bloom does not happen every year?

 

We’ll share with you all the details of how and why a super bloom takes place. As well, we’ll share amazing super bloom locations and when the time to see them!

This post contains affiliate links to help run this site at no extra cost to you so we can keep providing FREE Outdoor, Camping, RV and Travel information, advice and tips. Full disclosure here.

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What is a Super Bloom?

A super bloom, also spelled as one word “superbloom”, is a rare desert botanical phenomenon in which an unusually high proportion of wildflowers whose seeds have lain dormant in desert soil germinate and blossom at roughly the same time in the spring and even into the summer.

What dictates whether a Super Bloom will occur

For a wildflower super bloom to occur, weather and environmental conditions have to be just right. A good wildflower bloom depends on at least 3 elements.

First, there must be well-spaced rainfalls throughout the late Fall, Winter to very early Spring seasons. The foliage and flowers in the desert must receive ample water accumulation to penetrate deep into the soil to reach the dormant seeds.

Second, in addition to ample precipitation, there must be warm (not hot) temperatures leading up to the super bloom. The warmth from the sun help germinate the seeds to promote growth

However, that said, too much rain causing flash floods will wash away the seeds before they’re able to take root.

Third, there can’t be any dry winds or hot baking sun to hinder seed sprouts and plant growth.

But, on the opposite spectrum, if the Fall and Winter seasons experience drought, the seeds will perish from dehydration.

One other environmental concern that may hinder a super bloom is if there are too many invasive plants that rob the germinating seeds of their much needed moisture and soil nutrients.

How often does a Super Bloom happen?

As you’ve just read, environmental and weather conditions must be perfectly aligned for a super bloom to occur. That is the reason why they don’t happen for consecutive years.

In California, a wildflower superbloom will only occur once every 10 years. 2019 was the last super bloom in the Golden State.

And, in Death Valley, you’re lucky to see a super bloom anywhere from 10 to even up 15 years.

How long does a superbloom last?

Typically, if the conditions are ideal and depending on elevation, the wildflower super bloom season in the desert southwest region starts around mid February and can last all the way until June to even mid July.

However, peak season of the super bloom usually happens in early spring. Typically in March and April.

Why super blooms are necessary

Super blooms are vital to the balance of nature. With the mounds of flowers come lots of bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators that are needed to continue the life cycles of plants and trees.

Where do Super Blooms occur?

Super blooms predominantly take place in the grasslands and deserts of Southern California into Arizona. Larger concentration of blooming flower fields have actually been seen from space! These massive flowering events last up to 2 months.

So, now that we’ve learned how superblooms occur, let’s check out the best places to see the super bloom in the U.S.!

California’s Rare “Super Bloom” Is Moving North Into the Central Valley

Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management

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Best Places to See the Super Bloom in the U.S. & When to Visit

Anza Borrego Desert State Park – California

One of the best best places to see the super bloom is Anza Borrego Desert State Park located in southeast California. Having experienced this particular super bloom location in 2019, I have to say, “it’s nothing short of show-stopping!”.

Simply put, the vast beauty of the many different varieties of wildflowers and vivid colors makes us wonder how it happens in the desert and even mountain desert regions.

Flowers are found across most of the Borrego area, all but high mountains, rocky hillsides, badlands and some sandy desert regions. Favored locations include:

• • Borrego Palm Canyon – sheltered canyon with palm trees and many other plants.
  • Culp Valley – higher elevation area near the eastern park boundary along S22.
  • Henderson Canyon Road – highway northeast of Borrego Springs, passing good wildflower terrain close to Coyote Creek, at the foot of Coyote Mountain.
  • Plum Canyon – side canyon of San Felipe Creek Valley, south of CA 78.

Amongst the hundreds of blooming wildflowers in Anza Borrego, you’ll see Bluebells, Brittlebush, California Poppy, Desert Lily, Desert Sunflowers, Evening Primrose, Desert Lupine, Popcorn Flowers, Verbena, Wild Mustard.

And the best part is camping at the Anza Borrego Desert State Park’s Borrego Palm Canyon Campground. As well, Anza Borrego has excellent boondocking spots that we found through RV Life’s Trip Wizard trip planner. Both put you front and center of the super bloom!

Lake Elsinore – California

California is known for its’ amazing wild poppy superbloom. In fact, in 1903, the California Poppy became the Golden State’s official state flower.

In the Spring season, the mountains and hillsides steal the spotlight with their thick and lush hues of golds and oranges. And for decades, it’s become one of the best places to see the super bloom!

In fact, during the 2019 super bloom (and even 2020), the poppy fields at Lake Elsinore’s Walker Canyon Trail were so abundant that they were actually visible from space!

The hillsides east of I-15 in Lake Elsinore exploded with color in late February as a super bloom covered more than 1,600 acres of hillsides in and near the city (and we got to see it!).

The California poppy blooming extravaganza doesn’t happen unless there is ample rainfall preceding the blossom season.

Only then, the golden hues take foothold between starting anywhere from late February all the way into early May; peaking for 3 weeks from about late March to into April.

Since Walkers Canyon and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park border each other, this makes a great super bloom destination to get all the blossoming flowers you wish to see! source

CALIFORNIA WILDFLOWERS 2023 – WHERE TO SEE THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SUPERBLOOM

There’s just something about Mother Nature…and her magnificent California wildflowers. American naturalist John Burroughs once said, “I go to nature to be soothed, and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” How very true.

WHEN IS CALIFORNIA WILDFLOWER SEASON?

Spring is an absolutely beautiful time of the year in Southern California. A time when the air is filled with intoxicating fragrances from a host of newly blooming wildflowers in the desert and coastal areas from mid-February through May, peaking in mid-March.

However, this also depends a lot on the rainfall and temperatures of each season and it is hard to pinpoint an exact time. I highly recommend watching the local news channels and checking for current updates on the local California Wildflower bloom, and then acting quickly once the buds are starting to bloom. With all the rain we had in the last weeks, 2023 looks promising for higher than average bloom, maybe even a superbloom? We’ll have to keep watching how the rain continues in Southern California this spring. In any case, it is still worth driving out there and soaking it all in and enjoying nature.

CALIFORNIA SUPER BLOOM

Each year, we botanical lovers hope and wish for a super bloom – when the landscape is covered with a rainbow explosion of colorful flowers. Super blooms happen when a delicate balance of sunshine, temperature, wind, and rainfall has occurred during the fall and winter months, resulting in an unusual number of wildflowers all blooming at the same time.

These super blooms typically occur once every 10 to 15 years, but 2017 and 2019 proved that this phenomenon can happen at any time.Whether we’ll witness another super bloom this spring remains to be seen, though a bit more rain would be helpful. But the only way for San Diegans and other So Cal residents to know is by planning a visit to these destinations – the absolute best places to see the California wildflowers in all their glory.

MOST COMMON CALIFORNIA WILDFLOWERS

• California Poppies
• Desert Lily
• Fleabane Daisy
• Dune Evening Primrose
• Desert Dandelions
• Lupin
• Matilija Poppies
• Bush Sunflower

• Joshua Tree
• Cactus
• Wild Morning Glory
• Mariposa Lily
• Monkey Flower
• Indian Paintbrush
• Wild Sage
• Western Goldenrod

Located in Borrego Springs in Southern California’s Colorado Desert, Anza-Borrego is the largest of California’s state parks. And it’s also one of the early blooming first-responders of our desert regions with over a hundred varieties of wildflowers and blooming cacti.

This magnificent outdoor playground just two hours east of San Diego sports hiking trails, campgrounds, waterfalls, Desert Bighorn sheep, and of course, wildflower preserves. Though the bloom officially begins halfway through February, mid-March is typically the best time to see the spectacle of color carpeting the desert floor.

Best places to see a variety of desert blooms, including the bright pink-purplish sand verbena are along Henderson Canyon Road, surrounding the Visitor Center, and Borrego Palm Canyon. It’s simply magnificent.

ANTELOPE VALLEY CALIFORNIA POPPY RESERVE

Address: 15101 Lancaster Rd, Lancaster, CA 93536
Website

The intense blooming season occurs in late winter to early spring, mid-February through mid-May. Taking to the trails is the ideal way to see the poppies, and how amazing that one of its trails is actually wheelchair-accessible.

JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK

Website

One of the west’s most picturesque national parks and one of our favorites, Joshua Tree encompasses 1,200 square miles within the Colorado and Mojave Deserts. Though the park is a popular year-round destination, spring’s colorful blossoms make a visit here a prized experience.

Wildflowers can begin blooming in the lower elevations in February, and in higher elevations in March and April as daytime temperatures rise. The park showcases the most variations of splendid color ranging from reds and yellows, to purples and blues– all splashed across a fascinating and picturesque landscape.

You’ll find stunning Mariposa and Desert Lilies, vibrant blue Canterbury Bells, Purple Mat, and bright Golden Poppies here, just to name a few. It’s more than worth the three-hour road trip from San Diego.

Where to Stay in Joshua Tree

WALKER CANYON, LAKE ELSINORE

Website

UPDATE: Walker Canyon was closed on February 7th, 2023 for visitors for the duration of the poppy bloom.

Just one-hour northeast of San Diego, Lake Elsinore is the largest freshwater lake in California. It also achieved notoriety as the epicenter of the 2019 super bloom in its magnificent ecological reserve, Walker Canyon.

A 7,000-acre wilderness area in the San Joaquin Hills surrounding Laguna Beach, this picturesque park features coastal canyons, stunning ridgeline views, and the only natural lakes in Orange County. Streams running only in the spring are also a huge draw.

We also love that this pristine nature park transports visitors back to how coastal California appeared many years ago. Forty miles of trails meandering these untouched canyons lead hikers and bikers through oak and sycamore woodlands and onto elevated ridges with panoramic vistas.

Native plants and flowers such as wild hyacinth, morning glories, popcorn flowers, and southern sun cups are joined each spring by Baby Blue Eyes, vibrantly violet Johnny Jump-ups and Mariposa Lilies. Wildflower season typically peaks here the end of April.

This promontory located just west of Los Angeles forms the northern end of the Santa Monica Bay, and is yet another magnificent California state park offering amazing picturesque hiking.  On a clear day you can see all the way to Santa Catalina Island. And how awesome that these vistas also offer the best viewings of whales and pods of playful dolphins.

FAQS ABOUT VIEWING SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFLOWERS:

What’s the best way to find out about the wildflowers?

Check each park’s website for updated information as local rainfall and weather conditions determine bloom.

When is the best time to visit the parks?

Viewing spring wildflowers is quite a popular Southern California activity. Arriving early or later in the day allows for enjoying without the crowds. You may also consider opting for a weekday vs a weekend trip as traffic can take away the pleasure of being outdoors with nature.

Is there a fee to enter the parks?

Some parks do charge an entrance fee, some do not. Again, information can be found on each park’s website.

How is COVID affecting visitation?

The parks are open however some may limit the number of vehicles entering the park, especially on the weekends. Social distancing guidelines are set forth by our state and national parks, both on the website and posted throughout the park. My advice is that everyone should bring a mask.

POINT DUME STATE BEACH

Address: Cliffside Dr &, Birdview Ave, Malibu, CA 90265
Website

Blankets of stunningly beautiful giant yellow and multi-hued Coreopsis, Bush Flowers, and California Poppies carpet the coastal headlands above Point Dume State Beach in Malibu each spring.

Sand Verbenas, Morning Glory, and Evening Primrose flourish along the trails. As an added bonus, visitors can view this glorious spectacle from the highlands and hills, all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

BEST TIPS FOR VISITING THE PARKS DURING CALIFORNIA WILDFLOWER SEASON?

Some of the best viewings of California wildflowers occur by following along recommended park pathways. You’ll want to wear comfortable shoes and layered clothing as temperatures and weather conditions can vary dramatically throughout the day. And make sure to bring plenty of water.

Stay on the trails. They are there for a reason, and as the weather starts to warm up, our reptilian friends tend to become more active.

Keep an eye out for local critters. We are visiting in their habitat after all. While it’s highly unlikely they would cause harm, it’s always good practice to stay attentive.

Take lots of photos of course, but please don’t trample the flowers while you’re going for that perfect Instagram shot. And be considerate of others who are wanting to take their photos as well.

Joshua Tree National Park has always had a glamorous cachet—it is, after all, just two hours away from Los Angeles, so it’s no surprise the park has a fascinating history filled with Hollywood-style drama.

1. Joshua Tree National Park includes two deserts.

Many people don’t realize Joshua Tree National Park is actually composed of two distinct deserts. The southern tip of the Mojave Desert makes up its western edge and the Colorado Desert covers its eastern and southern areas. These deserts have different elevations, and as a result, different ecosystems. The Colorado Desert’s gentle slopes receive more annual rainfall and are home to desert lavender, desert agave, and colorful ocotillo plants [PDF].

The Joshua trees for which the park is named are more prevalent in the higher elevations on the Mojave side. The densest growth of Joshua trees in the world is found on the 1500-foot Cima Dome. The western end of the park even ascends into the 4000-foot San Bernardino Mountains, home of quaking aspen, California juniper, and Douglas pine trees.

2. Despite its geological age, as a national park, Joshua Tree is a Millennial.

Joshua Tree is one of the youngest national parks in the country—it received that designation in October 1994. Joshua Tree now encompasses 800,000 acres, an area roughly the same size as Rhode Island [PDF].

It’s also one of the most popular national parks, as it’s a mere two-hour drive from Los Angeles. Its popularity has been a mixed blessing: Joshua Tree has seen an average of 3 million visitors per year in the past few years, though its infrastructure was only built for 1 million annually.

This leads to long waits at the entrance gates and crowded campgrounds. Much of the park isn’t reachable by road, causing overrun trails in the easier-to-access areas.

3. Joshua trees are not actually trees.

The Joshua tree is a member of the Yucca genus, a genus of usually stemless succulents. They can grow up to 70 feet tall, though they can take up to half a century to reach their full size. The Joshua trees live for around 150 years, and it takes decades before their distinctive branches even begin to form.

Because they store moisture in their roots, Joshua trees are referred to as the “great canteen of the desert.” Squirrels and jackrabbits find water by chewing on the trees during extreme drought, which in turn allows hawks and coyotes to find food.

The shrub is only native to northwest Mexico and the American Southwest. Though there are still nearly a million currently growing throughout the Mojave Desert, like many other species, climate change has limited their range. By the end of the century, environmentalists predict 80 percent of Joshua trees will be wiped out.

4. Joshua trees were given their distinctive name by Mormon settlers.

The Cahuilla people call Joshua trees humwichawa. Traditionally, they used the hardy plant’s leaves and seeds for baskets, sandals, and food, and even carved out its branches for use as containers.

When Mormon settlers first arrived in the area in the 19th century, legend has it that the distinctive trees reminded them of the Old Testament story of Joshua, the leader of the Israelites who held his arms up to heaven in a prayer to God to lead them across Canaan, hence the plant’s current name.

5. Joshua Tree National Park has a long human history.

Mormons may have given the national park its current moniker, but people are believed to have lived in the area for thousands of years. The rocky landscape provided shelter, as well as springs and vegetation for food. The park still contains artifacts from the Mojave, Serrano, Chemeheuvi, and Cahuilla tribes—including petroglyphs carved into many of the rock formations. By the 1800s, cattlemen, miners, and homesteaders had begun to appear on the land.

6. It snows in Joshua Tree National Park.

The park is known for its heat: The average high in the summer months is a roasting 100° F. But like many deserts, it can become quite cold as well, and snow in the higher elevations is not unheard of. Temperatures have dropped below freezing in the winter—once reaching a record low of 10° F in 1990 —and the park gets a dusting of snow about every year. It’s actually too cold for most cacti to grow there.

In February 2021, the park saw a snowfall like it hadn’t seen in over a decade. The snow reached not only the usual higher elevations, but also the valley floor. The Joshua trees apparently love precipitation in any form, but the snow and ice typically disappear as quickly as they arrive.

7. The cover of U2’s famous album was not shot at Joshua Tree National Park …

The black and white panoramic photograph on the sleeve of U2’s blockbuster 1987 album The Joshua Tree wasn’t shot in the national park, though the image on the inside cover is in fact of one of the trees. The famous cover was actually shot 200 miles away in Darwin, California.

On a bus trip around the Mojave Desert during the first day of shooting, lead singer Bono learned of the biblical origin of the name Joshua tree and decided to make it the title of the band’s album. The next day, the cover photo was taken in under half an hour by the now-famous lone Joshua tree in Darwin.

In 2011, a Dutch music venue manager died in Joshua Tree National Park; some believed he was searching for the spot used in U2’s album cover, after he told colleagues he wanted to visit it.

8. … The Eagles, however, did shoot an album cover at Joshua Tree National Park.

Joshua Tree National Park has a long history of inspiring artists, especially musicians. The Eagles’ self-titled 1972 debut album features a scenic sunset at the park. The photoshoot occurred during an overnight camping trip with the band and photographer Henry Diltz.

As Don Henley recalls in the documentary The History of the Eagles, Part One, “We had a bag of peyote buttons, a bunch of trail mix, some tequila, a bunch of water, and some blankets. And the seven of us set out for Joshua Tree.”

In the decades since, the park has continued to feature widely in music, voted by USA Today as one of the top musical attractions in the world in 2015. Joshua Tree National Park also serves as a backdrop in the music videos for Selena’s “Amor Prohibido,” Missy Elliott’s “Lose Control,” Ariana Grande’s “Into You,” and Walk the Moon’s “One Foot.”

9. Joshua Tree National Park is the site of music history’s most famous cremation.

One of the park’s more bizarre music connections surrounds the funeral of country-rock pioneer Gram Parsons. Parsons was briefly a member of the Byrds, introduced the Rolling Stones to country music, and discovered Emmylou Harris. He visited the park in September 1973 and died of an overdose in the nearby Joshua Tree Inn on September 19.

During the trip, his road manager, Phil Kaufman, claimed Parsons spoke of his desire to be cremated upon his death and have his ashes scattered in Joshua Tree. To fulfill the musician’s final wishes, Kaufman and his friend posed as mortuary workers to intercept Parsons’s body at the airport, stopped at a gas station for gasoline canisters, and drove to Joshua Tree National Park’s Cap Rock formation, where they doused the body in gasoline and set it on fire before being caught.

There was no law against stealing a corpse, so instead the two men were only charged with misdemeanor theft for stealing the coffin, and were forced to pay several small fines. The motel where Parsons died is still in operation and his room remains its most popular. Makeshift memorials pop up on Cap Rock, but Joshua Tree doesn’t officially recognize Parsons’s link to the park.

10. Some believe Joshua Tree National Park is a UFO hotspot.

Area 51 isn’t the only desert locale with an extraterrestrial reputation. Joshua Tree National Park has also been dubbed a UFO hotspot. Ufologist Dr. Steven Greer hosts “Contact in the Desert,” the world’s largest UFO conference, for three days every June in the park. The conference presents on alleged archaeological evidence of aliens and how to contact extraterrestrial life. UFO enthusiasts can even stay in a Futuro house within the park.

YOU CAN BUY YOUR OWN JOSHUA TREE SEEDS HERE and grow your own! we did!

source 1, source 2

“Danger, no trespassing beyond this point” – it’s a sign you definitely don’t want to ignore

People are flooding to social media in horror over a cave which kills anything pretty much as soon as it goes inside.

If you’re the sort of person who would do what characters do in horror movies, or really what Aladdin did, then you should probably steer clear of this story unless you want to get any dangerous ideas.

Prepare for a new setting for your nightmares:

The deadly cave is located in Costa Rica, South America, on the edge of the Poas Volcano.

According to The Costa Rica Star, the cave is only small – measuring two meters deep and three meters long – but oh is it mighty.

When it was first discovered, a worker reportedly ended up getting sick – and that was only when he got ‘close to the entrance,’ not even inside. And animals have died almost instantly after entering.

But why is the cave so deadly?

Getty Images/ Federico Meneghetti/ REDA&CO/ Universal Images Group

Well, the cave’s oxygen levels are basically non-existent, instead it’s filled with carbon dioxide.

“At higher concentrations it leads to an increased respiratory rate, tachycardia, cardiac arrhythmias and impaired consciousness. Concentrations >10 percent may cause convulsions, coma and death. Solid carbon dioxide may cause burns following direct contact,” National Library of Medicine notes.

And a team headed up by Guy van Rentergem found the cave produces a whopping 30kg of carbon dioxide every hour, according to Rentergem’s YouTube video ‘Cave of Death in Costa Rica’.

How did so much carbon dioxide end up in the cave I hear you ask?

No one exactly knows, but one X account has suggested it is of ‘organic origin, resulting from underground mineral deposits subjected to high temperatures and pressures in the earth’s magma, where oxygen is absent.’

YouTube/ @gvr63

Despite being too deadly to actually enter, the cave is still a popular tourist attraction, nicknamed ‘Cueva de la Muerte’ (Cave of Death in Spanish).

The tourist center gives a demonstration of just how deadly the attraction is by lighting a torch and poking it into the entrance of the cave, showing how quickly the flame goes out as a result of the lack of oxygen and presence of carbon dioxide.

A sign outside the cave reads: “Danger, no trespassing beyond this point.”

So, even if you wanted to go in, you literally can’t, not only are you banned from entering – we all know some rule breakers out there – but the entrance is only small enough for animals and birds.

People have been flocking to social media in horror over the deadly cave.

One X user said: “Omg it’s terrible.”

“Oh… no no,” another wrote.

A third commented: “Whoa that’s crazy.”

And a final resolved: “Yet another cave I’m never entering.” source

A SINISTER “cave of death” in Costa Rica kills any living creature that dares to step inside.

The deadly cave is located on the edge of the Poas Volcano in Costa Rica and is strictly prohibited from entering.

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Cueva de la Muerte translated to Cave of Death from Spanish is a tourist attraction that doesn’t actually let anyone visit inside.

The terrifying placard outside of it warns: “Danger, no trespassing beyond this point.”

And the images of skulls are just a sign hinting to what could happen to trespassers.

But poor animals that can’t read the warning die instantly when they enter the cavity.

The reason behind eerie phenomenon in the Cave of Death is the high levels of CO2.

The cave itself emits nearly 100 per cent carbon dioxide, a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas that is highly toxic and can be fatal.

Guy van Rentergem and his team found out that the deadly pothole produces 30 kilograms of carbon dioxide per one hour.

Any breathing being that steps inside it dies almost instantly due to CO2 poisoning and lack of oxygen. source

Hang Sơn Đoòng also known as Sơn Đoòng cave is a solutional cave in Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park, Bố Trạch District, Quảng Bình Province, Vietnam. As of 2009 it has the largest known cave passage cross-section in the world, and is located near the Laos–Vietnam border. Inside is a large, fast-flowing subterranean river. It was formed in Carboniferous/Permian limestone.

The World’s Largest Cave

Hang Sơn Đoòng also known as Sơn Đoòng cave is a solutional cave in Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park, Bố Trạch District, Quảng Bình Province, Vietnam. As of 2009 it has the largest known cave passage cross-section in the world, and is located near the Laos–Vietnam border. Inside is a large, fast-flowing subterranean river. It was formed in Carboniferous/Permian limestone.

Discovery

Hang Sơn Đoòng was found by a local man named Hồ Khanh in 1991. The whistling sound of wind and roar of a rushing stream in the cave heard through the entrance as well as the steep descent prevented the local people from entering the cave. Only in 2009 did the cave become internationally known after a group of scientists from the British Cave Research Association, conducted a survey in Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng from 10 to 14 April 2009. Their progress was stopped by a large, 60-metre (200 ft) high calcite wall, which was named the Great Wall of Vietnam. It was traversed in 2010 when the group reached the end of the cave passage.

Description

According to the Limberts, the main Sơn Đoòng cave passage is the largest known cave passage in the world by volume – 38.4×10⁶ cubic metres (1.36×10⁹ cu ft). It is more than 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) long, 200 metres (660 ft) high and 150 metres (490 ft) wide. Its cross-section is believed to be twice that of the next largest passage, in Deer Cave, Malayasia. The cave runs for approximately 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) and is punctuated by 2 large dolines, which are areas where the ceiling of the cave has collapsed. The dolines allow sunlight to enter sections of the cave and has resulted in the growth of trees as well as other vegetation.

Son Doong is considered to be the largest cave in the world, based on volume and also the biggest cave in Vietnam, found by Ho Khanh – a Phong Nha jungle man in 1990. In 2009, Hang Son Doong was officially surveyed and measured by the The British -Vietnam Cave Expedition Team led by Howard Limbert. The Expedition team then announced it as the world’s largest natural cave with a volume of 38.5 million m3. The measurements were then accepted by a number of world’s senior karst geologists including Dr. Tony Waltham. This team along with National Geographic magazine had announced Son Doong Cave as the largest natural limestone cave on the planet in the same year. In 2013, the Guinness World Records Organisation recorded it as the world’s largest natural cave.

Many people mistook Son Doong Cave – the largest cave in the world with Mammoth Cave – the world’s longest-known cave system, located in Mammoth Cave National Park ( an American national park in west-central Kentucky) and that Son Doong is the largest cave passage. However, this article will clarify the misunderstanding as well as give you a better acknowledgement of Son Doong Cave and its exploration. The cave contains some of the tallest known stalagmites in the world, which are up to 70 m tall. Behind the Great Wall of Vietnam were found cave pearls the size of baseballs, an abnormally large size. source

Over the years, the CIWS has undergone a number of upgrades to both its gun and its radar. Since 2015, the Navy has upgraded all Phalanx systems to the Block 1B variant.

Block 1B incorporates an automatic acquisition video tracker, optimized gun barrels (OGB), and Enhanced Lethality Cartridges (ELC) for additional capabilities against asymmetric threats such as small maneuvering surface craft, slow-flying planes and helicopters, and drones.

The CIWS has downed friendly aircraft before: In 1996, the Phalanx onboard the Asagiri-class Japanese destroyer JDS Yūgiri accidentally shot down a U.S. A-6 Intruder from the aircraft carrier USS Independence. The Intruder was towing a radar target during gunnery exercises about 1,500 mi (2,400 km) west of Oahu.

Both the pilot and navigator ejected safely.

In 2005, the U.S. Army started deploying a land-based version of the Phalanx, called the Centurion C-RAM, (for Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar) to Iraq to protect U.S. bases from mortar attack. Unlike the naval variant, which fires tungsten armor-piercing rounds, the land variant fires 20–mm HEIT-SD (High-Explosive Incendiary Tracer, Self-Destruct) ammunition which greatly reduces collateral damage.

Still, there’s just something creepy about watching a Phalanx target a civilian airliner.

I don’t know about you, but the video seems to add to the general feeling of dread that we feel with each new AI announcement. While the CIWS is not technically AI-controlled, its fully automated functions do give it a real Terminator vibe.

https://youtu.be/3_qSLR7a5qI?si=x1MRmOFytYQLoyqr

Navajo Sandstone, Arizona – United States

The Navajo sandstone is estimated to cover 400,000 km2 of the western United States and is found spread across the states of Nevada, Arizona, Colorado and Utah as part of the Colorado Plateau. The formation consists of thick layers of highly-angled cross-bedded sandstones, just like those found at Alderley edge. The rocks are predominantly composed of rounded quartz grains and were formed in a vast ancient desert of sand dunes, or erg, similar to the modern Sahara Desert.

The Navajo Sandstone is one of the most extensive and most exposed aeolian (wind-blown) systems known in the geologic record. This enormous sand sea was deposited in the Early Jurassic, approximately 190 million years ago, as a result of regional tectonics and mountain building in what is now the western United States.
During the Early Jurassic the Colorado Plateau region was part of a large sedimentary basin located between 10-20° north of the equator in an extremely arid climate. This basin is thought to have formed due to the downward flexing of the lithosphere in response to an accumulation of mass in the developing North American Cordillera occurring on the western flank of the American plate. High rates of continued subsidence in the basin created more space and allowed more sediment to be deposited resulting in the accumulation of thick sedimentary successions.  This subsidence also would have resulted in decrease in air pressure over the region which caused regional winds to decelerate, and deposit the fine sand particles they were carrying forming the huge desert of dunes.

	Cross bedding in the Navajo Sandstone: © Zion National Park

The dramatic cross-bedding structures found in the Navajo Sandstone provide a record of lee-ward deposition on the sand dunes and therefore display the history of ancient wind patterns and dune migration in the Early Jurassic Colorado Plateau. The orientation of these cross-bedding structures indicates that the dominant wind pattern during this time would have been from the north-northwest. However, radioisotopic dating of detrital zircon grains found in the Navajo Sandstones indicates that at least some of the sediment came from as far away as the ancient Appalachian Mountains of eastern North America. It is therefore thought that sediment would have been transported from the Appalachians westwards across most of North America by a huge continental-scale ancient river system, somewhat like the modern Mississippi river system, and then later blown by desert winds to the Colorado Plateau region.

South-westerly winds continue to sculpt and scour the geomorphology of the Navajo Sandstone today creating small-scale erosional bedforms as well as spectacular large-scale, U-shaped troughs such as ‘The Wave’ in Arizona. source

The Wave is a truly remarkable geological formation famous in outdoor and photography communities. Given the access restrictions to the area, the hype about this formation is immense; it is also completely justified. The Wave is a unique Navajo Sandstone rock formation dating to the Jurassic period. Early erosion occurred due to infrequent runoff, but it is now is almost exclusively wind driven. The result of this erosion is the exposure of spectacular eolian cross bedding in the sandstone, present as innumerable ridges and ripples.

The Wave is located in North Coyote Buttes, which is a visitor use limited section of the Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness on the Arizona and Utah state line. Only 20 persons are allowed to enter the North Coyote Buttes area per day. Permits are awarded via two lottery systems, and 10 individuals are awarded permits from each: (1) an online lottery held four months in advance or (2) an in-person lottery held one day prior to the permit date. Current and detailed information on the lottery system can be found here.

The trek to the wave begins from Wire Pass Trailhead, but it follows no established trail. Rather, the route traverses mostly slickrock and sand terrain. The BLM does not place permanent signs or cairns in the wilderness, but it does provide a pamphlet with useful images and GPS coordinates. Still, good backcountry navigation skills are necessary. Even in “cooler” months heat can be oppressive given that the terrain is largely exposed to the elements. Between the extreme environmental conditions and the lack of any permanent water sources in the vicinity, it is recommended that you begin your adventure early in day.

Numerous additional adventures are available in this area if a permit can not be obtained, including adventures in South Coyote Buttes, Wire Pass, and Buckskin Gulch. At times, travel on House Rock Valley Road will require high clearance and/or four-wheel drive. Check with BLM stations in the area to determine the latest road condition information. source

Cross-bedded Sandstone

https://youtu.be/y8UsjSWXWLU?si=zs-ewxguWPt6GlOT

Coyote Buttes North Advanced Lottery (The Wave)

Coyote Buttes North Daily Lottery (The Wave)

Coyote Buttes and The Wave

The Wave is the premier photographic destination in the US Southwest. It is located in the Coyote Buttes North area of the Utah Arizona border. In addition to The Wave Coyote Buttes North contains many other spectacular rock formations. These include The Second Wave, The Alcove, Top Rock Arch, Melody Arch and the Grotto, Sand Cove, and Fatali’s Boneyard. The Wave is best photographed from mid-morning to early afternoon so as to minimize the extensive shadows; the other areas listed above are best photographed mid-late afternoon.

A permit issued by the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is required to see The Wave. Only 64 people per day (48 permits granted three months in advance and 16 permits granted one day in advance) are allowed in the area and demand far exceeds supply. During the most popular months (April, May, September, October) there can be an estimated 300 people applying for the sixteen daily permits. In the other months you usually have much less than a 50% chance of getting one at the daily lottery. Your chances are better if you’re going alone, or in December – February.

A six mile round trip hike in required to get to The Wave. Since there is no trail to The Wave you should be able to use a map and compass or GPS to help with navigation. The BLM provides a map with your permit and instructions on getting to The Wave, and there are a small number of cairns on the way. Over the past five years five people have died on the way to/from The Wave. If you are not sure about your navigation skills I strongly suggest you hike in with a guide or a friend with these skills. Do not go alone. If you use a GPS be sure to mark the Wirepass trailhead and other key points along the route. Stay with your party. Four of the five fatalities were heat related, so if you go in the warmer months bring plenty of water, at least four liters, and preferably more.

Permits

In order to visit The Wave you need a permit for an area called Coyote Buttes North. Online permits and permit information can be obtained from recreation.gov. At most 64 people, 16 groups are allowed into Coyote Buttes North, whichever comes first. Permits for a total of 48 people, 12 groups maximum are issued via an online lottery held three months in advance. Permits for another 16 people, 4 groups maximum are awarded via an online lottery held two days in advance.

Advanced Permits

Advanced permits for Coyote Buttes North are very difficult to obtain. Demand greatly exceeds supply. All Advanced Coyote Buttes North permits are awarded by lottery held on recreation.gov. The lottery opens up four months in advance of your trip date. You have the whole month to apply. For example, for a January 15 permit you would open the Advanced lottery page in September. The fee to enter the on-line lottery is $9 per group.

Wave permits are non-transferable except for up to three specific people you list when you apply for the lottery. These people are called “alternate permit holders”. If you win a permit and are stopped by a ranger on your hike to The Wave either you or a listed alternate permit holder must be present with your group. If not your group may be ticketed. Alternate permit holders must have an account on recreation.gov.

You may only apply once per month to the lottery. If you try to apply more than once at checkout you will get the message “You have excellent taste! However, you are only allowed to submit or be listed as an alternate permit holder on 1 lottery application or hold 1 active permit(s) reservation at a time.” Note that if you list someone as an alternate permit holder they cannot apply for a permit that month as well. If there are several people in your group each can apply to the lottery separately provided you do not list the other members of the group as alternate permit holders.

On each lottery application you can select up to three dates. The drawing is held the day following the close of the lottery (i.e. October 1 in our example). Shortly after the lottery closes you will be notified via e-mail whether you were successful or not. If you do not receive a notification by the 2nd of the month check your spam folder. If you still haven’t received notification it is likely you typed your email address incorrectly on the application. In this case you should call the BLM at (435) 688-3200 or email them at blm_az_asdoweb@blm.gov for a status. If you win the lottery you will have to pay an additional $7 per person fee for the North Coyote Buttes permit.

Coyote Buttes North Lottery Schedule

 

Apply between	for a permit during
January 1 – 31	May
February 1 – 28	June
March 1 – 31	July
April 1- 30	August
May 1 – 31	September
June 1 – 30	October
July 1 – 31	November
August 1 – 31	December
September 1 – 30	January
October 1 – 31	February
November 1 – 30	March
December 1 – 31	April

Daily permits

If you are unsuccessful in getting an “Advanced permit” for Coyote Buttes North, and are in the Southern Utah / Northern Arizona area, consider getting a “Daily Permit”. Daily permits are issued one day in advance of the day you wish to hike in to The Wave. Starting on March 15, 2022 you can apply for the daily lottery at https://www.recreation.gov/permits/4251909 two days in advance of your desired entry date. There is a $9 fee to try for a permit. You can only apply via your phone or connected mobile device (e.g. tablet). You cannot apply via a dekstop computer. The GPS on your phone must be on. You must be within a “geofenced” area in Northern Arizona/Southern Utah to apply. The area includes the towns of Kanab, Page, Big Water, Fredonia, Glendale, and Jacob Lake among others. You can download a full resolution map of the geofenced area in a variety of geocoded formats below:

GeoTiff – Avenza

KMZ – Google Earth

Rmap – Oruxmaps

SQLite – Locus

MBTiles – GaiaGPS

GeoPDF

You can load this map onto your phone’s GPS software to see whether you are in the geofenced area.

The procedure to apply for a daily permit is as follows:

• Applications for the Daily Lottery must be submitted from within the designated geofence, according to the following schedule.
• Day 1 – Application: Apply between 6 AM and 6 PM two days ahead of the desired entry date on recreation.gov. Lottery results are sent out at 7:15 PM that evening. A window will open to accept winning lottery applications.
• Day 2 – Safety Briefing: Successful applicants must accept the permit and pay fees by 8 AM Utah time and be onsite at a permit pickup location at 8:30 AM local time for a safety briefing. Local time may be different between pickup locations. During Daylight Savings, 9:30 in Utah is 8:30 in Arizona (except the Navajo Nation). There are two permit pickup locations, one in Page and one in Kanab. To pick up your permit in Kanab go to The Kanab Center, 20 N 100 E, Kanab, UT 84741. To pickup your permit in Page, go to Page-Lake Powell HUB, 48 S Lake Powell Blvd, Page, AZ 86040.
• Day 3 – Permit date: Permit-holders have the day to explore Coyote Buttes North.

The new “Daily Permit” system is more user-friendly than the old walk-in lottery. You no longer need to be present in Kanab at 9:00 AM the day before you wish to hike to The Wave. You only need to be in the general area of Page and Kanab. You can go out for an early morning photoshoot or sleep-in if you wish. There is one downside, the $9 per group fee to enter the lottery. the walk-in lottery was free.

Additional information about permits can be found on Coyote Buttes permits webpage.

When to Go / Climate

December – February

It is “relatively” easy to get permits in December, January and early February, especially through the walk-in process. Permits are hard to get around the Christmas and Ne Years holidays so avoid these times. There is a good chance there will be snow on the ground in the winter months. Snow makes hiking difficult and photographing the patterns in the red rock chancy. If there is snow you may be limited to shooting southern exposures such as The Boneyard and Sand Cove. Average cloud cover is also high in the winter months, and House Rock Road is often muddy and difficult or impossible to drive on. The South Buttes are even higher in elevation than the Wave, about 6,200 feet, or four degrees cooler. This makes snow even more likely in the South Buttes, and it will last longer. I have been to Cottonwood Cove when the north facing exposures had over a foot of snow on them.

March – May

These are good months to visit, especially April and May when cloud cover is low and temperatures moderate. Getting a permits is very difficult. Average wind speed is highest in the southwest in the Spring. The wind comes from the Southwest in this area all year round peaking in the afternoon. Sand Cove runs North – South and forms a natural wind tunnel. This makes good photography of Sand Cove and The Boneyard difficult in the Spring. Average cloud cover is low during May.

June

A very good month to go to The Wave if you don’t mind the heat. Cloud cover is low as is precipitation. The best month for night photography as the Milky Way stretches across the sky.

July – August

I used to believe these were the worst months to go to The Wave. I now believe they are reasonably good, if you are prepared and can stand the heat. Average daily high temperature at the Wave is 101 ºF in July and there is little shade. If you go in July do not plan to be out all day. Either go in the morning when temperatures and cloud cover are lower, or go in mid afternoon if the weather looks cooperative. In 2013 there were three heat related fatalities at the Wave, and there was another heat related death in 2018. Go prepared. If you plan to stay the whole day you will need to find shade. A space blanket can help, you need to elevate it with hiking sticks, rocks, bushes, … A good place to find natural shade is on Toprock at the Alcove. Finally bring at least one gallon of water per person in July and August. You will need it. I have seen recommendations of nine liters per person per day when temperatures are this high! Keep water inside your pack so it stays cooler, and bring some of it in the for of ice. There is a good possibility of afternoon thunderstorms or even hail. Mornings are cooler, often clear, and have little wind. It’s likely you can get a good photograph in the morning, and if the weather cooperates you may get a great one in the afternoon! With luck there will be water at the Wave or in the water pockets south of The Wave. Water pockets won’t last long given the average July August temperatures though. If there are water pockets look for tadpoles and tadpole shrimp. If there’s a lot of water you may even hear toads croaking! (males calling for females). Permits, though still difficult, are easier to get than during the peak months.

September – November

Excellent months for visiting, Page and Kanab are less crowded than during summer vacation, and cloud cover and temperatures are reasonable. Permits are very difficult to get. The rest of the Southwest is also beautiful at this time of year with the Aspens changing in late September/early October, and the Cottonwoods in late October.

Another good source of climate information based on the Page airport data can be found at Weatherspark.com.

Getting to The Wave

There are two entry points to Coyote Buttes North, Wirepass Trailhead (WP) and The Notch. The Notch is no longer actively publicized by the BLM. The trail from the Notch is poorly defined. I strongly recommend access from the Wirepass parking lot. To get to the Wirepass trailhead take Highway 89 to House Rock Road. The House Rock Road turnoff is between mile posts 25 and 26 on Highway 89 in Utah. House Rock Road is normally passable by passenger cars. Do not take this road if it is wet. It is clay based and impassable even to 4WD vehicles when wet. When the road is muddy it is like driving on ice and there are drop-offs. When dry take House Rock Road for 8.4 miles to the WP parking area on the right. You can dry camp at the Wirepass trailhead, and a toilet is present. Better camping with fire pits, tables, and pit toilets is available at the Stateline Campground, one mile further south just off House Rock Road.

Begin your hike to the Wave by signing the trailhead register and crossing House Rock Road. Follow the well defined trail east for fifty yards until you enter the wash. Wirepass wash feeds into Buckskin Gulch, the longest slot canyon in North America. Continue walking down the wash. About .55 miles from the trailhead you will see a sign marked Coyote Buttes on the right. Turn right and follow the good trail up the hill and across the sage field. At the end of the field you will cross a wash. This wash also flows into the Wirepass slot canyon one half mile downstream. Total distance across the sage field to the wash is about .65 miles. After crossing the wash hike up the slickrock to a sometimes cairned saddle. If you have a GPS mark this location. You are now in the permit area. From here there may or may not be cairns and they may or may not be accurate. There are a small number of BLM sign posts in the area at critical locations, one can be seen about 50 yards east of the saddle. Note its location, on your return this marker will tell you where to turn to the west. From the saddle proceed south, after .35 miles or so you will see a twin butte with a downed barbed wire fence on its left (east) side, either go over the fence (easy but a little exposed) or walk around the buttes via their the west side. Continue heading almost due south aiming for the crack in the cliffs to the south. After another .8 miles or so you will cross another small wash, continue heading towards the crack in the Wall and go up the sand dune. There should be a clear trail up the sand dune unless it had been very windy overnight. You will shortly arrive at The Wave. It is about 2.8 miles in total from the WP trailhead to The Wave.

Returning to the trailhead

It is fairly easy to get back to your car, even at dusk. The small sign posts installed by the BLM will glow in the dark if a flashlight is shined on them. Make sure that when you return you do not try to cross the ridge too early after heading north. Look for the sign post referenced above, it will tell you when to turn to cross the ridge. It should be easy to cross over the small ridge; if not you have turned west too early. Conversely if you go too far north you will end up in or overlooking Wirepass slot canyon. If so turn around and try again. For an interesting story of someone who got lost on the return, see Trouble in Coyote Buttes. If you get lost or injured and need help try to gain elevation. You may be able to get a cell signal. I have gotten service via Verizon, and a friend via AT&T.

Your day at The Wave

Start at The Wave

So you’ve finally gotten a permit and want to make the best use of it. There is a nice loop hike starting and ending at The Wave. It covers most of the best photo sites in Coyote Buttes North and, if you are willing to be out most of the day, you can hit all of them in good light. Being out all day is dangerous in the summer months, so only do the loop from September through May. The loop does not include Top Rock, unless you are a very strong hiker save this for a second trip.

The first stop on the loop hike is The Wave. The Wave gets good light about an hour after sunrise, before then parts of it are in shadow. It takes about 90 minutes to hike from the Wirepass trailhead to The Wave. Most people start their hike very early in the day and end up leaving when they run out of energy, usually before best light. If you have the stamina to stay out 10-15 hours begin hiking at dawn; otherwise I suggest you start your hike later. Do not start hiking too late as shadows start to hit the south wall of The Wave before mid-day. After shooting The Wave explore the area around it for an hour or two. There are usually some nice water pools 150 yards southeast of The Wave. Ginger Rock is a good subject mid-day. It can be found about 200 yards north of The Wave.

 

Best early morning

Best shot at mid-morning

Best late morning

Best in the afternoon

Dinosaur Tracks and The Boneyard

Leave The Wave by retracing your steps back down the sand dune to the wash below. At the foot of the dune turn west, cross the wash, and ascend to the area with the dinosaur tracks. The tracks are located in red stone very close to the wall. If you are not experienced in finding tracks they can be hard to locate even with GPS coordinates. The tracks are three toed and hand sized. They usually come in a small cluster arranged in a line. I left a small circle of rocks around a pair of footprints about ten years ago, as of mid 2017 the circle was still there.

After visiting the dinosaur tracks continue south about .3 miles till you reach an open area. Fifty yards or so to the west lies a small brown and yellow striped area with some rocks that look like a tic-tac-toe board lying on the stripes. The area was named “The Boneyard” by photographer Michael Fatali. The loose rocks are called lace or box rocks. Please do not move them, they are fragile. Wait until the cliffs to the northwest of The Boneyard are in shadow before shooting; the dark background of the cliffs contrasts with The Boneyard nicely. Stay until the sun goes behind the cliffs to the west and The Boneyard starts to fall into shadow. If you are feeling energetic you can Note that The Boneyard is also very good at dawn, light hits it just after sunrise with March and September being optimal times to shoot it at dawn.

Dinosaur TrackThe Boneyard

Lace rock north of The Boneyard

Sand Cove

After leaving The Boneyard head down the sandy wash which runs south-east. In .2 miles turn more to the south into Sand Cove Wash. Continue up Sand Cove Wash about 100 yards and hike up to the teepees to your east (left). This area contains beautiful sandstone curves and is called Sand Cove. It is best captured late afternoon just before it goes into shadow. A wide-angle lens is needed. Sand Cove is largely in shadow in the morning. Stay at Sand Cove until it starts going into shadow.

 

Sand CoveLooking south from Sand Cove

The Second Wave

From Sand Cove hike east north-east and scramble up the cliff until you reach a flat area just before a much steeper cliff. The Second Wave is at the foot of this steep cliff. It is a great late afternoon location, but only fair the rest of the day. Shoot it from the small sand dune a few yards south, or from the rocks to the south east about ten feet above it. Make sure the cliffs to the west are in shadow. Shoot until the Second Wave goes into shadow. Leave a bit earlier if you are concerned about hiking back to your car after sunset.

To return to the Wirepass parking lot head north passing back through The Wave. There should be many good photo-ops along the hike back so don’t put your camera / tripod away too soon. After leaving The Wave head down the sand dune, cross the wash, and head north to retrace your steps back to your car. “The Dive” and the North and South “Teepees” will be in good light on the way back. You will need a long lens to shoot them. If you hurry you should be able to get back to your car 30-45 minutes after sunset. Warning – if you do not have good navigation skills or have a GPS and know how to use it, you should leave The Second Wave well before sunset.

 

 

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