Super bloom in the desert worth waking up at the crack of dawn for

Sand Verbena in the Anza-Borrego Desert.
Photo Credit: Lauren J. Mapp

After a wet and rainy winter in Southern California, the Anza-Borrego Desert was filled with a spectacular array of wildflowers. Though flowers usually bloom in the desert every spring, the extra rains caused a "super bloom" of desert primrose, sand verbena and other flowers. 

Never having seen a bloom or super bloom in the desert before, we decided to go for a min road trip through the Anza-Borrego Desert, made a pit stop at Salvation Mountain, stopped by the Salton Sea just long enough to be grossed out by the smell and returned to San Diego. 

Since the flowers tend to close up or wilt as the day gets hotter, we left San Diego around 5 a.m. in order to reach the desert shortly after sunrise. 

The Salton Sea
Photo Credit: Lauren J. Mapp

A caterpillar in a precarious situation.
Photo Credit: Lauren J. Mapp

Anza-Borrego Desert
Photo Credit: Lauren J. Mapp

Salvation Mountain
Photo Credit: Lauren J. Mapp