Stunning super bloom surprises Sonoma County
Flowers from 2023 super bloom at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park (Photo: Raffaella Bravo., The Puma Prensa)
By Tessa Tappe, staff writer
Close your eyes. Imagine a soft, floral fragrance wafting over you. Feel the air flow through your hair, your fingers. Now, open your eyes. Colors bloom vibrantly from the hills of California: striking oranges, breathtaking yellows, and fiery reds. This year heavy winter rains have delivered us a rare super bloom, which is an unusually large amount of wildflower activity here in Sonoma County. It’s an unpredictable occurrence that only happens once every one to two decades. If you want to catch the superbloom, you should do so right away because it’s rare.
To experience the views, here are some places to visit around Santa Rosa and the Bay Area.
Flowers from 2023 super bloom at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park (Photo: Raffaella Bravo, The Puma Prensa)
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park in Kenwood is a 15-minute drive from Maria Carrillo High School. Make sure to go take a look at the blooming poppies, lupines, and fuchsia there. If you’re lucky, you might come across Baby Blue Eyes, with their little blue blooms, or the neon pink Red Maids. I recommend taking the Lower Bald Mountain Trail to see them at Sugarloaf. If you have any questions about this state park, you can contact them at (707)-833-5712 or visit their website at sugarloafpark.org.
At Briones Regional Park, an hour's drive southeast of Santa Rosa by Walnut Creek, you can experience the wildflower-covered hills through various hikes and picnic spots. Bright explosions of colors ranging from purples to oranges to whites will have you in awe of the diversity within this state park. To contact, visit their website at ebparks.org or call at (888)-327-2757.
Flowers from 2023 super bloom at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park (Photo: Raffaella Bravo, The Puma Prensa)
Another location is Mount Diablo State Park, about a two-hour drive southeast of Santa Rosa, also near Walnut Creek. Trails, like Donner Creek Loop Trail, Mount Diablo Grand Loop trail, and Secret Valley Loop, will lead you to see magnificent views of the super bloom. On these trails, flowers you might find are California poppies, blue skull caps, Sanicula, wallflowers, and delicate globe lilies. A personal favorite, wallflowers, come in golden bunches as though they were arranged by hand. The Blue Skullcaps are a violet-blue color that resembles a Lavender plant. In addition to the flowers, the park boasts an amazing view from the summit as well as dog-friendly areas. Contact them at (925)-837-2525 or visit their website to learn more at parks.ca.gov.
Whether you visit these parks to take photos, go on a hike, or enjoy the finally clear skies, be sure to take a moment to appreciate the phenomenon and, as the saying goes, stop and smell the roses. We may not see this again for many years to come.