This year’s El Niño winter rainfall has set the stage for what’s likely to be a stunning wildflower season. Large blooms across the state typically occur after long periods of drought followed by an intense rain year. While many notable superbloom spots lay farther south in California, East Bay residents can also enjoy the eruption of color close by.
In the East Bay Regional Park District
If you’re looking to catch a glimpse of wildflowers within the boundaries of Oakland, Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve is a great place to start. The historic park, which features a volcanic center, has a variety of trails to choose from. Hikers looking to get a sense of both the wildflowers and the geological history of the park can take a self-guided tour of the Volcanic Trail. The park district also offers a photographic wildflower guide for Sibley, sorted by color and featuring everything from monkeyflowers to purple pennyroyal and scarlet pimpernel.
Hikers can also check out the wildflower displays at Reinhardt Regional Redwood Park’s Serpentine Prairie Resource Protection Area and Anthony Chabot Regional Park. According to the park district, the Serpentine Prairie Resource Protection Area “is home to one of Northern California’s richest arrays of native plants as a result of naturally occurring serpentine rock found” there. The area is full of a vast array of native grasses and rare plants, including the Presidio clarkia and Tiburon buckwheat. The park district is working to restore and preserve the area to keep this diverse ecosystem thriving.
Outside of Oakland, the Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve is the most notable park within the district for wildflowers. The park district offers a variety of guided wildflower tours through Sunol Wilderness. Visitors may catch blooming displays of California poppies and goldfields. You can pick up a wildflower identification guide at the visitor center or download the online version.
Sunol also hosts several events to celebrate spring, including a wildflower bioblitz in which participants document the different species of plants they see, a talk about Tataki Zomé, the Japanese art of pounding wildflowers into paper and cloth to preserve the patterns, and nature journaling workshops about flowers and pollinators.
The East Bay Regional Park District also offers several virtual experiences for the wildflower season. Parkgoers can learn about the different species, anatomies, and origins of the East Bay’s vibrant array of wildflowers.
Wildflower walks can also be found at Anthony Chabot Regional Park, Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, Briones Regional Park, Del Valle Regional Park, Las Trampas Wilderness Regional Preserve, Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, and Vargas Plateau Regional Park.
Venturing a little further away
In Marin County, hikers can take a trip to Tennessee Valley. During the spring, the valley teems with blooming wildflowers, including the California poppy, lupine, and California buttercup. Visitors looking for an easier hike can take the Tennessee Valley Trail 1.7 miles from the parking area to Tennessee Beach. There are also a variety of more difficult trails in the hills around the recreation area.
In San Francisco, visitors can catch blooms at Bernal Hill, Land’s End, and Corona Heights, among other places. At many of these locations, hikers can enjoy the stunning variety of wildflowers while also enjoying beautiful views of the city skyline or expansive San Francisco Bay.
A little further out, Point Reyes National Seashore, Mount Tamalpais State Park, and Russian Ridge Preserve offer a great array of wildflower-spotting trails. Point Reyes National Seashore is teeming with hiking trails of various difficulty. During the spring, Mount Tam’s grassy hillsides fill with wildflowers. The park offers a variety of interpretive hikes for visitors looking to learn more about the area’s ecological and cultural history. However, park officials note that wildflower season can lead to an increased volume of visitors, and parking for most trails may be limited.
Trekking tips and respecting the flowers
During recent superblooms in Southern California, large crowds have overwhelmed state parks, trampling plants and harming the environment. State and regional park officials are offering tips for people to recreate safely during wildflower season to protect both themselves and the environment.
One thing they emphasize is that it’s important to stay on the trails during wildflower excursions. Wildflower blooms often occur in delicate ecosystems and visitors should avoid walking on top of flowers. While it can be tempting to take wildflowers home with you, visitors should not pick flowers. Additionally, always remember to “pack it in, pack it out,” meaning anything you take in with you should leave with you, to avoid littering in the parks.
