Desert Bloom Routes and Calendars

Catching a desert in peak wildflower bloom can be a unique and memorable running experience. The timing and extent of a wildflower bloom varies wildly from place to place, and from year to year. While much of the spring-summer wildflower bloom is linked to precipitation that occurs during winter months, there can be sudden blooms within a day or two after a rain. Here’s the 2023 desert wildflower forecast for popular locations. See those for individual states for more of a drill-down. Below is a list of Great Runs locations which have routes in areas known for their desert bloom. See also our Desert Route  and Blossoms & Blooms categories for additional suggestions.