I’ve lived in Moab for thirteen years and have been visiting for twenty, and I’ve never seen wildflowers blooming as profusely as they are right now. The Moab super bloom is real, and it’s here NOW. Making it even more impressive are the incredible skies we’ve had lately. If the weather forecast is accurate, those skies are sticking around all week. And, temperatures are way below average (60’s - 70’s), so it’s perfect for camping, hiking and exploring.
Where to find the wildflowers? Literally everywhere. People are losing their minds over the sego lilies blooming in vast carpets in areas like North Klondike Bluffs and out at the Bar M trail complex. Cactus wildflowers can be found in various stages of bloom depending on elevation. Yesterday at Dead Horse Point State Park, the cactus flowers were just barely getting started, but the daisies are growing in big, thick clumps. The prince’s plume I’ve seen in several locations, including Arches NP, is super healthy and like the daisies…thick.
Some spots I recommend exploring outside the parks include Fisher Towers, Castle Valley, Onion Creek, Corona Arch and Potash Road all the way to Canyonlands National Park, the aforementioned North Klondike Bluffs and the Behind the Rocks Wilderness Area south of Moab. In Arches, you’re less likely to be surrounded by the hordes if you hike out to Klondike Bluffs, where you’ll find wildflowers blooming in sand dunes below the Marching Men. More information on photography in Arches NP can be found in eFotoGuide: The Ultimate Guide to Photographing Arches National Park.
The Colorado River and all the local creeks are running high, and there’s rain on the way over the next couple of days. The La Sal Mountains are still wearing a healthy heaping of snow, so any composition that includes them will be that much better.
Now the bad news: it’s crowded like I’ve never seen it. If you’re headed to any of the parks, you’ll find it challenging to get away from the crowds. Campgrounds are packed, the hotels are expensive and hour and a half waits at most of the local restaurants are the norm during peak times. Still, I’d point my truck to Moab if I were you.
To celebrate this incredible bloom, and to help you find some of the best spots in Arches NP to take advantage of the flowers, I’m offering a 20% discount on my popular ebook: eFotoGuide: The Ultimate Guide to Photographing Arches National Park. No goofy codes needed. Normally $15, it’s now $12 until Friday, May 24.
Get out here and burn through some memory cards…or film, for the luddites who might be reading this!