Wildflower Guide

by JoBeth Jamison Wildflower-watching can be fruitless or fantastic. Some blooms come early, some come late and some don't come at all. Some grow along the road, some require a committed off-road excursion. But, like winter snowflakes, each spring flower brings unique beauty. Here are some of our favorite springtime spots to fawn over flora, when a wet winter and a mild spring conspire. Check contact numbers for current status.

THE WILD SIDE

Lost Dutchman State Park 6109 N. Apache Trail, Apache Junction Who says there's no gold in them thar hills? Mexican goldpoppies, golden bursts of brittlebush, mustard evening primrose and countless other brightly colored spring petals sometimes pave the picture-perfect slopes of the Superstition Mountains. The especially bloomers. (Use caution in remote scenic wildflower vistas along the areas near the U.S.-Mexico border. Jacob's Crosscut, Siphon Draw and Call ahead for closures and alerts.) Discovery trails are worth their weight (520) 387-6849; www.nps.gov/orpi/.

in blooming bullion and may well be the treasure trove that Jacob Waltz mentioned. Hey, you never know. (480) 982-4485; www.azstateparks. com/Parks/parkhtml/dutchman.html.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

South of Ajo off State Route 85 Organ Pipe National Monument is best known for late bloomers. Its namesake cacti blossom nightly, in the peak of summer heat, with lovely lavender-white flowers. However, the park's spectacular show of spring flora also often provides music to the eyes with big, vibrant blooms from the area's other 25 species of cactus. Walk the Victoria Mine Trail or the Grass Canyon Trail to glimpse plush carpets of desert color in good years. May through July, try an early morning excursion on the Bull Pasture Trail to catch both the night and day

Picacho Peak State Park

60 miles south of Phoenix, off Interstate 10, Exit 219, Picacho During many springs, the bajadas surrounding this historically poignant peak are a prime locale for fields of Mexican goldpoppies. The colorful signs of life make it hard to believe that this was more than 140 years ago a Civil War battlefield. Enjoy the springtime rebirth from the Nature Trail or Calloway Trail. (520) 466-3183; www.azstateparks.com/Parks/parkhtml/ picacho.html.

Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge

West of State Route 85, Ajo Meaning "dark head" in Spanish, Cabeza Prieta is a lonely but bright spot for wildflower-watching. Chockfull of highly adaptable desert animals, the Sonoran Desert sanctuary also often hosts a bevy of beautiful blooms that know how to hold their water. Be mindful, though, because this is a rough and remote area. Named for forty-niners who perished during the harsh journey to California, the name Devil's Highway still applies. Carry food and water and drive a reliable four-wheel-drive vehicle. (Use caution in remote areas near the U.S.-Mexico border. Call ahead for closures and alerts.) (520) 387-6483; www.fws.gov/ southwest/refuges/arizona/cabeza.html.

Kofa National Wildlife Refuge

Between Interstates 10 and 8, 11.2 miles southwest of Quartzite, off U.S. Route 95 Come springtime, the prickly protections of desert life share their extreme-weather world with nature's softer side, especially around the Kofa and Castle Dome mountains. Along the De La Osa and Kofa Queen trails, sunset-colored sprays of Mexican goldpoppies, bladderpods, brittlebushes and fiddlenecks rounded out with cool-hued accents of Coulter's lupines, desert lavender and

Cabeza Prieta Primrose Cabeza Prieta is home to as many as 391 plant species. With enough rain, primrose, as well as vervain and marigolds, can transform the landscape

in early spring. NICK BEREZENKO To order a print of this photograph, see page 1.

primroses bring seasonal sugar and spice to the rough-and-tumble refuge. That said, remember that refuge-roaming is anything but a cakewalk. Carry food and water, and travel in a reliable four-wheel-drive vehicle. (Use caution in remote areas near the U.S.-Mexico border. Call ahead for closures and alerts.) (928) 783-7861; www.fws. gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/kofa.html.

Pinal Pioneer Parkway

State Route 79, Florence to Catalina If it's a motion picture you seek, catch the wildflower action along scenic State Route 79 between Florence and Tucson. Beautiful any time of year, the 42-mile stretch grows to legendary status in a good spring with an all-star cast of fearless flora that can bloom all along the route and practically up from under the two-lane road. Enjoy an intermission and a picturesque picnic lunch at the Tom Mix marker, a memorial to the Hollywood cowboy who died in a car crash near this spot in 1940. www.desertusa.com/mag99/ mar/stories/wildfitour.html.

THE GARDEN VARIETY Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park

37615 U.S. Route 60, Superior After a 1917 Red Cross mercy mission to Russia, mining magnate Col. William Boyce Thompson observed that human life is largely dependent on plant life. His personal discovery planted the seeds for this public botanical park, dedicated to "the fostering of educational, recreational and research opportunities associated with arid-land plants," of which, wildflowers are an integral and pleasing part. (520) 689-2811; www.azstateparks.com/Parks/parkhtml/ boyce.html.

Desert Botanical Garden (Harriet K. Maxwell Desert Wildflower Trail)

1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix There are no guarantees in life, so they say. "They" obviously haven't been to Phoenix's Desert Botanical Garden. Not unlike Boyce ThompsonArboretum, this plant life preserve simulates and maintains the natural conditions that produce spring desert wildflowers along designated pathways. While some years may prove more remarkable than others, the park promises glorious flora even when Mother Nature cannot. (480) 941-1225; www.dbg.org.

Tucson Botanical Gardens (William McGinnies Wildflower Garden)

2150 N. Alvernon Way, Tucson Despite the surrounding city sprawl, the desert continues to come alive at the Tucson Botanical Gardens. Each spring the specialty William McGinnies Wildflower Garden swells with abundant bouquets of penstemons, lupines, desert marigolds and countless other colorful blooms. (520) 326-9686; www.tucsonbotanical. org/html/garden_wildflower.html.

Tohono Chul Park

7366 N. Paseo del Norte, Tucson Tohono Chul's cup usually runneth over with piping hot beverages and pampered guests at their renowned tearoom but, come March, the acclaimed park also pours forth a generous serving of fragrant springtime petals. (520) 742-6455; www.tohonochulpark.org.

Additional Information:

For up-to-the-minute updates and alerts on statewide wildflower conditions go to arizonahighways.com or visit these Web sites: www.azparks. gov/wfslideshow/wildflowerindex.htm; www.desertmuseum.org/programs/ flw_blooming.html; www.desertusa. com/wildflo/wildupdates.html.

To ensure future enjoyment of Arizona's natural treasures, learn about Leave No Trace by visiting: www.blm.gov/education/Int/ principles.html.

Root out other favorite bloomin' spots at arizonahighways.com (Click on "Spring Escape Guide")