How to See Wildflowers at Carrizo Plain National Monument (Superbloom Guide)

Here’s how I saw the wildflowers at Carrizo Plain National Monument during the superbloom of 2023.

A superbloom is a rare phenomenon where a huge number of wildflowers bloom simultaneously (typically in California and Arizona) following a very wet rainy season. 2023 was a superbloom year, and I was able to see this incredible event with friends at Carrizo Plain National Monument on April 15. Here’s how we did it:

How to Get There

Carrizo Plain National Monument is located in San Luis Obispo County, about a 4.5 hour drive from SF bay area. Most interior roads are unpaved, so we drove down using one of my friend’s four wheel drive on a Friday afternoon. We stayed overnight in Taft, which is near the south side of the monument.

Where to See Wildflowers

The main road through the monument is Soda Lake Road, which runs north–south (see map). It’s mostly paved and you can drive on it with a sedan, but many of the best wildflower views are along the dirt roads and requires a 4WD. Here’s the route we followed:

Elkhorn Road → Elkhorn Road Scenic Overlook

We entered the monument via Elkhorn Road since it was closest to our hotel. The road is unpaved but manageable, and it didn’t take long before we were rewarded with sweeping hills covered in yellow, purple, and orange blooms at the Elkhorn Road Scenic Overlook.

Beam Flat Area

Next, we continued north to the Beam Flat area for a wide, open view of the plains. We hiked up a sloping dirt road for a panoramic vantage point. This was my favorite view of the day, as there were so many different colors everywhere it looked like a giant watercolor painting!

Panoramic Road → Soda Lake Road

After a while, Elkhorn Road became increasingly dusty and bumpy, so we cut across to Soda Lake Road via Panorama Road. This short connector gave us another great angle on the plains.

7 Mile Road

Before heading home, we drove across 7 Mile Road for one last look at rolling hills blanketed in flowers. It was the perfect finale.

Tips Before You Go

Timing for the peak varies by rainfall and temperature, but usually it’s between March to April. There is a Facebook page for Carrizo Plain National Monument where you can see current bloom photos and road conditions.
Service is limited, so download offline maps / entertainment beforehand.
Be prepared for no gas, food, or water inside the monument.
Bring sun protection since there is no shade.
Stay on the designated trails. Trampling on the flowers destroys the flowers and prevents them from reseeding for next year!

Exploring more of California? Here are my top picks for SF, LA and national parks.