It’s a Jungle Out There

Isn’t it time someone said something nice about El Nino? Like what it’s done to the deserts this spring?

Thanks to the extra rain, the desert wildflowers are blooming in spectacular abundance. “There are more flowers, and larger, than most of us ever remember seeing before,” said Charlie Callagan, a ranger in Death Valley.

Callagan says if you want to see the show, be prepared to hike a bit. And you’ll have to hurry--the vivid display has already begun to fade.

Notable wildflower displays are at:

* Death Valley National Park, northeast of Ridgecrest, (760) 786-2331

* Joshua Tree National Park, east of Palm Springs, (760) 367-5500

* Mojave National Preserve, east of Barstow, (760) 733-4040

* Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, east of San Diego, (760) 767-4684

More information is available on the Wildflower Hotline, (818) 768-3533, and on the World Wide Web at www.desertusa.com