Our season of wondrous wildflowers continues.
Just as some desert areas are passing their peak, a fresh barrage of blooms is carpeting hillsides in lower reaches of the Catalina Mountains.
One place to see hues of blue, yellow, purple, white and more is along the Babad Do’ag Trail, which begins at the 2.6-mile point on the Catalina Highway northeast of Tucson.
The name of the 2.1-mile trail means “Frog Mountain” in the Tohono O’odham language. It’s the tribe’s traditional name for the Catalina Mountains.
Beginning at a trailhead at an altitude of 3,550 feet, the route leads first through classic Sonoran Desert terrain, then along the side of a stream-cut canyon, and finally to a 4,700-foot knoll on a ridge with expansive views of canyons, mountains and the Tucson valley.
But competing with those distant views this week are the colorful wild blooms, which are especially abundant along lower reaches of the trail.
Most evident are brittlebush plants with bright yellow flowers growing profusely on saguaro-studded slopes.
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Hikers also pass many pink-hued fairy duster blooms, which stand out in bright contrast with the drab colors of many desert plants.
Desert chicory plants sport brilliant white blooms, sometimes surrounded by assorted small yellow flowers.
Far less common along the trail, but well worth seeking out, are the deep-blue blooms of delphinium, also known as larkspur.
Also along the way, hikers might spot blue lupines, a few gold poppies, pink penstemons and assorted bushy plants with purple flowers.
27 spectacular photos of spring wildflowers around Tucson
27 spectacular photos of spring wildflowers around Tucson
Spring Wildflowers
Updated
May 21, 2024
Spring poppies and other wildflowers are in bloom and all over at Picacho Peak State Park on March 5.
Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star
Spring Wildflowers
Updated
May 28, 2024
Spring poppies and other wildflowers are in bloom and all over at Picacho Peak State Park on March 05, 2019.
Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star
Spring Wildflowers
Updated
Mar 22, 2019
Spring poppies and other wildflowers are in bloom and all over at Picacho Peak State Park on March 05, 2019.
Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star
Spring Wildflowers
Updated
May 28, 2024
Paul and Karen Reese stand on a picnic table to get a better view of blooming wildflowers at Picacho Peak State Park on March 05, 2019.
Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star
Spring Wildflowers
Updated
May 28, 2024
Spring poppies and other wildflowers are in bloom and all over at Picacho Peak State Park on March 05, 2019.
Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star
Spring Wildflowers
Updated
May 28, 2024
Spring poppies and other wildflowers are in bloom and all over at Picacho Peak State Park on March 05, 2019.
Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star
Spring Wildflowers
Updated
May 28, 2024
Spring poppies and other wildflowers are in bloom and all over at Picacho Peak State Park on March 05, 2019.
Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star
Spring Wildflowers
Updated
May 28, 2024
Paul Reese uses an iPad to take photos of the spring wildflowers in bloom at Picacho Peak State Park on March 05, 2019.
Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star
Spring Wildflowers
Updated
May 28, 2024
Merlin Jewell uses his iPhone to take photos of the spring wildflowers in bloom at Picacho Peak State Park on March 05, 2019.
Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star
Spring Wildflowers
Updated
Mar 22, 2019
Pat and Eileen Mason, sisters, walk along the Children's Cave loop to take in the spring wildflowers at Picacho Peak State Park on March 05, 2019.
Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star
Picacho Peak blooms
Updated
Mar 22, 2019
Standout early blooms at Picacho Peak State Park include brilliant gold poppies.
Courtesy of Arizona State Parks & Trails
Poppies on SR 86
Updated
Mar 22, 2019
Drivers on Arizona 86 southwest of Tucson see grand displays of wildflowers on both sides of the road.
Doug Kreutz/Arizona Daily Star
Vast carpets of wildflowers
Updated
Mar 29, 2019
Vast carpets of gold poppies and blue lupines line the sides of Arizona 86 southwest of Tucson. -- Credit: Doug Kreutz/Arizona Daily Star
Doug Kreutz/Arizona Daily Star
Carpets of wildflowers
Updated
Mar 22, 2019
Carpets of gold poppies and blue lupines line the sides of Arizona 86 southwest of Tucson. -- Credit: Doug Kreutz/Arizona Daily Star
Doug Kreutz/Arizona Daily Star
Wildflowers trail side
Updated
Jun 21, 2021
Lovely patches of bright yellow and purple wildflowers can be seen along the Canyon Loop Trail at Catalina State Park.
Angela Pittenger
Wildflowers
Updated
May 17, 2024
This grassy field in Catalina State Park was peppered with orange and purple wildflowers.
Angela Pittenger
Saguaro National Park
Updated
Mar 24, 2020
Saguaro National Park west of Tucson is alive with wildflower color, and its parking lots are crowded. In the park’s eastern unit, pullouts along the Cactus Forest Loop Drive are filling up daily.
Doug Kreutz / Arizona Daily Star/
Wildflowers and saguaro
Updated
Mar 3, 2021
Wildflowers and a small saguaro at Saguaro National Park west of Tucson. -- Credit: Doug Kreutz/Arizona Daily Star
Doug Kreutz/Arizona Daily Star
Blue lupine
Updated
Apr 19, 2019
Blue lupine wildflowers are in brilliant bloom at Saguaro National Park west of Tucson. -- Credit: Doug Kreutz/Arizona Daily Star
Doug Kreutz/Arizona Daily Star
Hikers and wildflowers
Updated
Mar 22, 2019
Hikers on the Linda Vista Trail northwest of Tucson pass lots of brittlebush wildflowers along the way.
Photos by Doug Kreutz / Arizona Daily Star
Poppies in bloom
Updated
Mar 22, 2019
Poppies in bloom at Saguaro National Park west of Tucson. — Credit: Doug Kreutz/Arizona Daily Star
Doug Kreutz/Arizona Daily Star
Gold poppies
Updated
May 21, 2019
Gold poppies stand out against a backdrop of cacti and blue desert sky at Saguaro National Park west of Tucson on March 11, 2019. — Credit: Doug Kreutz/Arizona Daily Star
Doug Kreutz/Arizona Daily Star
Carpet of poppies
Updated
Mar 22, 2019
Gold poppies carpet the landscape at some sites in Saguaro National Park west of Tucson. Blue lupine and orange globemallow can also be seen in the area.
Doug Kreutz / Arizona Daily Star
Contact reporter Doug Kreutz at dkreutz@tucson.com or at 573-4192. On Twitter: @DouglasKreutz