Each year from about the end of March to the beginning of May, a rich diversity of wildflowers bloom in Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve and the Ohlone Wilderness. Experience the season here through videos, printable activities and guides, and check out our Activity Guide for Naturalist guided virtual and in-person programs. Visit us on the Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve Facebook page for more. Enjoy the season!
Wildflower Hikes 2025
Arrive early to ensure the park is open before reaching capacity. Sunol Wilderness will close the entry gate when no more parking lots are full and reopen when parking becomes available. Program space will be limited, and sign-ups will occur on the day of on a first come, first served basis at the visitor center.
| Sat March 29 9-11am | Wildflowers of Sunol Valley Sunol Valley provides the perfect landscape to showcase Spring's greatest gift - wildflowers! Come explore the trails and embark on a treasure hunt for wild wonders. |
| Sun Mar 30 9-11am | Springtime in the Serpentine California’s State Rock, serpentinite, creates interesting soil that helps to highlight our native wildflowers. Explore the trails to search for early wildflowers and enjoy wonderous views. |
| Sat Apr 5 9-11:30am | Women in Wilderness: Wildflower Hike Grow your community during this wildflower hike! Build your love of nature as you connect with people and place. |
| Sun Apr 6 9-1:30pm | Perennials at the peak Traverse from the valley floor to a park peak while discovering the diverse array of wildflowers at different elevations. From rocky outcrops to grasslands, you'll find that flowers flourish in Sunol's varied terrain. |
| Sat Apr 12 9-11am | Wildflowers and Wonders Spring in Sunol is spectacular! Explore the trails to search for early wildflowers and enjoy wonderous views. |
Sat Apr 12 | ASL Wildflower Wander Celebrate wildflower season in Sunol as we welcome deaf communities of the bay area to join a Naturalist guided hike with professional American Sign Language interpreters! Discover the beauty of Sunol in Spring during this stroll. |
| Sun Apr 13 9-11:30am | Watershed Wildflowers Join us as we hike along Alameda Creek and learn about one of the largest watersheds in the Bay Area and the bounty of blooms it hosts. |
| Sat Apr 19 9-12:30pm | Flowers and Fire Hike Hike through the 2024 Creek Fire burn area to discover what blooms have burst from the burned hillside. Learn about the role of wildfire in the wilderness on this 3-mile hike. |
| Sun Apr 20 9am-noon | Wildflower Bioblitz Join us for a Wildflower BioBlitz as we find, identify, and record the wildflowers we see! You will have the opportunity to learn how to identify some common wildflowers with interpretive staff as we hike around the park. No prior training or experience necessary. |
| Sat Apr 26 9-11:30am | Wildfire and Wildflowers Traverse the 2024 Creek Fire burn area to explore the role of wildfire in the wilderness and explore the superb flower displays that arise from the ashes. |
| Sat May 3 9-11am | Birds and Blooms The wonders of wildflowers wouldn’t be possible without the assistance of winged pollinators! Join us to admire some avian flower friends. |
| Sun May 4 9am-12:30pm | Bedrock Blooms Discover how the rocks of Sunol support superb wildflower displays on this 3-miles meander through the park. |
Sunol Wildflower Art Contest
Spark your creativity in nature and celebrate the season by creating wildflower-themed art!
Categories: nature journal pages, painting, photography, and poetry
Criteria: Submit one artwork piece/category only.
To submit: Email the following to svisit@ebparks.org with the subject; Art Submission 2025
Include your name, contact info, category, artwork title (if applicable) and a 2-3 sentence description of how your artwork reflects your experiences with spring in Sunol or the East Bay. We will be taking submissions from March 1 – April 12. Winners for each category will be announced on May 2.
Visit the Activity Page to search for all upcoming programs!
Naturalist Videos
| Welcome Wildflower Season As winter turns to spring join Supervising Naturalist Ashley to discover the importance of wildflowers and which parks to spot them., 3m:57s | Seed Starters Ever wanted to grow native flowers in your own garden? Follow along with Interpretive Student Aide Aaron to create a seed ball., 6m:24s |
Felt Flowers It is important to leave flowers growing in their natural habitats. Interpretive Student Aide Stacy can show you how to create a felt flower to display in your home all year long., 6m:46s |
Wildflower Activities and Guides
Download these activities and guides. Bring them with you to the park to discover more!
Print it, color it, or use it as you dissect a flower from your garden or the store. Watch the Wildflower Dissection video to follow along.
Pollinator and Wildflower Guide (PDF)
Discover how plants spread their seeds and what pollinators are attracted to.
Sunol Mini-Trekkers Guide (PDF)
Find these 15 common spring wildflowers at the park.
Sunol Wildflower Key (PDF)
Not sure what that flower is? Take this with you and “key it out!” Follow the step by step instructions to learn about identifying many different species of wildflowers.
