2017 Poppy Reserve
March 26, 2017: Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve.
The poppies are blooming at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve. Being my first visit, I can’t relate to previous years. Some reports say this is an "ok" year - not great, but not bad.
Anyway, I loved it. While getting about 3 miles of hiking in, I found the thickest poppy area in the southeast section of the reserve.
Arrive early. The park opens at 9 a.m., but by then a line of cars stretched almost out to Lancaster Road. I arrived at 8:45 a.m. and got into the parking lot. Visitors arriving later had to park on Lancaster Road.
When I left at noon, it took 20 minutes to exit. California Highway patrol officers were directing traffic. Vehicles were parked for over a mile on Lancaster Road west of the entrance
While driving in on Lancaster Road, there’s a couple of good poppy fields to the east of the entrance. After leaving, I drove north on 170th St. West and east on Highway 138. Additional poppy fields could be found on Highway 138 north of the reserve.
Please stay on the trails. Standing/sitting off the trail kills the flowers. Barren spots stand out all along the trails. One good one, below, looks like someone did a snow angel pose among the poppies.
Park rangers were losing their voices yelling “Stay on the Trail!”
The poppies are blooming at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve. Being my first visit, I can’t relate to previous years. Some reports say this is an "ok" year - not great, but not bad.
Anyway, I loved it. While getting about 3 miles of hiking in, I found the thickest poppy area in the southeast section of the reserve.
Arrive early. The park opens at 9 a.m., but by then a line of cars stretched almost out to Lancaster Road. I arrived at 8:45 a.m. and got into the parking lot. Visitors arriving later had to park on Lancaster Road.
When I left at noon, it took 20 minutes to exit. California Highway patrol officers were directing traffic. Vehicles were parked for over a mile on Lancaster Road west of the entrance
While driving in on Lancaster Road, there’s a couple of good poppy fields to the east of the entrance. After leaving, I drove north on 170th St. West and east on Highway 138. Additional poppy fields could be found on Highway 138 north of the reserve.
Please stay on the trails. Standing/sitting off the trail kills the flowers. Barren spots stand out all along the trails. One good one, below, looks like someone did a snow angel pose among the poppies.
Park rangers were losing their voices yelling “Stay on the Trail!”
36 photos
·
6 views