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Where to See Poppies In Bloom This Spring
It's that time of the year: poppies are blooming at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve.
It has been a relatively dry year unfortunately, but it hasn't been a total bust thanks to a few recent rainstorms. And if it gets rainy over the next few weeks that could help even more wildflowers blossom. Here's the most recent poppy report for 2012, according to the State Natural Reserve (SNR) website:
It's been a dry winter so far so not a lot of poppy plants have germinated, but recent rains seem to be encouraging new plants and we may end up with a moderate season. The hills are currently only tinged green but very few grasses are growing this year, so the poppies that are there are more visible. A handful of fiddleneck, slender-keeled fruit, silver puffs, goldfields, filaree, Mojave suncups, and forget-me-nots are starting to bloom here and there. Grape soda lupines are putting on a nice show, but some are already going to seed.
The site says the best place to see poppies is at the Tehachapi Vista Point trail and back along the South Poppy Loop Trail, where you will find a patch of poppies on the south-facing slope. If you keep going down the trail, you'll find a group of Grape Soda Lupine, too. Another good spot to see is Kitanemuk Vista Point, where you can find a patch of purple Lacy Phacelia. For even more locations and to check for poppy updates, you can check out field notes here. Lancaster will be hosting its 21st Annual California Poppy Festival on April 21 and 22, and we'll keep you up-to-date on details as we get them. For more information about visiting, including parking rates and the reserve's schedule, visit the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve SNR's website.
Related:
Poppies... Poppies. Poppies Will Lure 'Em to the Antelope Valley
Photos: The California Poppy Reserve is at its Peak
More photos of poppies from past years in the LAist Flickr photo pool
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