California State Parks Provide California Poppies Viewing Guidelines For Visitors

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You’ve seen it in the news everywhere – there is a beautiful superbloom that the state of California is experiencing right now thanks to the heavy rainfall received this year. People are posting pictures and media has covered it far and wide – flowers as far as the eye can see in orange, purple, yellow and other shades typically unaccustomed for the desert state. For those habituated to the dry green landscape found in the southwest, these are welcome sights to behold. But the superbloom is attracting attention from locals and visitors alike and many parks have already restricted visitation due to the masses flooding the area. Protecting the habitat is essential. 

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California State Parks in association with Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve (Poppy Reserve) has released some guideline to inform the public on how to view wildflower blooms in a safe and responsible manner. California Poppies as well as a rainbow of other flowers are already adorning the hills of the Poppy Reserve and thousands of visitors are expected to explore the park.The wildflowers currently in bloom include California poppies, Joshua trees, lupine, red maids, gilia, fiddleneck, forget-me-nots, phacelia, blue dicks, slender keeled fruit and filaree flowers. These are found in other nearby state parks as well.
 
Below are some tips and park rules to make viewing California’s wildflower blooms more enjoyable:

• Each park has unique landscapes. Stay on designated trails whenever possible. Do not trample flowers. Tread lightly in the desert.
• When viewing the blooms, take only pictures. Flower picking is prohibited.
• Visit the parks during the week and arrive early to beat the crowds.
• Cell coverage can be spotty or nonexistent in some parks – be prepared.
• Read about your state park destination online and download a map prior to your visit, especially if you are visiting a desert. Many GPS and map apps will default to remote dirt roads requiring 4-wheel drive vehicles.
• Check weather conditions. Be prepared and plan for all types of weather.
• Bring plenty of food and water. There are often no restaurants, gasoline stations or stores near the bloom areas.
• Outdoor conditions can change quickly, especially in the desert. Bring sunscreen, a hat, layers of clothing and closed-toed shoes to avoid injury.
• Leave an itinerary of your trip with a family member or friend with information such as time of departure and expected return, site visit location, and names of everyone in your group. This will ensure law enforcement personnel have a better understanding of your location in the event of a rescue.
• Dogs are not allowed at the park; only trained service animals are allowed on trails.

 
Near the Poppy Reserve, there are other state parks within an hour driving distance to also view wildflower blooms and for other recreational opportunities. These destinations include Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodlands(8 minutes), Fort Tejon(40 minutes), Saddleback Butte(45 minutes), Red Rock Canyon(1 hour) state parks, as well as Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area(35 minutes).
 
California State Parks encourages the public to explore all of the recreational activities available at the parks, such as wildlife viewing, hiking, camping, biking and interpretive programs for adults and children. For specific park information on these activities, wildflower blooms, maps and road conditions, please visit www.parks.ca.gov/WildflowerBloom.
 
The staff at the state parks are certainly doing their best to keep the areas welcome and safe for us all so lets help them do their job since this influx is certainly going to be a challenge for them with additional responsibilities to keep everything going smooth. I hear in some areas this superblom has resulted in an unexpected migration of butterflies and birds as well so even more responsibility on us to be careful to preserve their natural surroundings for them to enjoy this event.
 
These are actually great guidelines for visiting any public parks and areas anywhere in the world. If you are visiting the superbloom or know others who are, please share these guidelines. I had planned on a superbloom visit this weekend and glad I got this handy list ahead of my drive. If you’ve already visited the wildflower bloom areas then please do leave your thoughts in the comments as to any specific helpful insights on the experience. Thank you!

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