Antelope Valley: The Poppy Hills of California

For around three years now, I’ve been nursing this idea of visiting Antelope Valley in spring to see the California Poppy in large numbers.  One time we were in the central coast and the updates from this park seemed to say that the poppies weren’t exactly having a good year. So it didn’t make sense to go east and not be able to see Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve in its full glory.

This time around, the hubby’s birthday and our older one’s spring break coincided and it called for a trip. And because The Golden State received decent rain this winter, California is enjoying a  super bloom this spring. So we worked out a plan and Antelope Valley was neatly laid into the travel plan. 😉

After a weekend in Southern California, we were driving up north when we got off Interstate 5 in Santa Clarita and headed east to the Sierra Pelona Mountains beyond which our poppy hills sprawl. 

As we were nearing the end of the mountain pass,  we began to see patches of orange and yellow on the rocky slopes. And once the tall mountains were behind us and we were on open land, orange hills appeared in the distance. 

Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve

We didn’t have to wait to get into the reserve to see the poppies. The road to the park twisted through some slopes that were dressed up in poppies. And when we got to the park, we found that it would be quite a wait to get to the ticket window and the parking lot. There, in front of us was a serpentine line of cars waiting to get in. (It felt like the wait near Yosemite’s entrance in the west.) And it was a weekday. I can imagine what a weekend visit might be like. 

However I must say that the long wait was totally worth it. 

Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve

Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve is a state park initiative to preserve the poppies that grow wild here along with several other wildflowers that are native to desert conditions. You read that right — ‘desert conditions’ because this is one end of the Mojave desert. And yes, these poppies grow wild.

The State Park safeguards this place because it seems to be one of the few areas that can be proud of a consistent poppy bloom. The park authorities keep cattle away and — I hear — the rattlesnakes keep the rodents at bay.

This reserve has around 7 miles of trails ranging from gentle, moderate slopes to gravel-paths along these rolling hills.

Did you know: That the Golden Poppy is California’s State Flower?

They say orange and orangish yellow poppies grew in plenty in several parts of California. And early Spanish sailors who came across these bright coloured hills, called these areas ‘rivers of gold.’

In years that we have a super bloom, you can expect to see California poppies and other wildflowers in plenty in several parts of Southern California. 

All you need to know before you visit Antelope Valley

• Go prepared for the traffic, the long wait and the time you are going to need to find a parking spot (especially when there is a super bloom).
• There are restrooms and a picnic area here.
• There’s a trail for everybody — from easy to moderate hikes, and even a wheelchair-friendly trail. I would suggest you go up the hills and try to get to at least one of the vista points on the trails. The views of faraway hills covered in yellow and orange are a sight to see.
• You can expect to see poppies here, from late February to early May. The more the rain the winter storms bring, the more the blooms in spring.
• You are expected to stay on the trails and not pick flowers. The printed material we got with the ticket tells me one flower can yield up to 200 seeds for the blooms for the following year. 

I’m totally tipsy from the trip to those poppy-carpeted hills. The long wait at the entrance did culminate in a very rewarding experience, as you can see. I say: You should go see the Golden Poppies in Antelope Valley if you have a chance.

If you like flowers, you might like these posts:

Now that the spring is in the air — Wildflowers in Vasona Park
Tulip Fields in Oregon
Cherry Blossoms in San Francisco
Weeping Cherry Tree in blossom
Roses at one of ‘America’s Best Rose Gardens’
Almond Blossoms in California’s Central Valley

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