2 min
Overview
A short and easy but breathtaking stroll through the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve – a 1800 acre reserve of prime California poppy real estate. Accessible for just about everyone, this small unit of the State Park system is a must-see during bloom season, when the low hills become absolutely covered in carpets of orange. For up-to-date wildflower information, call the Poppy Reserve’s wildflower hotline at (661) 724-1180. Regional wildflower info is available from the Theodore Payne Foundation’s Wild Flower Hotline at (818) 768-3533. After seeing some pictures and reading about some other hikers’ bloom-viewing experiences in the Antelope Valley, I decided to finally make the small trek up north to see what all the fuss was about – and I was not disappointed. I decided to take the slightly-longer drive in, along the 138 E. That rural road is known for its own share of wildflower blooms, and the impressive roadside poppy displays were a great way to warm up my eyes for all the orange they were about to see. If you’re headed to the Poppy Reserve during bloom season, try to take the extra time to drive along this road – it’s worth the side trip. The actual Poppy Reserve itself was pretty busy when I went – due both to the fact that the poppies were in full bloom and also probably to the fact that nearby Lancaster was holding its annual California Poppy Festival. But after a short wait to get into the parking lot, I headed onto the reserve’s 7-mile trail system. When you pay to park, the rangers will give you a small brochure with some helpful information about the different plants and animals you’ll see on the trail, as well as a small trail map. The system ranges from easy to moderately-easy inclines, and while the paths are very easy to follow, some of the trails are not “named,” so it can be a little disorienting to try to figure out where in the tangled loop of criss-crossing trails you actually are. Of course, you could just spend your time wandering around and not worry too much about getting lost –
Trail Stats
5.5 km
70 m
895 m
777 m
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