California Poppy Reserve

My son, Brett, and I took a trip up to Lancaster to see how this year’s poppies were doing. There were many wildflowers there and some poppies. They are hoping for a full poppy bloom in the middle of April. You reach the poppy reserve by going up on the 14 to Lancaster, exiting on Avenue I, then driving 15 miles to the reserve. There is a poppy festival in Lancaster usualy in April. Try to get to the poppy fields early in the day as it is a very popular place. I have put my photos of the poppy fields on a slide show on this site: Go to Slide Shows, United States, California, Lancaster: California Poppy Reserve.

California Poppy Reserve

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

I went with my son, Keith, and future daughter in law, Brittany, this last weekend to the Anza–Borrego Desert State Park. We came from San Diego and took Highway 79 and then Highway S2––a very scenic drive through the San Diego countryside. Coming back we took the 78 to Julian and then the 79 to San Diego. Highway 78 has many twists and turns, making the S2 an easier route to take. If your drive from the north through Temecula, you will take the 76 to the 79 to the S2. It took about 2 hours from San Diego to get to the park. The ideal time to visit this year would have been in late February in order to view the most wildflowers. We still found many there, but they may not be there much longer. I put my photos of Anza–Borrego on a slide show on this site: Go to Slide Shows, United States, California, Anza_Borrego: Wildflowers.

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

I stopped off at the Flower Fields of ranunculus flowers at Carlsbad on my way home from San Diego. One full field was in bloom and a second field almost in full bloom. There are a number of fields there, each blooming at different times. They should keep on blooming until the middle of May. To reach the fields, take the 5 and exit at Palomar Airport Road. Go left if you are coming from the north; go right if you are coming from the south. I have put the photos I took there on a slide show on this site: Go to Slide Shows, United States, California, Carlsbad Flower Fields.