The Most Unbelievable Display of Colorful Flowers in LA

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Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve: State Natural Reserve in Lancaster

We all remember the beauty of the 2019 super-bloom of California’s state flower, the poppy, in the Inland Empire. But where can you see the poppies bloom this year in Southern California?

Checking out the Super Bloom in March 2019 in Lake Elsinore CA

Every Spring come mid-April the remote hills of Lancaster are blanketed with the same vibrant orange of poppies as they cover the surrounding landscape. And boy oh boy what a site to see!

The Antelope Valley poppies in Lancaster bloom, wild and free, and this area provides one of the easiest and most guaranteed areas to see them. No need to wait for the Super Bloom, it’s super every single year!

The best time to see the poppies would be in the month of April; however, they can be there as early as mid-March through early-May depending on how rainy the winter was. And for best viewing mid-morning tends to be the time you want to go because as long as the sun is up the poppies will open; but you want to get there before the afternoon winds (think Santa Ana winds) kick up and the sun goes away and the poppies close for the day.

The reserve consists of eight miles of trails, and most visitors stick to the 3.3-mile South and North Loop trails with a quick side trip to the Tehachapi Vista Point, but the best displays aren’t always there. It is advised to stop in at the visitor center to get the latest updates on where the most flowers are blooming. If the poppies aren’t showing off when you visit, consider driving seven miles west from the reserve to Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park. Which is a native Joshua tree and juniper woodland, so it has different flowers blooming. This area tends to be more protected from the wind.

Per the Reserves website (this may change at any time so it is advised to check before going):

The following is open at the Poppy Reserve:

Be sure to check out the sites surrounding the reserve for more beautiful fields and flowers

The reserve is open from sunrise to sunset
We request that visitors pay by credit/debit card or bring the exact dollar amount ($10 dollar day-use fee).
No dogs, no drones, no picking wildflowers, and watch for rattlesnakes

NOTE: Please do NOT walk on, lay down, roam through or pick the flowers. Stick to the trails, enjoy nature without disturbing it, in order to ensure we can enjoy these beauties for years to come!