Natural History Wanderings

Hungry Valley OHV has a new wildflower for 4/2/17

The California poppies are barely starting at Hungry Valley with just a few random plants here and there, but are in full bloom at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve near Lancaster. Tejon Pass is continuing to color up with large swatches of yellow and purple on the hillsides.

Within the park, the grasslands are beginning to show some color with small patches of baby blue eyes and lupine. The phacelia is still impressive along Spaghetti Pass, behind Sterling Campground and in Redtail Canyon with large purple areas quite visible from a distance.

In the south, the yuccas are beginning to sprout and should be quite showy in a few weeks. Indian paintbrush is also just starting to bloom, so watch for the red-tipped bushes as you explore.

The goldenbush and bladderpod are adding yellow splotches all over most of the park and there are still a lot of goldfields throughout the park, but the patch near the south entrance glows in the distance.

Please remember that the warm weather that brings out the flowers also brings out the rattlesnakes, so watch where you walk. As the grass gets taller, the rattlesnakes are especially hard to see, so please use caution when walking through tall, thick grass.

See photos at  Wildflowers at Hungry Valley