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All the United States California Lancaster Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve

Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve

Each year these high desert hills are absolutely covered with poppy flowers in a surreal show of nature.

Lancaster, California

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Allison Meier
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circa 2014   Avoiding Regret
A few Poppies amongst Gold Fields   gauchogirl7 / Atlas Obscura User
  gauchogirl7 / Atlas Obscura User
circa 2014   Avoiding Regret
A hill covered with Poppies and Gold Fields.   gauchogirl7 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Walking along the eight miles of trails in the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, you might feel like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz with the carpet of poppy flowers stretching out before you. 

The high desert landscape in the Mojave Desert is protected by the California Department of Parks and Recreation for its floral beauty. Poppies are the California state flower, but nowhere else in the state are the blooms so stunning and vibrant. The flowers usually return in mid-February and last to mid-May, although it depends heavily on the rainfall.

While the reserve is known for its poppies there is also an abundance of yellow flowers called Gold Fields. These little flowers are source of the wide swaths of yellow seen on some of the hills.

Since the 1970s, grazing animals have been kept away and people visitors are prohibited from taking any souvenirs, but aside from that the poppies are left completely to their natural splendor. 

Related Tags

Flowers Flora Nature Natural Wonders Plants

Know Before You Go

During the spring, bloom status updates are posted on the state park website every Thursday.The reserve is located 15 miles west of Lancaster. When getting close to the reserve, if you see lots of cars parked along the side of the road that means the parking lot is full. There is no fee for walk-ins.No dogs are allowed.

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Allison

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Rachel, gauchogirl7, Avoiding Regret, Erin Johnson

  • Rachel
  • gauchogirl7
  • Avoiding Regret
  • Erin Johnson

Published

January 8, 2014

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Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve
15101 Lancaster Road
Lancaster, California, 93536
United States
34.734901, -118.395949
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Lancaster

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Places 4
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Nearby Places

Civic Musical Road

Lancaster, California

miles away

St. Francis Dam

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R. Lee Ermey Musical Road

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Lancaster

Lancaster

California

Places 4
Stories 1

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