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The California State Poppy Reserve
Text and Photography Copyright Tom Guffey - All rights reserved.
About an hour and a half outside of Los Angeles there is a wonderfully photogenic
location that should not be missed during the month of April - The California State
Poppy Reserve. The fields are just west of the city of Lancaster in the high desert
area called "The Antelope Valley." The reserve is approximately 1800 acres, with
a visitor's center, gift shop, restrooms and a paved parking lot. There are also
a number of paved trails in the reserve for handicapped access.
Off the main highway, Lancaster Road, there are a large number of unpaved back roads
that run around and through the adjacent hills. After inquiring with the park rangers,
they advised that you could indeed drive on these roads unless a "no trespassing"
sign(s) were properly posted. A 4WD is the vehicle of choice for back road exploring
- there are way too many gullies and high spots for your "daily transportation vehicle"
and, if you get stuck, or breakdown out in the bush, the towing costs would be significant.
The back roads are well worth it, as there are a number of sites and angles available
to you that you can't get on the main road or from the visitors center.
The fields actually start just west of Lancaster, way before you get to the Reserve.
They appear as huge Orange patches on the foothills. The Antelope Butted area is
the most constant Poppy bearing area in the entire state. The duration and intensity
of the wildflowers are dependent upon "Mother Nature" and the local rainfall. The
more rainfall, the better the bloom. Mixed in with the Poppies are many other wildflowers
- including Cream Cups, Goldfield Lupine and Owl's Clover. The fragrance and colors
are unbelievable!
The best conditions to get the full effect of the fields are when the temperature
is at least in the 70s and the wind is calm. The cooler temperatures in the early
morning and late afternoon will keep the poppies closed. There is also a fair amount
of breeze through the valley as the elevation is just under 3,000 feet - so a quick
weather check before you drive to the reserve is time well spent.
Directions: out of LA or Burbank, you want to get onto I-5 North. From here, continue
north on I-5 to California 14N, the "Antelope Valley Freeway". This will take you
toward Palmdale/Lancaster. On California 14N you'll travel about 45 miles to Lancaster.
Take the Lancaster exit "West Ave I". There will be the typical brown State of California
attraction sign marked "Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve". Turn left once you get off
the freeway on "I". You'll be going west for about 15 miles. The road now becomes
"Lancaster" and there will be more signs posted for the Reserve. By now, you should
be seeing significant displays in the surrounding foothills and plains. If you have
a GPS you should be at 34.75 Latitude and 118.38 Longitude.
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Must haves to take: a hat, sunscreen, and plenty of liquids. I was there the second
week in April, and it was bright, sunny and in the high 80s. There were no clouds
in the sky, and it was quite toasty.
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Gear: tripod, cable release, extreme wide angle, normal wide angle and a moderate
telephoto. Polarizing filter, and enhancing filter. Extension tubes and teleconverter.
These will come in handy for close-up work and compressing the backgrounds on telephoto
shots.
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Film: take plenty of it, as the visitors center has very limited supplies, and if
the weather is nice the day your there, trust me, you'll shoot twice as much as
you thought you would. If you're digital, take a few extra cards or a digital wallet
to download onto while your there. A small reflector can also come in handy to re-direct
sunlight into the shadows for those "close-up shots".
Another great spot beyond the Preserve are the old dry riverbeds off 170th Street
Sothwest. This is just a small drive west of the preserve, and if you have a 4WD,
there are a number of wonderful back roads, with no crowds - and the abundance of
wildflowers is everywhere. Make the time to explore the surrounding area, and you'll
also find a private, favorite spot for you next visit!
All the images were shot in Digital with a Canon EOS1DS and one of the following
lenses: Canon 16-35/2.8L, 24-70/2.8L and the 70-200/2.8 IS L.
There are a number of websites for the California Parks System and a few sites for
the Antelope Valley / Mojave Desert recreation areas that a Google search can bring
up - for additional information on the Reserve.
About the Author
Tom is a west coast published photographer whose work includes
cards, calendars, and large format landscapes. His work can be
seen at the Artist's Gallery of Seattle and in a number of major
hospitals and medical centers across the Pacific Northwest. Tom
is a member of the Professional Photographers of America (PPA),
International Association of Panoramic Photographers (IAPP),
North American Nature Photographers Association (NANPA) and the
Royal Photographic Society, Great Britain (RPS).
Tom Guffey is a TPN
Staff Member
. More of Tom's work can be found on his website
, and his online portfolio can be viewed at photoportfolios.net
.
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