‘Tis the season for California wild flowers again. Photographers and tourists from all around the country flock to a few coveted spots to watch the bloom (superbloom some say), such as Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve, Anza-Borrego State Park and Carrizo Plain National Monument. And that’s the spot I would like to talk about.
Approximately equidistant from Bay Area and Los Angeles, although slightly closer to the latter, Carrizo Plain is within 4 hour drive from either. April is usually the best time to visit. You would need at least 2 days to explore the area and take good pictures, so plan accordingly and don’t forget the weather forecast, although given the semi-arid terrain, it is likely to be sunny.
I can’t name all the flowers that grow here, but the predominant colours are yellow, purple and some blue and red. For red poppy fields, Antelope Valley is a better bet. But Carrizo will offer a great multitude of picture-perfect spots. And you don’t really have to worry about the crowds (which will be there on weekends), because the plain is quite large and you can always get away from busy spots. To take good pictures at Carrizo, I recommend both a wide to superwide angle lens (up to 16mm) for nice flower pictures in the foreground and a long telephoto, at least 200mm to reach the textures of hills at a distance.
The logistics of the park is simple. There is the proper plain in the middle, where most visitors will tend to concentrate. The carpets of flowers here see endless, and you can easily spend half a day here. The road in the middle, Soda Lake Road, is the only paved one in the park, so if you have a sports car or a low-clearance sedan, keep that in mind. You can drive on gravel San Diego Creek Road to see some more beautiful flower fields, especially of hillside daisies. Just watch out for sharp rocks and be prepared for the dust from oncoming vehicles.
Then there is the hilly part of the park along Elkhorn Road. Flowers growing on the hillsides make fantastic photo ops. You could probably get away with driving here on a higher-clearance car, as long as you have a spare tyre; however, to get closer to the hills on multiple approach roads, I would recommend an SUV. Keep in mind that most of the roads are closed off once you get close to the hills, although in some cases, you are allowed to walk further.
Finally, the road for which you definitely need an SUV is Hurricane Road, which will take you across the ridge and expose even more dramatic flowery views to your eyes. Here, you could get traverse back to the main route, CA-58, although you have to know which of the gated roads can open. When driving here with a friend, we missed a few such gateways and ended up lost in the hills for a while. Fortunately, his new Subaru Outback was more than fit for the very tough roads we had to navigate.
Accommodation-wise, Carrizo does not spoil. There is a couple of first come, first serve campgrouds in the park, as well as a motel nearby. If those are taken or you prefer more options, you are stuck with the town of Taft, about 45-60 minutes away from the park’s entrance. It makes sense, considering Carrizo is a one month per year kind of a destination. And that month is now.
