Pacific Northwest Nature Photographers Favorite Locations
“The California State Poppy Reserve, The Antelope Valley, California”
About an hour and a half outside of Los Angeles there is a wonderful photographic 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 called "The Antelope Valley". The reserve is approximately 1800 acres, with a visitor's center, gift shop, restrooms and 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 runs 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 cant 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 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 70's 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 breezes through the valley as the elevation is just less than 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 to 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!
Musts 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 80's. There were no clouds in the sky, and it was quite toasty.
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.
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 your 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 St Sw. 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 are 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 F/2.8L, 24-70 F/2.8L and the 70-200 F/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.
Tom Guffey
More of the Tom's work can be seen at the Artist Gallery of Seattle and the Royal Photographic Society.