After a good year for rain, like this one, the California Poppy bloom, along with other wildflowers should be quite dramatic. You can keep abreast of what is happening by visiting the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve SNR web site or calling their hotline at (661) 724-1180.
Here is there latest report…
Latest Poppy Reserve Research Field Notes and Observations
3-10-11: Mary Wilson
Antelope Trail North Loop
Poppies are just starting to bloom.
Look for blossoms on filaree, fiddleneck, pygmy-leaved lupine, and slender keel fruit.Antelope Trail South Loop
Poppies just starting to bloom.
Look for blossoms on filaree, fiddleneck, pygmy-leaved lupine, and slender keel fruit.Lightning Bolt Trail
Poppies just starting to bloom.
Look for blossoms on filaree, fiddleneck, pygmy-leaved lupine, bush lupine, slender keel fruit, lacey phacelia, red maids, Western for-get-me-not, a tiny for-get-me-not, sun cups, hairy lotus, cream cups and rattlesnake weed.Poppy Trail North Loop Trail
Poppies just starting to bloom.
Look for blossoms on filaree, fiddleneck, pygmy-leaved lupine, slender keel fruit, fringe pod, wild onions, red maids, sun cups, gold fields and owl’s clover.Poppy Trail South Loop
Poppies just starting to bloom.
Look for blossoms on filaree, fiddleneck, pygmy-leaved lupine, goldfields, silver puffs and slender keel fruit.Tehachapi Vista Point Trail
Poppies just starting to bloom.
Look for blossoms on filaree, goldfields, pygmy-leaved lupine, slender keel fruit and grape soda lupine.Valley Vista Point
Poppies just starting to bloom.
Look for blossoms on filaree, fiddleneck, pygmy-leaved lupine, and slender keel fruit, forget-me-nots and evening snow.3-10-11: Mike Powell
I think the best trails right now are the North Poppy Loop trail (it has some, already, impressive displays of owl’s clover, the cream cups, goldfields and a few poppy blossoms among others). The northern segment of the trail leaving the parking lot (it has some nice displays of forget-me-nots and, late in the afternoon, evening snow and a few poppy blossoms). The last is the Tehachapi Vista trail with its grape soda lupine, goldfields and some poppy blossoms.