March 8, 2012 - Wildflowers and Photography

[DaveK]

Although there has not been much rain here in the southwest, there should still be some areas with decent wildflower viewing. As always, this is a great reason to get out and put the camera to work and do some exploring.

Our guest this week will be John Aydelotte, KE6U. John is a professional photographer and has spent many years photographing different areas during the wildflower season. Check out his website here, http://digitaljohn.com/index.html.

Listed below are links and information regarding some of the more popular locations in the SO Cal area for wildflower viewing.

1. Anza Borrego Desert State Park http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=638

From their website:

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the largest state park in California. Five hundred miles of dirt roads, 12 wilderness areas and many miles of hiking trails provide visitors with an unparalleled opportunity to experience the wonders of the California Desert.

For a current update with a map of the park, click this link: http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/638/files ... 202011.pdf

2. California Poppy Reserve - http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=627

From their website:

This State Natural Reserve is located on California's most consistent poppy-bearing land. Other wildflowers: owl's clover, lupine, goldfield, cream cups, and coreopsis, to name a few, share the desert grassland to produce a mosaic of color and fragrance each spring.

3. Carrizo Plain National Monument http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bakersfi ... rrizo.html

4. Death Valley See: http://www.nps.gov/deva/naturescience/w ... e-2012.htm

5. Joshua Tree NP See: http://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/blooms.htm

Also check: http://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/l ... eID=415791

6. Mojave National Preserve See: http://www.nps.gov/moja/naturescience/w

7. Coachella Valley Wildflower Festival http://www.thecoachellavalleyartscene.c ... -festival/

Excellent source of additional information:

Wildflowers.com - This site is a good source of information for all states and includes information on festivals, fairs and photography http://www.cwildflowers.com/California.htm

From their website:

Welcome to Wildflowers.com! This site is dedicated to helping you find the best wildflower viewing in the U.S.

Desert USA: http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/ca.html

Plants Blooming Now In Southern California: http://tchester.org/plants/lists/blooms.html

Other useful links:

Total Escape: http://www.totalescape.com/active/leisure/wildflwr.html

My Photo Scout: http://ca.myphotoscout.com/2010/04/07/w ... alifornia/