Six weeks after knee replacement and a bad case of cabin fever I headed out on my own to view the  years spectacular wildflower bloom and the beginnings of cactus flowering season. First I headed to San Francisquito Canyon Rd in Angeles National Forest  an area where I previously viewed California Poppies and then on to Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve the star area in northeast Los Angeles for the orange blooms. Unfortunately there were so many visitors I didn’t even attempt to enter he reserve but toured around the peripheral fields – the views were still specular.  Leaving the reserve I headed further north to Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park – The park protects mature stands of Joshua trees and California juniper trees in their western Mojave Desert habitat. It was a several mile slog through sandy trails but very rewarding.

California Poppies

 

Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park