At The Backroads

Mix of Wildflowers on the Hill Side of I-15

San Diego County is all abloom right now. From the sides of the freeways, to well landscaped man made parks, to nature preserves and even non-formal trails along the ocean side to the inland hills and canyons and the desert in the east. Though it is hard to predict where and when will the wildflowers explode, but it is always a joy to see them explode, truly a sight to behold.

Though the bloom this year is not as great as last year, but I noticed that the wildflowers this year are more diverse in terms of plant specie and color display.  I will be sharing in this post some trails I visit often for enjoying and photographing wildflowers.

1. At Torrey Pines State Reserve

Mix of Wildflowers on Guy Fleming Trail

Torrey Pines State Reserve  is definitely more than just a beach. If you click on this link, it will bring you to my previous post about the many things you can do at the Reserve, which of course includes hiking on the top of the bluff.

Mix of Wildflowers at Torrey Pines State Reserve

We went hiking here this morning trying to beat the rain. Notice the very dark clouds that signal the coming of the rain. It is like a surprise to me since I was on this same trail about 2 weekends ago, and there were just few blooms then.

Stunted Torrey Pine and Mix of Wildflowers

Torrey Pine has 8 miles of branching and connecting trails on top of the bluff, the individual trails are usually short, with maybe the Broken Hill to Beach trail as the longest,

 Broken Hill taken on a Sunny Day

but one can combine always the different trails to make for a longer hike. If you park on Carmel Valley Road and walk the extra mile to the entrance of Torrey Pines State Reserve, there are a lot of bush sunflowers and you can even take

Bush Sunflowers

 the little trail there amongst the bush sunflowers.

2. Lake Poway

Surprisingly, Lake Poway showcases more diverse bloom right now than 2 or 3 weeks ago when I said that ” I see more colors on the hills going to Ramona Dam.” We took the Lake Poway to Ramona Dam trail yesterday, which is a total of 6 miles round trip and 1200 ft change in elevation. There were just wildflowers everywhere. 

Blue Canterbury Bell and Poppies

Some wildflowers I saw were blue and purple lupines, blue and purple Phacelias, blue canterbury bells, poppies, ground pinks, mustards, wild hyacinths, owls clover, and a lot more. A lot more, because actually, I do not know the name of the other wildflowers .

Mix of Wildflowers on the Hills

For hiking description, please click here to go to my previous post.

3. Blue Sky Ecological Reserve to Ramona Dam

Rainbow of Colors

This is a 5 mile round trip hike with 800 ft gain in elevation. For more information, please click here to go to my previous post.

4. Anza Borrego Desert State Park

Desert Sunflowers On Henderson CanyonRoad

Perhaps by now, the wildflowers along the Henderson Canyon Road are gone, since when we were there last weekend, we saw a lot of caterpillars already devouring the wildflowers. Also, the desert had been getting warmer temperatures. However, the other parts of Anza Borrego Desert State Park are just starting to bloom, especially at the higher elevation. We hiked the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail last weekend,

Brittlebush and the Palm Oasis @ Borrego Palm Canyon

and it seemed that the brittlebush and other wildflowers were still fresh. There were also diverse display of wildflowers in the trail, but the majority would be the brittlebush which seemed to be scattered everywhere.

Brittlebush Scattered on the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail

Brittlebush Scattered on the Creekside of Borrego Palm Canyon

We saw a lot of desert big horn sheep on our hike last weekend ( March 15) , however, they were kind of too far from us that though I have pictures, but none is clear enough . Borrego Palm Canyon is a 3 mile round trip hike from the trailhead or 6 mile roundtrip hike from the Visitor Center. There is not much change in elevation in this trail, but the trail is very rocky for the most part. There were also a lot of wildflowers mixed with the cacti at Cactus Loop Trail. Also, the desert lily seemed to be scattered everywhere, especially on the road going to Salton Sea and Font’s Point.

Desert Lily

For more information on Anza Borrego Desert Park, please visit the park website at http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=638

After the coastal, inland valley, and desert wildflowers are gone, it still is not the end of wildflower viewing since the mountain wildflowers will follow sometime in April and May. Happy trails and Happy spring everyone.

Rolling Hills at Blue Sky Ecological Reserve from the trail to Ramona Dam

Blue Sky Ecological Reserve is a very pleasant little urban hike. It is nestled on the western slopes of Mt. Woodson, and just a few steps from the parking lot one would forget civilization already. The sound of the speeding cars are replaced by the sound of the croaking chorus of frogs and toads. The preserve protects one of the finer examples of riparian vegetation in Southern California.

Hikers @ Blue Sky Trail

The trail starts with the riparian habitat along the creek. One can take either the narrower creekside trail, or the wider trail which serves both hikers and horseback riders. The hike passes through a succession of riparian, oak woodland, mosses and ferns, mixed chaparral and coastal sage scrub environments.

Oak Woodland, Mixed Grasses and Some Wildflowers About to Bloom

The first 1.3 miles of the trail is flat with only 100 ft elevation gain. Here, the trail is under the cool shade of oaks and sycamores. At about 1.0 mile from the trailhead, a side trail goes South towards Lake Poway. This would be another beautiful extended hike from Blue Sky Ecological Reserve. What is great about this trail system is that, one can choose either the relaxing entry level hike at Blue Sky Ecological Reserve along the creek side or continue uphill for a more challenging hike to Lake Poway ( 400 ft change in elevation, with additional 1.2 miles one way) or to Mt Woodson ( 2500 ft change in elevation, with additional 4.8 miles one way, this one would be the best work-out) or to Ramona Dam ( 800 ft change in elevation, with additional 1.5 miles one way ).

California Poppies and a Blue Canterbury Bell, at the sunny slopes of the Blue Sky trail

This time of the year however, with the profusion of wildflowers on the hills to Ramona Dam, it is very pretty to continue hiking to Ramona Dam. Though of course, Lake Poway and Mt Woodson trails also has wildflowers which I featured in my previous posts here and here , but I find the greatest concentration here at the trail to Ramona Dam.

A Carpet of Wildflowers, right after the Woodland Habitat

Emerging from the Oak Woodland and riparian habitat, continuing to Ramona Dam, at present (spring time), one would be greeted by the phantasmagoric display of wildflowers, opening towards the sky as if pointing out, you are in BLUE SKY Ecological Reserve.

A Mixed of Wildlfowers on the Hills at Blue Sky Ecological Reserve to Ramona Dam

The mix of wildflowers provide an almost rainbow display of colors, red, orange, yellow, green and blue. Blue Sky just blooms beautifully right now, really a wonderful sight while hiking. Nature’s wonderful gift and bonus to those who seek it.

Mix of Wildflowers ( Mustards, Poppies, Blue Bells, Purple Phacelias, Lupines, etc)

Lovely Mix of Wildflowers that Nature Landscaped

The whole hike to Ramona Dam is just a sight to behold right now, hikers, horsebackriders, and runners in the trail, while wildlfowers mix with sage scrubs and chaparalls on the trail side and the hills.

Hiker and Horseback Riders

This work-out is many times better than the gym for me, a real uphill walk, with the blue sky above, and wildflowers fluttering with the wind, just lovely. And even the low key grasses put on their competitive display too, their white flower actually sparkle with the sun.

Grass Flower

Hiking Distance of Blue Sky Ecological Reserve to Ramona Dam: 5 miles round trip

Elevation gain: 800 ft

Direction: From I-15, take the Rancho Bernardo Exit, go East on Rancho Bernardo Rd, Rancho Bernardo Rd becomes Espola Rd, make a left turn at about 3.5 mile from the I-15 exit (pay attention to the sign), you know you passed it when you see Lake Poway Rd, which is about 0.6 miles South of Blue Sky Ecological Reserve.