Something feels different in the air this week here in Southern California.
Perhaps it’s the time change, or that slight shift in the angle of the sun that’s making everything just a little bit brighter. The light breeze that feels more relaxing and tropical than like a frigid windchill.
Could it be … spring?
The spring equinox is less than a week away — March 19 — and for Southern Californians, this season means many things. Exchanging our thin puffer jackets for light sweatshirts. More rooftop drinks at sunset. Time to plant seeds for the growing number of gardening enthusiasts among us. For some Angelenos, the seasonal shift is synonymous with Daisy Duke shorts and Coachella (though this year, maybe not).
But here in SoCal, with its unique, Mediterranean climate, spring also means abundant, vibrant wildflower blooms.
“Because of our specific climate, it's really dramatic,” says Evan Meyer, executive director of the Theodore Payne Foundation. “We'll have this super dense blast of color. This specific super bloom phenomenon is restricted pretty much to California and a few other parts of the world.”
California’s mild, wet winters and dry, hot summers — comparable only to southern Europe, southwestern Australia, western South Africa and the west coast of Chile — makes it the most botanically biodiverse region in the country. And with rainfall way above average for the second year in a row here in Southern California, this season’s bloom is expected to be spectacular all around this region.
“When you see how resilient these plants are and how abundant they are and how vibrant they are and how colorful they are, it’s just pure joy,” Meyers says. “It kind of makes you feel like everything's gonna be OK.”
There are a lot of hotspots to take in wildflowers, from Lake Elsinore in Riverside County to the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve. But soon our hills will be alive with colorful blooms pretty much everywhere. In honor of the season, LAist’s How To LA team is bringing you our favorite trails to hike and to see some flowers — and maybe even a waterfall or two.
But here’s our caveat: Use these tips wisely. Because of California’s wonderfully temperate climate, it is also a very populated place, which can put these fragile wildflower habitats at risk. They are annuals, which means they have a one-year life cycle and do not typically reseed. Crush them and they won’t come back.
So, please, be a steward of the land. Stay on the trail, don’t step on the flowers and only take only photos from a healthy distance (that means no wildflower field selfies!).
The trail overlaps part of the The Backbone Trail in the Santa Monica Mountains, stretching across some of the best-protected parts of coastal Mediterranean habitats — including wildflower ones — in the world. Start at the Mishe Mokwa Trailhead.
“It gets a lot of that coastal breeze,” says How to LA producer Evan Jacoby. “It's foggy at night, sunny in the day. So it actually just gets totally flooded [with wildflowers] — not the poppies, but these really bright, purple firecracker looking things that are really awesome.”
Those purple “firecrackers” Evan speaks of are called Arroyo Lupine.
A short and sweet 2.8 mile trail in Malibu. It's a great place to bring smaller dogs (on a leash!) who might not be up for a longer hike but still want to sniff all the spring smells. See the long, tubular coastal Arroyo Lupine wildflowers. Start at the Zuma Canyon Trailhead.
For the more athletic type: Zuma Canyon Loop Trail, a long, hard 10.4 mile loop.
Pro Tip: Get some hard-earned post-hike grub at Lily’s Malibu, for their infamous breakfast burrito, or some enchiladas (those only served on the weekends).
A five-mile walking loop, considered moderately challenging and known for its beautiful urban vista points. Start at Claremont Wilderness Park.
“There's wildflowers that grow on top of the hills, and you can get a beautiful view of the city down below,” says Jens Campbell, production coordinator.
For an easier stroll, starting at the same park: Thompson Creek Trail, a paved, 2.8 mile trail good for walking, biking and jogging.
This is a 2.8 mile, out-and-back, trail on the L.A. -Ventura County border where you’ll see an abundance of wildflowers and even waterfalls along the way. Park at Circle X Ranch.
“Once you get to the end of the trail, you can sort of boulder a little bit and get to this actual grotto, this awesome waterfall,” says executive producer Megan Larson.
Pro tip: Use the Seek App to take pictures and learn about the abundance of wildflowers you see along the trail!
“It was a really fun activity to do with my 10-year-old,” Larson says.
This is a 3.5 mile trail out and back trail in the Santa Monica Mountains with mild elevation and wildflowers lining the dirt paths. “It’s good for kids and dogs on a leash,” adds Larson. Go early while it's still cool and there is cloud cover.
If you are looking for a more expert opinion, look no farther than Theodore Payne Foundation’s weekly wildflower hotline. It’s been helping people find the best wildflowers in our area for more than 40 years, voice acted by actor Joe Spano.
