I’ll travel to the ends of the Earth for a super bloom. Or, y’know, at least a couple hours. Luckily, since I’m based in Los Angeles it usually only takes an hour or two to get to the most majestic flower fields I’ve ever seen. Super blooms can typically be found from March to May in Southern California, though this can vary quite a bit depending on location and weather conditions. Two weekends ago, Ben and I drove out to Lake Elsinore for the first super bloom of 2019 (or so the internet flower enthusiasts tell me).
So How Do You Get There?
Lake Elsinore is about an hour outside of Los Angeles. Though thousands of people reportedly came out to see the poppies the day we were there, traffic and parking were actually pretty manageable. And the flowers themselves did not disappoint.
The poppies are located at Walker Canyon, just off the Lake Street exit of the 15 Freeway. And this year, they’ve got their own designated parking area thanks to irresponsible flower gawkers who thought it’d be chill to slow down or even stop on the freeway to snap pics of the flowers back in 2017. While I don’t condone that sort of thing, I think it’s pretty dope that the city officials decided to get ahead of the flower circus this year.
Be Mindful
If you do decide to visit Lake Elsinore (or any other super bloom for that matter), please make sure to be mindful of your surroundings. Be considerate of those around you, and stick to the designated trails. I can’t tell you how many people I saw brush past signs like the one below because they wanted a picture of themselves surrounded by poppies.
Listen. I can totally understand why taking a photo where you’re lounging dreamily in a bed of poppies like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz would be enticing. I really can. But I also can’t excuse it. When you crush these dainty little flowers, you’re killing them. You’re also depriving thousands of other people of the chance to see them. It’s selfish and stupid. Especially when you can easily get stunning pictures of yourself without wreaking havoc on the environment.
So how do you do that? Simple. Stick to the trails and get crafty with your angles and framing. Honestly, you don’t even need to try that hard here. There’s literally beauty everywhere you turn.
Here are a few examples of shots featuring people where no flowers were harmed.
Another fun way to get unique shots is to shoot on film. I bought Ben a medium format film camera for Valentine’s Day, so you know he brought that along. That last picture of me was taken on it, as is this next one.
Ok. I’ll leave you alone about being kind to nature now. But you should definitely go check this super bloom out if you get the chance. It’s pretty wild, and honestly not much of a hassle. Plus, with climate change, who knows how long we’ll be able to enjoy these beauties. (I mean super blooms in general, not this particular one.)
Before I go, I’m just gonna leave you with a few more pictures. Because I have no self control and ugh, they’re just so pretty!
Wow. Spectacular! Beautiful pictures Ben!
Um excuse me, I took most of them!!! (But I’ll tell him for you.)