Crowds flock to California valley for stunning poppy 'superbloom'

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Crowds are flocking to Southern California’s Antelope Valley to see a rare “superbloom” of flowers courtesy of our historic wet winter.

Sky5 aerial footage on Friday showed hundreds of acres of stunning yellow and bright orange poppies and plenty of visitors wandering the trails and hillsides for the perfect photo op.

“If you’ve never been, it’s a beautiful sight to behold,” said Josias Garcia from Sherman Oaks. “I’m lucky to be from SoCal to be able to come up here to see the flowers … the bloom.”

Visitors walk on a pathway amid fields of blooming flowers at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, Monday, April 10, 2023, in Lancaster, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Eli Karp, visiting from Thousand Oaks, Calif., with his family, walks in a field of blooming poppies near the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, Monday, April 10, 2023, in Lancaster, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
A visitor poses for a photo on a hillside filled with blooming poppies near the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, Monday, April 10, 2023, in Lancaster, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
A visitor stands on a field of blooming flowers near the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, Monday, April 10, 2023, in Lancaster, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Visitors walk on a pathway amid fields of blooming flowers at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, Monday, April 10, 2023, in Lancaster, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Sky5 aerial footage shows hundreds of acres of stunning yellow and bright orange poppies and plenty of visitors wandering the trails and hillsides. April 14, 2023. (KTLA)
Sky5 aerial footage shows hundreds of acres of stunning yellow and bright orange poppies and plenty of visitors wandering the trails and hillsides. April 14, 2023. (KTLA)
Sky5 aerial footage shows hundreds of acres of stunning yellow and bright orange poppies and plenty of visitors wandering the trails and hillsides. April 14, 2023. (KTLA)
Sky5 aerial footage shows hundreds of acres of stunning yellow and bright orange poppies and plenty of visitors wandering the trails and hillsides. April 14, 2023. (KTLA)
Sky5 aerial footage shows hundreds of acres of stunning yellow and bright orange poppies and plenty of visitors wandering the trails and hillsides. April 14, 2023. (KTLA)

The Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve, which is located 15 miles west of Highway 14 near Lancaster, features eight miles of hiking trails. Parking is $10 per vehicle.

While the poppy fields might be blooming right now, experts say visitors don’t necessarily need to rush to see them. Wildflower season generally lasts through May.

Antelope Valley is one of a dozen locations that California’s Department of Parks and Recreation recommends for wildflower viewing.

Southern California