| Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve | |
|---|---|
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)[1] | |
A field ofCalifornia poppies | |
| Location | Los Angeles County, California, United States |
| Nearest city | Lancaster, California |
| Coordinates | 34°43′39″N118°23′41″W / 34.72750°N 118.39472°W /34.72750; -118.39472 |
| Area | 1,781 acres (7.21 km2) |
| Established | 1976 |
| Governing body | California Department of Parks and Recreation |
Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve is a state-protected reserve ofCalifornia, United States, harboring the most consistent blooms ofCalifornia poppies, the state flower. The reserve is located in the rural west side ofAntelope Valley in northernLos Angeles County, 15 miles (24 km) west ofLancaster. To the north isKern County. The reserve is at an elevation ranging from 2,600 to 3,000 feet (790 to 910 m) abovesea level, in theMojave Desert climate zone. The reserve is administered by theCalifornia Department of Parks and Recreation. Otherwildflowers within the reserve include theOwl's Clover,Lupine,Goldfields,Cream Cups andCoreopsis.
The intense blooming season for the California Poppy usually falls within late winter to early spring, during the months of mid-February through mid-May. Blooming seasons are dependent on the amount of rainfall during the winter to early spring seasons. Within the reserve, there are 7 miles (11 km) of trails, including a paved section forwheelchair access, which traverse the poppy fields.
In order to keep the fields in a strictly natural state, California State Parks does not water or stimulate the flowers. The park service also excludessheep andcattle from grazing the hillsides. Until the early 1970s, sheep once grazed the buttes in the western Antelope Valley.Pronghorn grazed long before then, until the railroad arrived in 1876. With the exception ofservice dogs, pets are prohibited from the reserve. Under California state law, visitors are also prohibited from taking flowers from the reserve.
Since 1994, controlled fires have been used to regulate dead brush, exotic species and litter within the reserve.
The reserve is located 7 miles (11 km) east ofArthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park.
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