LAKE ELSINORE (Riverside County, CA): Poppies & Other Spring Wildflowers off Walker Canyon Rd., Minthorn Street and Camino Del Norte - March 10, 2017

It's been years since we've seen California poppies and other wildflowers (but mainly poppies) carpeting the hills off I-15 in Lake Elsinore. This has undoubtedly been a banner year due to the combination of lots of precipitation over the winter season followed by generally frost-free, sunny and warmish weather. One of the best spots for poppy viewing is along Walker Canyon Road, and the hills above Minthorn Street (accessed from the Main Street exit off I-15) are carpeted with the purplelicious blooms of California Bluebells (Phacelia minor). These amazing technicolor wildflower displays have even caused traffic jams on I-15 through the Lake Elsinore area! 

 Walker Canyon Road

Addy & Sasha along the edge of the poppy field. This was as far as we

let them go so they wouldn't trample willy nilly over the wildflowers.

 Addy & Sasha having a blast sniffing out new stuff

 Our handsome chunky monkey

 Walker Canyon 

 California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) and Chaparral Gilia (Gilia angelensis)

Walker Canyon

 Walker Canyon

 California Poppies (Eschscholzia californica), Blue Dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum), and 

Chaparral Gilia (Gilia angelensis)

Walker Canyon

Walker Canyon.

 Walker Canyon

Walker Canyon 

 Chaparral Gilia (Gilia angelensis)

Walker Canyon

Goldfields (Lasthenia californica)

Walker Canyon 

California Wishbone Bush (Mirabilis californica)

Walker Canyon 

Walker Canyon 

Walker Canyon 

Walker Canyon 

Walker Canyon 

Walker Canyon 

Walker Canyon 

 Walker Canyon

Walker Canyon 

Walker Canyon 

Walker Canyon 

 Walker Canyon

 Walker Canyon Road

I-15 North, Elsinore hills

 I-15 North, Elsinore hills 

 I-15 North, Elsinore hills 


 Walker Canyon


  Walker Canyon


  Walker Canyon

  Walker Canyon

 Off I-15N heading to Lake Street exit

 Off I-15N heading to Lake Street exit

 Off I-15N heading to Lake Street exit

 I-15S heading back to Murrieta

 I-15S heading back to Murrieta (between Lake & Railroad Canyon Rd)

Off I-15N Lake Street exit to Walker Canyon Road

  California Bluebells (Phacelia minor), hills above Minthorn Street off I-15

                     California Bluebells (Phacelia minor), hills above Minthorn Street off I-15

 California Bluebells (Phacelia minor), hills above Minthorn Street off I-15 (exit Main St.)

California Bluebells (Phacelia minor), hills above Minthorn Street off I-15

 Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) off Minthorn Street

 Collar Lupine (Lupinus truncatus) off Minthorn Street

Goldfields (Lasthenia californica) off Minthorn Street

Chaparral Gilia (Gilia angelensis) off Minthorn Street

 Common Fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii) off Minthorn Street

  

 Pectocarya or Cryptantha spp? off Camino del Norte

 Blue Dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum), off Camino del Norte 

 Blue Dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum), off Camino del Norte 

 Blue Dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum), off Camino del Norte 

 Strigose Lotus (Acmispon strigosus), off Camino del Norte