The U.S. Bureau of Land Management warned wildflower season is off to a slow start in some areas.
According to a March 28 BLM news release, the slow bloom is due to "a series of historic storms" in California. Since many areas in central and southern California received above-averages levels of precipitation, the cooler temperatures and saturated soil is resulting in a delay in wildflower blooming.
“The wildflowers are only just starting to bloom on the Carrizo, but more are sprouting every day,” Carrizo Plain National Monument Manager Johna Hurl said in the release. “There are some small patches of goldfields and baby blue eyes on the northern end of the monument. The Temblor Mountains have some hillside daisies in bloom. We hope to have greater blooms by early April. Take notice of road conditions and continue to check our website for updates on the bloom status.”
The Carrizo Plain was created on established Jan. 17, 2021, according to a proclamation on its establishment.
"The monument offers a refuge for endangered, threatened and rare animal species such as the San Joaquin kit fox, the California condor, the blunt-nosed leopard lizard, the giant kangaroo rat, the San Joaquin antelope squirrel, the longhorn fairy shrimp and the vernal pool fairy shrimp," the proclamation reads. "It supports important populations of pronghorn antelope and tule elk.”
The proclamation continued to say the area is also home to many rare and sensitive plant species, including the California jewelflower, the Hoover's woolly-star, the San-Joaquin woolly-threads, the pale-yellow layia, the forked fiddleneck, the Carrizo peppergrass, the Lost Hills saltbush, the Temblor buckwheat, the recurved larkspur and the Munz's tidy-tips.
Interested visitors can book tours to the monument, like the Painted Rock tour, at Recreation.gov. The 1.4-mile tour is offered on a daily basis from July 16 until the end of February. A gate code is needed to access Painted Rock.
"The sandstone formation at Painted Rock has long drawn the attention of Carrizo Plain visitors," Recreation.gov reported. "About 3,000-4,000 years ago, Native Americans began to paint their sacred images within the alcove of the rock. Not surprisingly, the power of this place continues to enthrall, and it still receives many visitors today. The Painted Rock Self-Guided Tour gives you a unique experience you cannot get any other place in the world.”
While the Carrizo Plain National Monument offers visitors an opportunity to commune with nature, visitors need to be prepared with their own water, food, fuel and other supplies, according tot he BLM news release.
"Most monument roads are dirt and impassable in wet weather, with some wet for weeks after a rain," the BLM release continued. "Vehicles must be street legal and stay on designated roads. Recreationists are encouraged to ensure their vehicle is in good working order, as roadside assistance is extremely limited and cell phone coverage is spotty."
NBC Los Angeles has encouraged visitors to go to the Carrizo Plain as the "good-to-great bloom is nearing its peak."
