Catch the Wildflowers while you still can
May 2nd, 2008 by Deborah Mason
Every year the locals in the Coloma/Lotus Valley look forward to the Spring show on Mt. Murphy. Blankets of wild California Poppies ring in the onset of spring and paint it’s south facing slopes a golden hue that is utterly breathtaking (especially when the alpinglow sets in just before sundown.)
Though our state flower has already displayed most of it’s gorgeous seasonal colors, you still can catch a glimpse of perennial beauties such as lupin, coreopsis, calendula along the South Fork canyon of the American River. There is plenty of color to be seen in early May when you raft down the Upper section of the South Fork just above its most infamous rapid, Trouble Maker. Rafting in April ensures that you see the greatest abundance of wildflowers but the river continues to provide treats for those who play in its waters and visit its shores. Next up, riverside blackberries in late summer!
Above/Right: Lupin in the hills above the Upper South Fork American.
Below: Thousands of springtime poppies pepper Mt. Murphy in April.
The American River Conservancy will host a hike up Mt. Murphy this Saturday, May 3rd from 9am to 1pm. Check out their site for more details:
