Wild about flowers: Finding fields of gold this spring

The state's golden legacy has four petals and two sepals, and it's coming to a field near you-along with thousands of its closest friends. Better still, the show is free.

The California Poppy and other native flowers bloom mostly in April and May. Some precocious relatives from the Lily family show up in early March to lead the annual parade of color. If ground remains moist and temperatures tend toward the cooler side, heavy blooming can continue into early summer throughout the Sacramento Valley and foothills.

"So many aspects of our modern lives are constantly changing," said Laird Blackwell, author of "Wildflowers of the Sierra Nevada and Central Valley" and Humanities chair at Sierra Nevada College. "Somehow it's very reassuring and comforting to see the repeating cycle of wildflowers."

Blackwell has spent the better part of 20 years zipping up and down the hills and dales of California's wild places. Along the way he has stopped to smell the Allium hyalinum, also know as the Glassy Onion. His notes have turned into series of field guides for wildflower lovers covering flowers of the Central Valley, Tahoe and Sierra Nevada-west and east sides.

Flower The wildflower bloom begins in the valley and creeps up the mountains toward Tahoe as spring progresses. Varying elevations produce remarkably different blooms.

"If you started in Sacramento in March and crawled to Tahoe, you would be following the natural progression of wildflowers the whole way—for about seven months," Blackwell said. "You can visit areas and get a sense of what it must have been like before the state was settled."

Here are some of his favorite field trips:

Phoenix Park (Fair Oaks)

Phoenix Park offers an increasingly rare view of vernal pools indigenous to the Sacramento Valley. These small, temporary ponds dry up throughout the spring. As they do, rings of brightly colored flowers appear at the edges. Be particularly careful to walk around but not next to or in the vernal pool—they are easily damaged by foot traffic.

To get there: Take the Hazel Boulevard exit off of Highway 50 (east of Sacramento) and turn right on Sunset Avenue. The park is on the right, about one-fourth mile from Hazel.

What you'll see: meadowfoam, downingia, clover and navarettia.

For more information:
http://www.fairoakspark.org/html/park_information.html

Jepson Prairie Preserve (Dixon)

Operated by the Nature Conservancy, Jepson Prairie also contains vernal pools as well as Central Valley grassland. The habitat was common throughout the Sacramento Valley and is home to endangered fauna as well as flora. You can take a self-guided walk or join a docent tour.

To get there: The preserve is located is located on Cook Lane, 12 miles south of Dixon where Highway 113 South turns east (left) at an overhead warning light.

What you'll see: native bunchgrass, vernal pools, Cleveland's shooting star, muilla, hyacinth brodeaia, gold nuggets, various downingias and rarities in including white fritillary.

For more information:
http://www.solanolandtrust.org/activities.html

Vina Plains Preserve (Chico)

Flower John Muir described a walk through the Sacramento Valley as an endless sea of color. Vina Preserve gives you a sense of what he meant. The area remains a working ranch, so visitors must make a reservation to enter.

What you'll see: The area is covered with large flat fields of goldfield, meadowfoam and the tiny but prolific butter-and-eggs.

To get there: Register with the Nature Conservancy by calling (530) 527-0424.

For more information:
http://nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/
california/preserves/art9787.html

Table Mountain (Oroville)

This unique area offers a history lesson on California hydraulic gold mining as well as superb wildflower show. It also offers some lava formations and a great view of the valley.

To get there: Take Highway 70 to the Montgomery Street exit. Travel one mile and turn left at Table Mountain Boulevard. Take a right on Cherokee Road. Parking and public access is located about three miles up the road.

What you'll see: Ithuriel's spear, globe lily, iris, and glassy onion on the slopes; goldfields, cliff sedum, lupine and meadowfoam on the plateau.

For more information:
http://www.buttecounty.com/attractions.htm

Independence Trail (Nevada City)

Flower HIke Roped along the forested foothills in Nevada County, Independence Trail offers excellent variety of wildflowers in a mountain setting conducive to day hiking. You will see waterfalls, historic flumes and panoramic views along a gentle switchback. Restrooms and wheelchair access are available in several locations. Since trails can get muddy in spring, call the Bear River Recreation and Parks District for conditions at (530) 268-7275.

To get there: The trail is located off of Highway 49 north of Nevada City.

What you'll see: pacific sedum, showy phlox, saxifrage, rueanemone and Indian pink.

For more information:
http://www.ncgold.com/Recreation/IndepTrl.html

Hite's Cove Trail (Yosemite)

flower Blackwell picked Hite's Cove Trail as "one of the most glorious floral displays anywhere." The windy trail clings to a sunny exposure above the south fork of the Merced River. The pilgrim professor called it "a truly remarkable place that everyone should experience at least once, and even better, year after year." He has a 20-year run of annual visits.

To get there: Go east on Highway 140 toward Yosemite. The trail begins at Savage's Trading Post near the Merced River Bridge (15 miles east of Midpines and few miles before Yosemite Park). Please sign the guest list at Savage's.

What you'll see: solid masses of poppy, bird's eye gilia, fiddelneck, miniature lupine, purple owls-clover, cream cups, monkeyflower and many others.

For more information: http://wildlink.wilderness.net/activityzonedirectory/hitescove.htm