Carrizo Plain National Monument

• Rupert Brooke.

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While we were driving couple of weeks ago to Carrizo plain national monument, we passed through the temblor range. It’s a stunning section of rolling hills formed by seismic activities of the massive San Andreas Fault which runs parallel to the hills. Due to the unusually strong rainy season, the usually golden hills were covered in lush green grass and as we got close to the Carrizo Plain entrance we started seeing carpets of beautiful yellow flowers.

Of all the patches we got to see that day, this particular ranch entrance got my attention. This rustic little fence looked like the gateway to spring and I thought it perfectly illustrated the stunning beauty of the super bloom.

• Jean de la Bruyere.

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In the brief 5 years, we lived in California, one of the most spectacular sights we were lucky enough to witness was the amazing wildflower bloom of Carrizo Plains National Monument. We have been to this spot once before in the summer and it's usually so dry and dusty that there is not much to photograph. But all it needed were perfectly timed winter showers to transform this mostly barren looking hillside and plains into a lush flower meadow.

This shot was taken somewhere on the Blue Star Highway that leads into the Carrizo Plain from Rt 5. I had to take a shot of the interesting fence with the rolling hills and the carpet of vivid yellow flowers. This shot was very simple, I believe I didn’t even use a polarizer, as the light was just perfect.

• Pablo Neruda.

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On our way to Carrizo plain we took one of the most beautiful roads in California, Rt 58. And once it started to snake though to the summit of the Temblor range we got a small demo of what was about to come. We also learned that the San Andreas Fault Zone runs parallel to the range at the base of the temblor range’s western slope, on the eastern side of the Carrizo Plain.

Anyways what we saw on Rt 58 was rolling green hills with massive amount of yellow flowers everywhere. It looked as if someone sprinkled yellow color all over the mountain range. The moving clouds provided nice diffusion whenever they covered the sun and I made this pano shot during one of those brief moments when a large cloud nicely diffused the sun for me.

• Tertullian.

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One of my favorite shots from the Carrizo Plain super bloom event this year. I am not sure which viewpoint I took this shot from, all I remember is being mesmerized by the endless fields of gold ahead of me and the rolling hills in the horizon with a ducting of wildflowers.

With the prospects of rain looking high for this winter I hope to see more super blooms next year too. Thanks again for visiting.

• Richard Bach.

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Another shot from the stunningly pretty Carrizo Plain National Monument. The location of this shot is the aptly named lookout hill which is north to the visitor center on soda lake road. I was glad we decided to drive up to the visitor center as a park ranger we met there was the one who directed me to this spot. She assured me that the view is stunning and wow.

As we climbed up to the top of the small hill from the parking lot, we could see the true enormity and the size of the super bloom. Plus the storm clouds brewing over the temblor range provided a nice stark contrast to the bright yellow flowers carpeting the valley. Hope y’all like it.