Short of bringing the spring wildflowers to your front door, the region offers an array of easy opportunities to get up-close and personal with the season’s blossoms.
For example, Corral Canyon Park offers a free, guided tour of that park’s amazing wild flowers on April 16. It’s a leisurely 2.5 mile hike led by the good folks at Coast Walk. You meet at the Malibu Seafood Market & Café on Pacific Coast Highway, and go in-group from there. Call (310) 394-2799 for more information.
On the same day, the Sooky Goldman Native Center is offering “Plant Adventures,” a meandering three-hour tour of Franklin Canyon Lake and a lecture about the synergy between plants and insects. Call (310) 858-7272 x131 for details about this unusual and informative trek.
If you’re busy on Saturday, but available on Sunday, April 17, Topanga State Park is hosting “Springtime Splendor,” a wildflower stroll led by experienced docent naturalists. It’s an easy two-hour affair at one of our blooming-est local parks. Call (818) 758-1964 for specific meeting times and instructions.
The following week, on Thursday, April 21, Cold Creek Preserve, (inland and further north, but still only a short drive) is offering an 8 a.m. “Chaparral Chatter” hike. It’s a heartier four-mile trek through fields of wildflowers. Bring plenty of water and snacks. This unique adventure is a joint effort of the California Native Plant Society and the Mountain Restoration Trust. Call (818) 348-5910 or (818) 591-1701 for directions and more information.
Most of us city folk only glimpse the colorful wildflowers that are native to our terrain. (A few blossoms along the 405 barely count.) The four hikes described above are only a few of the dozens of organized hiking tours especially planned for this colorful time of year. Just make the commitment to see more of our city than the paved portions and there are a plethora of folks ready to show you the way.
Alternatively, all fearless readers are invited to come along on our free Monday and Wednesday night-hikes. They’re not necessarily designed for wildflower viewing but they are, occasionally, wild.Fearless readers interested in free Monday-Wednesday night hikes should contact Scott Regberg at (310) 475-5735.
