A panorama photograph shows a super bloom at Carrizo Plain National Monument.

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California's Central Valley was a grassland teeming three hundred years ago with native grazing animals and wildflowers that colored the landscape every spring. Today, this ecosystem still exists at the Carrizo Plain National Monument.

A few hours away from Santa Barbara and Ventura, the Carrizo Plain is a hidden gem that will allow our community to view the full bloom of California poppies, lupines, goldfields, fiddlenecks, phacelias, owl's clover, and blue dicks that are seen during March and April, coinciding with our trip date.

We know the Carrizo Plain has been on many wish lists for folks who want to immerse themselves in nature, witnessing the range of plant and animal species endemic to the area. The site also holds significant cultural value for Native Americans who have a "unique concentration of art and artifacts" at the National Monument and have occupied the land for thousands of years.

Within the monument also lies the San Andreas Fault, which has created valleys, mountains, and other distinctive features that can be seen up close during our trip. This includes Soda Lake, a dry lakebed, and the largest remaining natural alkali wetland in southern California.

We have scheduled our day trips for Monday, April 24th.

Please be advised tickets are extremely limited! CIR members will receive discounted admission and all attendees will receive a plant checklist and knowledge from expert field guides.

Carpooling/Logistics:

We will be driving cars, meeting first at Santa Maria for "check-in", then on to Santa Margarita for a short orientation and introduction to the ecology, geology and history of the plain before we continue on. The trip is a guided tour planned for 8 am - 6 pm with lots of stops for looking, photographing, short walks and botanizing. We’ll drive a loop returning back to Santa Maria. Folks south of Santa Barbara may choose a more direct return for the journey home.

Questions or additional information please contact Connie Jenkins: connieaft@gmail.com

CIR Membership Discounts:

As a valued CIR member, you'll receive a discount to our Carrizo Plain Trip based on your contributions to our organization within the past calendar year! Want to get discounted tickets and also receive our membership benefits?

Sign up to become a contributing member to our organization.

Join our trip to witness rolling fields of wildflowers at Carrizo Plain National Monument.