Click photo to enlarge--Wildflowers on hillsides at Gorman Post Road, 4/12/08 Hillsides off Gorman Post Road, 4/12/08	Take a scenic drive, there are plenty of back roads.  See the spring wildflowers, do some hiking, you most likely will see wildlife along the way.  Visit a lake,  Pyramid Lake and Quail Lake (part of the California Aqueduct) are close by.  There are a number of places to camp:  Pyramid Lake, Hungry Valley or several primative campgrounds to name a few.  Or stay in a motel in Lebec, Frazier Park or Gorman.    During the warmer months this area appears a little dry but in the spring it's usually covered in wildflowers.  Drive the back roads and stop for an up close view.  From the I5 take the Gorman exit right, to Gorman Post Road turn right (by the Sizzler), the hillsides are usually covered with blossoms in late March to mid April, click here to view more wildflower photos.  See Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve, just continue on Gorman Post Road to Hwy 138, make a left and it's only about 25 minutes away.   For a scenic view of the valley take a detour up Old Ridge Route (N2).  It's only a couple of minutes from Gorman Post Road & Hwy 138.  Old Ridge Road ends at Castaic Lake, this road is not maintained.  Click here to view photos of historic Old Ridge Route.   Click any picture on this page for a larger view.	Lupine, Gorman Post Road, 3/30/08 Gorman Post Road Hillsides, view from Wheatfield Trail in Hungry Valley SRVA, 4/12/08
California Poppy, Gorman Post Road, 3/30/08	Goldfields, Gorman Post Road, 3/30/08	Gorman Post Road, 3/30/08
4-21-06	11-26-05	View of Quail Lake from Old Ridge Route, 3/30/08
Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve, 3/30/08	Left:  Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve, only 20 minutes from Gorman Post Road.  They say '08 is the best blooming season in 10 years.  Click here to see more pictures of the preserve taken on 4/12/08.   Take Gorman Post Road to Hwy 138, turn left, in about 20 miles you will see the orange poppy covered hills off the right side of the road, follow the signs.     Right:  Fort Tejon State Historic Park, just a few miles past Frazier Park on I5 at Tejon Ranch.  Click here to see more pictures of the park.	Fort Tejon, 3/30/08
In Hungry Valley OHV park (off highway vehicle park) there is a hiking trail through a preserve--Oak Woodland Natural Preserve.  This preserve has a natural seep which provides water to oaks and native grasses which are not found growing together anywhere else in California.    This is wild country, home to bears, coyotes, rattlesnakes and mountain lions.  This is one of two places I've actually seen a mountain lion.  We've run across many rattlesnakes in this area, but no bears so far.  I personally prefer to hike here in groups of three or more just to be safe.	Deer on Powerline Trail, 9/23/07 (click picture to enlarge) Above:  Grasslands in September.  In spring these grasslands are covered in purple wildflowers.  Hungry Valley has one of the few native grasslands left in California today.	Left:  the grasslands located on the Frazier Park side of Hungry Valley.  These grasslands were a restoration project a few years ago.  This photo was taken off Powerline Trail in the OHV.  Some may not like OHV parks.  Last year during the opening of deer hunting season, the hunters were unable to bag themselves a single deer.  All the deer went into this area of the OHV--guns and hunting are strictly forbidden in the OHV, so the deer know what to do!  Everytime I take this trail in morning or evening hours I see a quite a few deer.  Not far from these grasslands I saw a mountain lion which is rare, they are usually pretty stealthy.  Good rule of thumb, remember where there is deer, there is mountain lion (deer is their primary food source).

Take a 2-hour guided wildflower tour through Hungry Valley led by US Forest Rangers.  Click here for wildflower updates and tour info.  Also see my page Hungry Valley Stipia Trail & Powerline Road wildflower tour pictures dated 4/13/08, taken on a tour. Below:  three trail photos on the way to Oak Woodland Natural Preserve on the back side of the OHV.  You can drive up Gold Hill Road and park at the Alamo Mountain gate and hike into the preserve (watch for offroad vehicles) or if you have a truck or SUV you can drive to the trail head and park.  Any type of motor vehicle is forbidden in the preserve.  The photos were taken 4/21/06.  '05 was a very good rainfall year, but we didn't get enough rain in '06 so the bloom was less than the previous year.  The intensity of the wildflower bloom is very dependant on the amount of rain and snow.  Most likely April '08 wildflower season will be good as there was more rain and snow in '07/'08.

Piru Creek, 7/2/07	Piru Creek.  Take Gold Hill Road (enter through Hungry Valley OHV) and drive up Alamo Mountain.  Several remote campsites in this area.  Go to the top of Alamo Mountain for some great views.  Check with Los Padres National Forest for current conditions or Hungry Valley OHV.  For more pictures of Gold Hill Road through Hungry Valley to Piru Creek click here.	Piru Creek, 7/2/07
For directions and more details see the Hungry Valley, Gold Hill Road and Piru Creek page.  This page also has wildflower photos taken on 4/12/08.	11/26/05, a look back at the valley, heading up Gold Hill Rd towards Alamo Mountain	Piru Creek, 7/2/07

City of Gorman, 4/21/06

11/26/05

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