See the amazing 'super bloom' in central California
Everything's coming up flowers at Carrizo Plain National Monument.
— -- Anyone driving through California's Central Valley this spring may see a rare event of nature -- an explosion of colorful wildflowers.
It's called a "super bloom" and it's happening right now inside Carrizo Plain National Monument. According to the Bureau of Land Management in California, the beautiful scene is drawing record crowds.
Bob Wick, the bureau's Wilderness Specialist and Photographer, said in a post on Facebook that if visitors decide to visit the monument they'll spot "endless expanses of yellows and purples from coreopsis, tidy tips and phacelia, with smaller patches of dozens of other species."
"Not to be outdone, the Temblor Range is painted with swaths of orange, yellow and purple like something out of a storybook," he added. "I have never seen such a spectacular array of blooms. Ever."
Still, the bureau has tips if visitors should come. In a post on Facebook, they warn about spotty cell phone service and also encourage people to bring plenty of gas for vehicles along with food and water as the closest stores are 50 miles away.
The bureau also says that "rattlesnakes are starting to come out, please be aware of your surroundings." They also remind visitors that some areas of the monument are private property.
"Please respect our neighbors," they add.