Copyright © 2022, Los Angeles Times | | | | The coronavirus pandemic hasn’t thwarted Mother Nature’s springtime show in the Antelope Valley, where rolling hillsides are blanketed in a fiery orange hue from a recent poppy bloom. But like everything else deemed nonessential during the pandemic, the near Lancaster — where crowds have flocked in years past to witness the breathtaking bloom — is closed to visitors. The California Department of Parks and Recreation has set up a of the bloom in the hopes that people will enjoy the spectacular sight from home. State parks officials have also set up...…Copyright © 2022, Los Angeles Times | | | | The coronavirus pandemic hasn’t thwarted Mother Nature’s springtime show in the Antelope Valley, where rolling hillsides are blanketed in a fiery orange hue from a recent poppy bloom. But like everything else deemed nonessential during the pandemic, the near Lancaster — where crowds have flocked in years past to witness the breathtaking bloom — is closed to visitors. The California Department of Parks and Recreation has set up a of the bloom in the hopes that people will enjoy the spectacular sight from home. State parks officials have also set up...WW…

Copyright © 2022, Los Angeles Times | | | | The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t stop 1 billion of us from streaming into the country’s national parks in 2020. In fact, it increased our desire to take refuge in the outdoors, leading to complaints about overrun trails and picnic spots in some of California’s most popular places. One alternative to the big-park experience: nature preserves, which provide an intimate way to experience nature without the crowds. Why hike in Los Angeles? Lots of reasons. Use our guide to navigate 50 trails in Southern California, plus tips on gear and treats for the...…Copyright © 2022, Los Angeles Times | | | | The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t stop 1 billion of us from streaming into the country’s national parks in 2020. In fact, it increased our desire to take refuge in the outdoors, leading to complaints about overrun trails and picnic spots in some of California’s most popular places. One alternative to the big-park experience: nature preserves, which provide an intimate way to experience nature without the crowds. Why hike in Los Angeles? Lots of reasons. Use our guide to navigate 50 trails in Southern California, plus tips on gear and treats for the...WW…