After a surprisingly icy early March in the Sierra Nevada foothills, it seems we're in for some temperate weather for the next few weeks. Spring is bursting into bloom across the foothills, with poppies and a variety of other wildflowers providing colorful displays.
These photos come from one of the public recreation areas at New Melones Reservoir north of Sonora and south of Angels Camp, an ideal place to enjoy the spring weather. Some of the most brilliant hillsides of poppies are found on steep slopes above the reservoir, along the Buck Brush Trail on the Glory Hole side of the reservoir. Other areas of colorful wildflowers are also on display along the Heron Point Trail on the Tuttletown Recreation Area side of the reservoir.
Besides the wildflowers, visitors to these areas can see and hear a wide variety of migratory songbirds as well as great blue herons, osprey, acorn woodpeckers, flickers, quail, and many other kinds of birds.
If you haven't already visited New Melones, you'll want to check out the campgrounds, the day-use areas, the miles of hiking and biking trails, and the fishing spots located around the reservoir. For those who can get rashes from poison oak, be extremely careful to stay on the trail and avoid the occasional poison oak branches that stick out into trails on shady slopes where the poison oak is most abundant. The drier areas on sunny west and south-facing slopes are safest for those with kids who may be most susceptible to touching poision oak.
When you visit the reservoir, you'll be able to hear birdsongs and bumblebees, you'll see and smell the blooming flowers, and you can appreciate the breeze after months of sweater weather.
