- The poppy fields of canyon will not be having visitors this year.
- There will be strict action against trespassers and vehicles parked illegally.
- The Mayor and Sheriff talk about safety concerns of the residents.
The chaos caused during the last super bloom in 2019 has led to prevention of visitors to experience the rich poppy fields of canyon. This step is taken to avoid a repeat of the chaotic scene.
This week Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and Lake Elsinore Mayor Natasha Johnson announced that the Lake Elsinore’s Walker Canyon trailhead and wildflower fields will be closed to visitors for this spring.
There will be Zero Tolerance “keep out” policy to be followed by the city.
“Our community’s safety is our main focus,” says the Mayor during a news briefing adjacent to the Walker Canyon Trailhead.
The mayor explained that the super bloom occurred during major winter rainfall drawing crowds almost the size of “Disneyland” making it difficult for trails and road management. They earlier welcomed visitors of 70 miles from South East of Los Angeles but this costed a lot in 2019 to the Lake Elsinore.
This year’s bloom is also expected to be little less vibrant as it is mostly green and incipient stage.
“This (bloom) is day and night compared to 2019. Yet here we are again, talking about another large bloom.” The mayor remembers the memories of previous event and says that the officials were caught off guard by the tens of thousands of visitors who descended upon the area weekend before the spring.
“The last time was like out of a movie,” Johnson said. “The freeway was completely stopped, with people getting out of their cars. Our first responders were having challenges getting through traffic.”
“Our residents did not a have a quality of life for several weeks. The flowers were beautiful, but the scene was a nightmare,” the mayor added.
The policies this year have been strictly designed and that the individuals who ignore the closure sign and park their vehicles near the vicinity of Walker Canyon illegally shall be arrested and their vehicles will be towed as per information given by sheriff.
“We will have zero tolerance for people who are here trespassing,” the sheriff said. “Last time, there were many injuries, and we had to conduct many rescues. We’re doing everything we can to prevent that.”
A spokesperson at California Highway Patrol has instructed at the press conference that the freeway should be used only in emergency and not for stopping to take pictures.
Despite of all the rules and regulations visitors can also view the poppy bloom but only via Walker Canyon camera. They have also offered online maps of potential bloom sites with the help of Riverside County Parks and Recreation Department.
