Carrizo Plain National Monument — Attraction in Santa Maria

On 4/11/2023 we drove through the Carrizo Plain and visited the National Monument while searching the Plains for this years super bloom. We came in off of highway 101 just North of San Luis Obispo and drove through Santa Margarita to the Monument and then to Goodwin Education Center. It was a fantastic trip and due to the record breaking rains there was a profusion of wildflowers. It was simply breathtaking and it seemed at times like we were driving through a landscape of impressionistic paintings. There were plenty of places to pull off of the road and see the wide variety of flowers. The drive takes you past Soda Lake which is now full due to the rain. The profusion of wildflowers among the foothills behind Soda Lake was breathtaking and not to be missed. We stayed on paved roads and found the road conditions to be very good. There are a number unpaved roads to explore some in decent shape and other more appropriate for 4-wheel drive vehicles. This vast plain offers magnificent views of our rugged California landscape and as an added bonus offers simply fantastic wildflower viewing, at least for now. The views will be very different with each season. There are no gas stations or restaurants or other services so come prepared. Pack your own food, water and other necessities. Cell phone service is very poor and nonexistent in many areas. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys natural landscapes, rugged countryside, and a profusion of native wildflowers. Add this to your...

A truly wild National Monument. No cell service, almost no facilities, no water, few restrooms, no gas, so bring everything you'll need for a full day out. This is not like a typical National Park with signs everywhere and maintained facilities, there are a bunch of criss crossing roads (mostly dirt, mostly unsigned, some bad pavement) which go all throughout the monument. With no cell service, have a map or know where you are going before heading out. It could be easy to get lost or worse, get stuck in mud, if you are coming out in spring to see wildflowers. Plan out your route, and know the roads you will be driving. Not recommended to drive out some random dirt road that looks interesting. Most of them get sketchy, or rutted, or muddy very quickly. If you stick to main roads, you will be fine in almost any car, but once you get off onto any number of side roads, it's up to chance.

The wildflowers can vary "wildly" from year to year, depending on rain. In 2023, it was incredible. We went in 2024 and while it was nice, it was not as good as 2023. Don't expect to come every spring and see the spectacular displays that made national news. The San Andreas Fault also cuts along the eastern side of the park, and there is an interpretive trail at Wallace Creek where you can view it, and lern about the fault. Soda Lake is another popular stop, there are plenty of things to do besides viewing wildflowers. A wonderful place to visit, just...

Visited twice during the spring 2023 season. In mid-April, flowers were near peak…on May 1, they were mostly gone.

Since everyone else is posting pictures of flowers, I’m going to show some of the road conditions. The main road, Soda Lake Road, turns to dirt/gravel for about 30 miles, with a brief paved section near Trevor Ranch. Soda Lake Road should be fine for just about any car, taking appropriate precautions for washboarding and the occasional rut (especially at one particular cattle guard). Simmler Road, which bisects the south end of Soda Lake and runs between Soda Lake Road and Elkhorn Road, is pretty flat and with the exception of one very rutted area thorough mud (with a bypass around that) should also be fine for most cars.

Roads I went up that you’d want higher ground clearance and AWD/4WD: Caliente Ridge (leading to the only lengthy hiking trail in the entire park), Elkhorn Road, and Elkhorn Grade Road.

An absolute must: download maps before visiting, and be aware that there are a few minor discrepancies in where Google Maps (or GPS) thinks a couple roads are…one moment of confusion was around the intersection of Elkhorn and Simmler Roads. It’s well worth studying maps in advance if you’re planning any back-road driving, there are areas in the hills where there’s no signal, no signage and one could...