Annual Lewis Hill rare wildflower walk set for Feb. 29
The annual rare wildflower walk at Lewis Hill Preserve will be from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 29. How fitting that a preserve open just one day a year will be open on a day that only occurs every four years!
The walk will again be led by Fletcher Linton of the National Forest Service, who knows the flowers and the terrain better than anyone. We'll see how many of the striped adobe lily make an appearance this year; last year we saw the most anyone could remember. This tiny flower blooms only in a handful of location in southern Tulare County or northern Kern County, so seeing them en masse holds a special appeal for plants geeks like us. And they smell great too!
After we climb the hill and mark where the flowers are this year, we'll fly kites at the top while taking in the view. Plenty of California poppies and other wildflowers will no doubt also be blooming, making the hill a beautiful place to be.
Cost of the event is $10 for SRT members and $15 for non-members. Students get in for free, we like to see them learn about our fantastic native plants. Everyone should wear long pants and hard-soled shoes, and be ready for a moderately stressful hike up the hill. You can bring your own kite to fly or use one of the few SRT will have on hand. No need to buy tickets in advance, they will be on sale day of, pay by cash or check.
Lewis Hill is located just outside Porterville. To get there, take Hwy. 65 south to Strathmore, and turn left of Avenue 196. Turn right (south) on Road 256 and follow it as it curves around. Parking is on the side of the road, you'll see SRT staff there. This year we will have a port-a-potty on-site since Lewis Hill is not near much of anything else!
