Desert Flowers Highway 138
Photos by Lee Reeder, April 13, 2008

These photos were taken in Summit Valley, Cajon Pass, Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area and the San Bernardino Mountains along the Highway 138 portion of the Rim of the World National Scenic Byway.

Just off the gnarliest curve on the 138 between Summit Valley and the Cajon Pass in the badlands you will find Desert Paintbrush and Wild Heliotrope (aka Common Phacelia) growing together in many places.

I love this old oak tree on a bend in the 138 about halfway between Old Mill Road and Lake Silverwood, especially before it gets its leaves in the spring.

The San Gabriels and Desert Paintbrush.

Closeups of Tree Poppies (aka Bush Poppies) near Lake Silverwood. They are all over the hillsides this year.

A Tree Poppy brightens the charred landscape.

Blue-pod Lupine and Chia growing together west of Summit Valley.

This is a closeup of the chia at the very bottom of the previous photo--trippy and beautiful.

Poppies, Baby Blue Eyes and Chinchweed are growing together all over Summit Valley.

Wright's Deer Vetch in Summit Valley.

Snakeweed (aka Matchbush) in the foreground and a tree poppy behind. These were sot in the hills above the 138 in the badlands above and east of Cajon Junction.

Another shot of the oak tree. Photographers--to get this effect, go to the shadow of a tree, put your head's shadow in the shadow of the trunk, then turn around, point your camera at the tree, meter it on the trunk and shoot. Works very time.