The property owner of the most popular hike in previous years has started locking the gate - the signs are also new! So we drove a little further down Elkhorn this year to find good access to the hills.

Success: found a fire/maintenance road (blocked to vehicle traffic) a bit farther down the road that went up into an equally gorgeous part of the Temblors

All the colors on display even in cloudy/foggy weather! Temblor range north of Hurricane Rd.

Temblor range north of Hurricane Rd.

Looking down the slope of the Temblors and across Carrizo Plain to the Caliente range. We thought the orange flowers were poppies from a distance but I think they are San Joaquin Blazingstar (mentzelia pectinata), sadly no closeups

Temblor range north of Hurricane Rd.

Almost stepped on this sleepy little guy, that would have been a bummer.

Temblor range north of Hurricane Rd - I will always stop to try to photograph these purple/green guys (Desert Candle)

Temblor range north of Hurricane Rd - it was a long hike up!

Soda Lake on an overcast day

Goldfields everywhere - taken down on the plain south of the visitor center

Phacelia (purple) and fiddlenecks (orange)

Old buildings at Van Matre Ranch

Farm equipment at Van Matre Ranch, Temblors behind

Thanks to my friend and his trusty 4WD we made it up and over Hurricane/Spring through the Temblors, with some spectacular views

The sun popped out now and then to paint the mountains with color!

Looking north from Hurricane Rd

Blue sky was a rare and welcome sight this day!

Some huge lupine bushes dot the sides of the hills along Hurricane Rd

Lupine on Hurricane Rd, Temblors looking north

We had a few minutes with bright sunlight in one half of the sky and gloomy rainclouds in the other - made for some extra-dramatic landscapes

Sun and shadow on the Temblors

Lupine in the Temblors