The Wildflowers Of Garrapata

I don't think I can ever look at a bouquet or vase of flowers the same way again, especially after hiking through fields of wild flowers at Garrapata State Park. Yellow, purple, white and orange flowers lined the trail that my daughter, friend Annie and me walked along, adding pops of color to the green mountains.

Flowers weren't the only things growing along the route. We noticed a hill side filled with cacti and beds of clover too. We eventually came across towering redwood trees, which provided shade as we enjoyed a picnic and posed for pictures.

We wanted to hike to the very top of the mountain, which we heard would provide us with breath taking views of the ocean. But an hour into our hike, we noticed a sign that said part of the trail was closed. That's okay. My friend and I caught glimpses of the sea and other pretty views during the hike. Besides, my daughter preferred to stare at the lizards anyways.

The trails of Garrapata State Park, located south of Carmel, Calif., are hard to spot as you zip along Highway 1. But you'll know you're in the right place if you see a row of cars parked along side of the road near a structure that looks like this:

Have you hiked recently? Where did you go? What did you see?

Cheers,
Kristina