Poppy Bloom

The nearly three inches of rain in late March has helped create one of the best poppy blooms in years in the Antelope Valley.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

California poppies open to the sunlight.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

People walk through the fields of wildflowers at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve near Lancaster.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Chris Gottardi, 15, of Santa Clarita, photographs the poppies at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve near Lancaster. The Reserve is open from sunrise through sunset, but the best times to go are between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. when the poppy petals are open to the sunlight.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Lancaster State Park volunteers are calling 2014 a “miracle year” for the poppies, now in full bloom.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Bob McKinley, right, with wife Claire, daughter Jenna and son-in-law Adam Barber visit the Poppy Reserve for the first time. The Reserve is open from sunrise to sunset but the recommended times to go are between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

California poppies are in full bloom at the 1800-acre Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve near Lancaster, just in time for the Poppy Festival running April 26-27 at the Lancaster City Park.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)