It’s Springtime and wildflowers are back in Northern California!! I’ve visited and posted about other Spring wildflowers and flower fields in California before, but lupine flower fields were not on my radar until 2021, when HUGE fields of them popped up at Folsom Lake in Folsom near Sacramento. I love flower fields, and lupines are adorable, so I had to go see them for myself of course! And wow… we were so stunned by the endless fields of purple wildflowers blanketing the ground as far as our eyes could see… what an amazing sight! On the lookout for more lupines, I found more purple lupines at Anderson Lake in Morgan Hill in the South Bay and also some yellow lupine fields in the East Bay hills! I also found out that white lupines bloom in the Bay Area! In this post, I’ll share where to find purple, yellow and white lupine fields in Northern California and some photos from the places that I have visited.
All photos were taken by me and my husband Ken. I currently use a Sony a6700, which I love for both photos and videos! (I still love my Nikon D750 though!) Check out my recently updated camera gear blog post!
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Where to Find Lupine Flower Fields in Northern California
Large lupine flower fields are somewhat rare, but Superbloom-level lupine fields have been found in at least four places in Northern California:
- Folsom Lake in Folsom (near Sacramento)
- Anderson Lake in Morgan Hill in the South Bay
- East Bay Hills
- Bald Hills in Redwoods National Park
In addition, white lupines have popped up in the South Bay!
When Do Lupines Bloom?
Lupines typically bloom in April and last for 2 to 4 weeks. The exact timing will vary from year to year. The pictures from Folsom Lake and Anderson Lake were taken at the end of April in 2021. The photos from the East Bay Hills were taken in early April of 2022. White lupines at the Lexington Reservoir bloom from April to May.
Don’t forget that while wildflower lupine Superblooms don’t occur every year, smaller lupine fields can still be found throughout the Bay Area during the Spring blooming season!
Purple Lupine Flower Fields at Folsom Lake
During Superbloom years, huge lupine fields can be found all around Folsom Lake. Folsom Lake is a popular recreation area located around 2 hours northeast of San Francisco and around 35 minutes northeast of Sacramento. Beeks Bight at the western side of the lake is the most popular area to see the lupines, and has been the site of many beautiful photoshoots.
2021 was a huge Superbloom year at Folsom Lake, with lupine fields blanketing the entire area! Lupines bloomed at Folsom Lake again in 2022, and even though it wasn’t as extensive as in 2021, it was still very pretty, with the lake having higher water levels.
These pictures were taken at an area on the eastern side of the lake in 2021, where we were mesmerized by the huge purple lupine fields and the beautiful sunset… The lupines here were small, delicate, densely grown together, and so very fragrant…the lightly sweet fragrance enveloped the entire area and turned the flower field into a floral dreamland. There were very few people there aside from us that day, so Ken and I felt as though we landed in a secret paradise of purple flowers. What an amazing experience that we will always remember!
The vast lupine fields that we saw here rivaled the endless poppy fields that we saw at Antelope Valley in Southern California!
These photos at the Folsom Lake lupine fields were taken with a Nikon D750 (newer model D850) using my favorite Nikon 50 mm lens, and an iPhone.
Lupines don’t bloom at Folsom Lake every year and is a somewhat rare occurrence that happens after a drought that causes the lake waters to recede. The previously dormant wildflowers under the lake emerged after a light rain to create a “Superbloom” – a spectacular show of color and life during a drought year! It’s truly an unforgettable sight to see a lake completely transform into a purple flower field!
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Lupine Flower Fields at Anderson Lake in Morgan Hill in the South Bay
Anderson Lake is a large park, recreation area and reservoir in the South Bay city of Morgan Hill. In October 2020, the reservoir was drained for dam retrofitting construction work that will last until approximately 2030.
While many parts of the park were closed for recreation due to the construction work, word soon spread of a lupine wildflower field at the drained lake in the Spring of 2021, so we went to take a peek as well. And we were indeed greeted by a vast area full of purple lupines next to the former lake! The lupines here were much larger, thicker and taller than the ones at Folsom Lake – maybe because they were older. It was amazing to wander through paths surrounded by these waist-high lupine wildflowers!
These lupines were near the Woodchoppers Flat Picnic Area in the southeastern side of the lake.
Yellow Lupine Flower Fields in the East Bay Hills
In 2022, I also found brilliant yellow lupine flower fields in the East Bay hills! This is the first time I’ve seen yellow lupines and they are so amazing! What an amazing sight, this blanket of delicate yellow flowers, especially beautiful during golden hour (just before sunset). Which do you prefer – purple or yellow lupines? I honestly love both so much! These lupines were found along the Tassajara Ridge Trail in San Ramon in early April.
White Lupine Flower Fields in Northern California
For the past couple of years, since 2022, white lupines have popped up at the Lexington Reservoir in Los Gatos. The flowers can be seen from the southern part of Los Gatos Creek Trail (at the northern part of the reservoir). The lupines are slightly off the trail. The trail starts at downtown Los Gatos and can be accessed near East Main Street at College Avenue. The walk to the reservoir is around 1.8 miles from downtown. Alternatively, there is a small parking area next to the Santa Cruz Highway right near the lupine field (the parking area is between the highway and the flower field). It’s on the other side of the intersection of Black Rd and Montevina Rd.
The white lupines at Lexington Reservoir bloom in April to May.
Other Places to See Lupines in Northern California
Lupine flower fields are dazzling, but even without a Superbloom, lupines can be found all over the Bay Area. Here are some places where they’ve been spotted:
- Shell Ridge in the East Bay
- Sonoma Valley
- Point Reyes
- Big Sur hillsides
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Pansy ❤️
Hi, I’m Pansy!
Hello, thanks for stopping by! I’m Pansy, a California-based photographer, flower & nature lover, and travel blogger. 🌸🌼🌿
I also have a YouTube channel where I feature beautiful gardens, parks & flower fields. Make sure to follow me there if you love flowers & gardens! 😊
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Pansy ❤️
Pansy, I love flowers and your blog is very informative. Can you share the location of east bay hills where the lupine blooms are. I am not able to find it exactly, it might be closer to us and will have a chance to visit.
Pictures 1 and 2 of lupine flowers at Folsom lake are gorgeous!! Can you please tell us what the 50 mm lens data set up, f ?? and ISO???
Thanks,
Gloria
Hi Gloria, I’ve added the camera settings info to the captions for those pictures. 😊 I usually shoot in aperture priority or sometimes just use the camera’s auto settings. And thank you so much, I’m so happy that you like my pics! 💛
Pansy
We’ve been planning on going to Folsom lake but it’s a bit far. Do you think the flowers will still be around by the end of April (2 weeks) from now?
Hi Snow, the lupines are still blooming now, but they will likely be past prime by the end of April! Hopefully they will bloom again next year!