Good flowers along the Hwy 166 east from Santa Maria. Cottonwood Canyon off Hwy 166 before New Cuyama was spectacular. Vivid washes of hillside daisies, poppies and other flowers of the hills. Fields of shooting stars, coreopsis, tidy tips and some cream cups were accessible from the road. Smaller numbers of other flowers provided variety. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Cottonwood Canyon - 3/26/10 - Andrew writes: 3/25 - We decided to try Cottonwood Canyon Road off Hwy 166 again yesterday as I was hoping for some clouds to complement my flower scenes. What a difference in 4 days! Yellow is still there, you can still capture this kind of beautiful landscape frames: http://www.lightandpictures.com/Stuff/5DII_3763.jpg http://www.lightandpictures.com/Stuff/5DII_3687.jpg but all the various beautiful flowers are gone! I found one remaing patch of Shooting Stars: http://www.lightandpictures.com/Stuff/5DII_3851.jpg At least the clouds didn't disappoint and I was able to capture some of my kitschiest pictures ever! http://www.lightandpictures.com/Stuff/5DII_4120.jpg http://www.lightandpictures.com/Stuff/5DII_4041.jpg I'm sorry to say if you still didn't go, you missed it. Drive tomorrow for the yellow hills and the "happy cows are from California" theme, but for the macro lovers it's too late. I met an e-mail friend there and he reported Shell Creek Road was still going strong...

3/25
Cottonwood Canyon had nice displays of coreopsis and tidy tips, with some lupine and phacelia thrown in for good measure. You might consider driving up a couple miles of Aliso Canyon Road from Highway 166, about 10 miles east of Cottonwood Canyon: nice displays of goldfields and some brodiaea.

Desitnation :34.993807,-119.89008

Will meet thousand oaks,ca @ 10 AM (location will be decided later)and then carpool together  to cotton valley to watch the wild flower