Alpine Poppies

We went here a few years ago and last year were too late by the time we remembered.  It's a small, hidden tucked away mini forest of trees and orange/red poppies!  The poppies only bloom for about 2 weeks end of May and beginning of June.

The area is right in the middle of a large mountain biking park in Alpine, although many hike the trails too.  I saw a post that they poppies were in bloom so we decided to go.  

We did not want to go in the morning, as it's packed with people.  The secret got out that this place exists and it's not so much a secret anymore.  So we went late Saturday afternoon around 5pm.

A thunder storm chased us there but left us alone.  There were only about 10 other people there during this time so it was a good time to go!  

The stormy clouds were right above us...we saw lightning and heard thunder, but got no rain!

We found the right bike trail heading up to the poppies.  Interestingly enough, the trail is called "Poppy"  It's a short walk up - maybe 1/2 mile

Most of the area looks like the desert - sagebrush, rocks and low scrub oak trees, but the mountains around were green and beautiful

The orange flowers are bright against the sagebrush

It's not a very big area - you can walk around it in like 10 minutes.  But the trees, plants and poppies do not tell you that you are in the middle of a sagebrush and rocky field

Of course, Hannah had to show off her many poses

Nice view of the Utah Valley

There is an old wall of a house that used to be here still standing

Next to the house is this plaque that reads:

"History of George Cannon Lambert and the Lambert Homestead

George Cannon Lambert was born April 11, 1848 at Winter Quarters, Nebraska to Mary Alice Cannon and Charles Lambert. During his life George Cannon Lambert wrote 17 books called The Faith Promoting Series. At the request of president Woodruff he hid the records of the LDS church pertaining to marriages and property in the cellar of his house on the corner of West and South Temple, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Professionally he was the manager and editor of the Juvenile Instructor, then of the Deseret News, and President/Owner of Lambert Paper, and Lambert Roofing Companies.

In 1909, Lambert pruchased 129 acres of ground in the northeast corner of Alpine and built a summer home on this land in 1910. Most of the ground was covered with rocks and ledge outcroppings. Therefore he planted a large orchard and raised some cattle on the land.

This original house was 17 feet wide and 31 feet long, with a full basement. Chimneys were built on the walls for wood-burning stoves. Each room had two windows. The front door was on the south, and opened onto a large summer porch which was all screened. On the west wall of the house you can see etched into stone. "R.H. Sept. 20, 1910." This gives the initials of the rock mason Robert Hunter, and the date that the rockwork was finished. Lambert also built a red barn, which contained a small bell tower on top.

Lambert died, two months past his 69th birthday, at his house in Salt Lake City on Sunday June 12th, 1917 after suffering from a second stroke. The Lambert property was later purchased by the city of Alpine from Zion Securities Corporation for $9,000.00 in 1957 adjoining the Bateman property to the North. This created the largest city-owned park in the state of Utah."


The story goes to say that right around his house, he planted trees, shrubs and lots of poppies to help make the area beautiful.  The poppies only get what little rain water there is this time of year, but they had adapted to this and each year, come out for about 2 weeks to remind us you can have an oasis in the middle of the desert.

Time to start heading back

We found this very old and very original shelter that has probably been here before the old house was built.  Who knows, maybe those that built the old house lived here first??

This was a quick little trip -  close and easy.