In late March, I headed to Carrizo Plains for a few days of self-isolation, wildflower viewing and some gravel bicycle riding while CA was just starting to increase its COVID-19 shelter-in-place mandates. I arrived the day BLM closed the KCL campground to comply with the Dept of Interior's direction to close BLM and national parks public campgrounds. But that didn't deter me, or the very few others visiting the Plains, to boondock about a mile down the road from KCL, which was allowed at that time. Getting there with my 16ft Scamp trailer was pretty easy, despite the rough, sometimes washboard dirt road once the pavement ends on Soda Lake Road. However, I do not recommend traveling the dirt roads with a much bigger trailer than mine, and absolutely not during or immediately after a heavy rain storm. The dirt turns to thick mud! I was lucky the rain storm that passed through as I arrived passed quickly before turning the road into muck.

This place is so beautiful in the Spring. Day and nighttime temps were very comfortable. The hills were still green from recent rains, and the wildflower blooms were showing off their amazing carpets of colors. Gravel riding in this area was so fun with the many offshoots of two track dirt roads converging with the main dirt road (Soda Lake Road). 

Love it here, and plan to make this an annual destination each Spring with the intention of exploring other parts of the Plains.