Tufted Poppies in the Merced River Canyon
Every spring the poppies bloom in the Merced River Canyon, a bonus for Yosemite-bound travelers on Highway 140. Don't expect quite this river-of-cheetos profusion, though; 2009 was a freakishly good year for Tufted Poppies. 2008's Telegraph Fire had cleared away the grass and lots of brush, and the poppies, sensing an opportunity, seized it with abandon. The shoulders of Highway 140 were lined with cameras and haphazardly-parked cars in quantities you usually only find in the park when someone has spotted a bear.
This Photo: Along Highway 140 in the Merced River Canyon, late March