Readers React: Hiking is supposed to be hard, so stop making it easy to find super bloom spots

To the editor: Growing up, if I wanted to find a great hiking trail with a natural swimming hole, I would have to go to the library to do extensive research. Those days are long behind us, and now “super blooms” have turned into a destination event.

Problem is, our public lands are not capable of recovering from abuse by the public. I have seen a groundswell of social media advocacy reminding people to stay on the trail and not to trample through nature. While this is a great reminder, I believe it only goes part of the way towards correcting this issue.

In the internet age, it is too easy to find where these places are. An article on your site features a list of locations with hyperlinks to Google Maps directions that anyone can easily plug into their phones.

If people had to do 5% more of the work and were forced to look up how to get to these locations on their own, it would go a long way to helping alleviate the abuse our public lands are facing. Making these beautiful spots just a tiny little bit harder to find can drastically cut down on people who want to go there just for a selfie.

Cody Kopp, Glendale

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To the editor: I am shocked to read that visitors “walked away with orange bouquets.”

When I moved to California in 1965, I learned that the state flower was protected by law when it grew in a public area. Now, you risk a fine of $1,000 and six months in jail if you harm a poppy.

The golden poppy has been the state flower since 1903. It deserves the respect California law provides for it.

Lotte Weinstein, Santa Barbara

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