Absolutely Magical butterfly Den Discovery! In Lake Balboa!

So, the butterflies have emerged once again now that the weather has warmed quite a bit. They are everywhere, BUT I have discovered the mother of all butterflies dens. A truely magical place hidden away from the main paths. While out for a bike ride today I decided to take a semi-dirt path, almost completely hidden off the main street. I had accidentally stumbled across it before, but hadn't the time to explore it. Today upen entering the bike path, off Burbank Blvd, I was completely taken aback by the sheer amount of butterflies, seemingly attracted to the bright yellow wild flowers growing along both sides of the path. I stopped for quite a long while to video tape them, but upon viewing the footage, I realized it does not compare / do the place justice. I hopped back on my bike and rode a little further, which is when I saw a closed off (barred) path to my right, with a small opening, large enough to walk a bike through.

This hidden jem of a path contained even more butterflies. After video taping some footage once again, I rode out straight towards the wash, completely surrounded by yellow wild flowers and what seemed like hundreds of butterflies. I snapped a picture of the wash (a pretty look out), and headed back the way I came. This time I took a left and rode a different dirt path around towards the wash. It was lenghty, lined with yellow wild flowers, and completely teeming / swarming with thousands upon thousand of butterflies. They appeared to move along side me in waves, around me like a tornadoe. It was like nothing I've EVER exerienced before. I was engulfed during that entire ride. I even had several ladybugs land on me. I VERY HIGHLY recommend exploring this place.

To begin: Park in the Woodly Ave. Parking lot. There is a sign that says woodly park. It is easiest to enter the parking lot via Victory Blvd. Ride / Take the bike path towards Burbank Blvd., which is beautiful in itself, Cross the street at the corner of Woodly and Burbank Blvd. You should immediately see the entrance to the bike path, to your left. Ride through, slowly of course, until you get to the barred off path to your right. You should see a gap large enough to walk a bike through. Pause for a few minutes to really take in the view, and then continue down the straight path towards the wash. Turn around and come back the way you came. THEN hang left and take the path around towards the wash. This path is the stunner. Turn around and come back the/ way you came, even slower to really enjoy it. You will see a tunnel / freeway overpass directly in front of you. Ride through, out to the other side of Burbank Blvd. You may either ride through into the Nature Reserve (huge lake / very pretty), or hang left and ride back towards Woodly Ave. Cross at the light, and either head straight on the bike path to continue onto another beautiful bike path (one of my favorites)(along Burbank Blvd.), or make a right onto Woodly and continue back to your car.

I would say you have a good two or three weeks to enjoy biking around these parks, with the enormouse amount of yellow wild flowers and butterflies, before it gets very hot and everything dies off. Good luck and have fun!! Let me know how you liked it! I don't get enough comments ever. I woud love some! Please enjoy the pictures.