A day after the Walker Canyon parking was announced as being full, the city of Elsinore announced due to severe congestion, California Highway Patrol has closed the Lake Street ramps in both directions, which are expected to reopen after 8p.m.
The city said on its Facebook page that "While Walker Canyon Trail has been reopened, all parking options have been exhausted."
"Traffic congestion on local roads and Interstate 15 is increasing by the minute.
Visitors will be cited for parking illegally on roadways, and traffic violations will be strictly enforced.
Alternate locations:--Harford Spring Reserve, 21470 Gavilan Road, Perris, CA--Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, 39400 Clinton Keith Road, Murrieta, CA 92562--Box Springs Mountain Reserve, 3699 Box Springs Mountain Road, Moreno Valley, CA 92557-- Hidden Valley Wildlife Area, 11401, Arlington Avenue, Riverside, CA 92505"
According to the city of Lake Elsinore Facebook page, Walker Canyon had been re-opened Monday morning. The city said, "However, parking is extremely limited. Lake Street and Nichols Road have also been reopened."
Earlier on Monday, it was announced that the Super Bloom of orange flowers on the hillsides had drawn so many people that officials in Lake Elsinore had shut down a poppy viewing area.
Walker Canyon is now closed to the public after big crowds at the weekend and traffic jams on the 15 Freeway.
Lake Elsinore Mayor Steve Manos says that restroom facilities were overwhelmed:
"We've had problems getting the guys to come out and be able to go ahead and change all the porta potties because of all the traffic on the freeway," he said.
The city has called it a public safety emergency using hashtags on Twitter like Poppy Shutdown and Poppy Nightmare.
Now, no shuttles or visitors will be allowed into Walker Canyon.