The Blossom Trail
Apr 04, 2010
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The Blossom Trail circles around the roads and highways southeast of Fresno. Trees boasting blooming citrus, pomegranates, apricots, peaches, almonds, just to name a few, blanket the roads and lure you with their delicate fragrances. Of course the summer is fantastic here when the fruit is actually in season, but temperatures often reach 100 degrees; now is a better time to smell the misty dew and the must coming from the valley's sandy soil.
It's a great time to explore some towns that are each unique in their own way: Kingsburg with its Swedish Village; Selma has a retro downtown and packing plants; Sanger offers some great Mexican food (La Hacienda serves some mean caldos, or soups); Clovis boasts its old west downtown and antique shops; and Orange Cove, with its charming historic center.
You'll notice that the trees are trellised, which allow more sun to hit the fruit, allowing for more sugar content; drip irrigation pipes strewn all over the trunks, allowing farmers to conserve water; and wildflowers scattered all over.
This is a refreshing way to go off the beaten path on your way to Yosemite, Kings Canyon, or Sequoia National Parks. You can stock up at Simonian Farms (their raisins are to die for), but I love finding the random, ramshackle stands . . . you never know what you may find . . .
