VOLCANO, Calif. — Almost every spring for the last 80 years, visitors have come from far and wide to see Daffodil Hill. The local attraction in Amador County allowed people to visit free of charge to see the large bloom of daffodils.
Now, Daffodil Hill is closed indefinitely.
The Ryan family, who own McLaughlin Daffodil Hill, announced the closure on Facebook Monday.
"It is with deep sadness that we announce our decision to close the Hill indefinitely," the statement begins.
The Ryan family says the decision did not come lightly, calling it the "most difficult" decision they have ever made.
"The generations that came before us who purchased this property in 1887, which evolved into Daffodil Hill, could never have envisioned that their efforts would have ever grown into such a beloved attraction."
The family cites the overwhelming popularity of the local attraction as the reason behind the closure.
"After the crush of visitors that descended upon our Hill this year, we came to realize that the limitation on the size of our parking areas and the inability of the local road infrastructure to handle the volume, created liability and safety concerns for everyone involved."
In 2019, Daffodil Hill was only open for one day because of constant rain. Because of the rainy season and the limited availability of the attraction, the roadway to Daffodil Hill became so congested, that it would sometimes take people as long as two hours just to get to the parking area. Due to the long wait time, the Ryan family said some drivers would choose to park their cars illegally along the narrow road and walk. This caused problems for any emergency vehicles who would find it difficult to navigate around the illegally parked vehicles and the pedestrians.
"There is simply not enough space for everyone to park."
The Ryan family said they looked at every available option from shuttles and reservations, but in the end, they reached the same conclusion, "the narrows [sic] roads and the Hill property infrastructure cannot be changed."
The Ryan family took the opportunity to thank each and every person who volunteered to help over the last 80 years at the Hill.
"Our entire family, all six generations, sends each and every one of you a heartfelt 'Thank You' for all the kind words of support, your patronage, and appreciation of the Hill over these many years."
They finished the post with one request. "As we close this wonderful chapter in our family history, we ask that you honor our ancestors by continuing to appreciate Mother Nature in all her glory whenever and wherever you can. God bless you all."
Daffodil Hill draws thousands of visitors to Amador County nearly every spring. For a few weeks, the hills of Volcano, CA bloom with row after row of daffodils.