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Hiking Year-end wrap up

2023 Wildlife Gallery Part 2 – Featherless Friends

As we did last year we’ve split our wildlife recap into two posts, feathered (post) and featherless. As with all our wildflower and wildlife posts any corrections or additions to our attempts at identifying what we’ve photographed is greatly appreciated. One other note, while we really enjoy taking pictures as a way to record what we see on our hikes, we are by no means photographers. We use our phones and a point and shoot camera on the auto setting, so the pictures are far from professional, but we hope you enjoy them. Finally, we do practice Leave No Trace Principles including Principle 6: Respect Wildlife which means observing from a distance, never feeding, and respecting any area wildlife closures. We urge others to do the same and recreate responsibly.

The highlight of the year was getting to watch a badger make its way down Central Patrol Road in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge on 9/4/23.Badger

AntsHarvester ants – 5/29/23, Riley Ranch Preserve, Bend

PenstemonAnt on penstemon – 6/15/23, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Crab spider on California harebellsCrab spider on a California harebell – 6/25/23, North Umpqua Trail, BLM Roseburg District

Bee on a sunflowerBee – 9/3/23, Threemile Canyon, BLM Burns District

Bees on Sand MountainBees – 7/8/23, Sand Mountain, Willamette National Forest

Prickly pear cactusSweat bee? and a beetle on a prickly pear cactus – 6/15/23, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

BeetleBeetle – 7/31/23, Garfield Peak Trail, Crater Lake National Park

Beetle and clodius parnassiansBeetle – 7/29/23, Stuart Falls Trail, Crater Lake National Park

Beetle on a white mariposa lilyBeetle on a white mariposa lily – 8/14/23, Main Eagle Creek Trail, Eagle Cap Wilderness

Beetle on spireaBeetle and another bug on spirea – 7/4/23, Rocky Top Trail, Santiam State Forest

Bettles on thistleBeetles on thistle – 6/15/23, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Ladybug on a daisyLadybug on a daisy – 7/4/23, Natural Arch Trail, Santiam State Forest

Potato bugCommon pill-bug – 6/25/23, North Bank Habitat, BLM Roseburg District

Stink bugBeetle – 5/28/23, Criterion Tract, BLM Prineville District

Beetle and a butterfly on buckwheatBeetle and a butterfly on buckwheat – 5/28/23, Criterion Tract, BLM Prineville District

GrasshopperGrasshopper – 9/3/23, P Ranch, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

CricketCricket – 6/14/23, Imnaha Trail, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area

CaterpillarCaterpillar – 5/28/23, Criterion Tract, BLM Prineville District

CaterpillarCaterpillar – 7/1/23, Hummocks Trail, Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, WA

Moth larva on larkspurCaterpillar – 8/16/23, West Eagle Trail, Eagle Cap Wilderness

MillipedeMillipede – 6/12/23, Imnaha River Trail, Eagle Cap Wilderness

MillipedeMillipedes – 6/12/23, Imnaha River Trail, Eagle Cap Wilderness

Eight-spotted Forester-Alypia octomaculataEight-spotted Forester-Alypia octomaculata – 7/4/23, Niagra Heights Road, Santiam State Forest

Fireweed Clearwing Moth (Albuna pyramidalis)Fireweed Clearwing Moth (Albuna pyramidalis) – 7/4/23, Niagra Heights Road, Santiam State Forest

Moth on Oregon sunshineMoth – 7/4/23, Niagra Heights Road, Santiam State Forest

MothsMoths – 6/3/23, Buck Creek Trail, Husum, WA

Pretty moth along the Buck Creek TrailMoth – 6/3/23, Buck Creek Trail, Husum, WA

MothMoth – 6/3/23, Buck Creek Trail, Husum, WA

MothMoth – 6/16/23, Trail 1890, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area

MothMoth – 7/4/23, Rocky Top Trail, North Santiam State Park

MothMoth – 6/25/23, North Umpqua Trail, BLM Roseburg District

MothMoth – 6/12/23, Imnaha River Trail, Eagle Cap Wilderness

MothMoth – 6/24/23, Rogue River National Recreation Trail, Wild Rogue Wilderness

Moth on a logMoth – 7/8/23, Santiam Wagon Road, Willamette National Forest

Sphinx mothSphinx moth – 8/17/23, West Eagle Trail, Eagle Cap Wilderness

Fly and butterfly on buckwheatFly and butterfly – 5/28/23, Criterion Tract, BLM Prineville District

Boisduval's blueBoisduval’s blues? – 6/3/23, Buck Creek Trail, Husum, WA

Acmon blue?Acmon blue? – 5/28/23, Criterion Tract, BLM Prineville District

Eastern tailed blue - best guessEastern tailed blue? – 5/13/23, Graham Oaks Nature Park, Wilsonville

ButterflyButterfly in the Lycaenidae family – 5/2/23, Sterling Mind Ditch Trail System, BLM Medford District

ButterflyButterfly in the Lycaenidae family – 5/28/23, Criterion Tract, BLM Prineville District

ButterflyButterfly in the Lycaenidae family – 6/15/23, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

ButterflyButterfly in the Lycaenidae family – 6/13/23, Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site, Joseph

Echo Azure butterfliesEcho azures? – 5/4/23, Forest Road 011, Rogue-River Siskiyou National Forest

Butterfly on a cat's ear lilyButterfly in the Lycaenidae family – 6/3/23, Buck Creek Trail, Husum, WA

Butterflies on Oregon sunshineButterflies in the Lycaenidae family – 7/4/23, Niagra Heights Road, Santiam State Forest

Gray hairstreakGray hairstreak – 6/11/23, Lewis & Clark Trail, Hermiston

HairstreakThicket hairstreak? – 7/8/23, Sand Mountain, Willamette National Forest

Hairstreak on Oregon sunshineA hairstreak – 6/3/23, Buck Creek Trail, Husum, WA

Butterflies along Deep CreekVarious butterflies – 6/16/23, Deep Creek Stairway Trail, Payette National Forest, ID

Lorquin's admiralLorquin’s admiral – 6/14/23, Imnaha Trail, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area

Red AdmiralRed admiral – 7/23/23, Metolius River Trail, Deschutes National Forest

California sisterCalifornia sister – 10/8/23, Forest Road 041, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest

Painted ladyPainted lady – 6/12/23, Imnaha River Trail, Eagle Cap Wilderness

Tortoiseshell butterfly California tortoiseshell – 9/16/23, Fish Lake Trail, Mt. Hood National Forest

Milbert's tortoiseshellMilbert’s tortoiseshell – 8/14/23, Main Eagle Creek Trail, Eagle Cap Wilderness

Hoary commaHoary comma – 7/8/23, Sand Mountain, Willamette National Forest

Mourning cloakMourning cloak – 6/14/23, Imnaha Trail, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area

Common wood nymphCommon wood nymph – 6/15/23, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Ochre ringlet on rough eyelashweedOchre ringlet – 5/28/23, Criterion Tract, BLM Prineville District

CheckerspotCheckerspot – 7/29/23, Stuart Falls Trail, Crater Lake National Park

Checkerspot on dwarf lupineCheckerspot – 7/1/23, Boundary Trail, Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, WA

Snowberry checkerspotSnowberry checkerspot – 7/1/23, Boundary Trail, Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, WA

Edith's checkerspotEdith’s checkerspot – 7/8/23, Sand Mountain, Willamette National Forest

Mylitta crescentMylitta crescent – 6/15/23, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Mylitta crescentA crescent? – 5/13/23, Graham Oaks Nature Park, Wilsonville

Fritillaries on scatFritillary butterflies – 5/28/23, Criterion Tract, BLM Prineville District

Fritillary butterflyA fritillary – 7/4/23, Rocky Top Trail, Santiam State Forest

A fritillary butterflyA fritillary – 7/15/23, Forest Road 4610, Mt. Hood National Forest

Indra swallowtailIndra swallowtail – 5/4/23, Kerby Flat Trail, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest

Ladybug and an Oregon swallowtailOregon swallowtail? with ladybug – 5/28/23, Criterion Tract, BLM Prineville District

SwallowtailSwallowtail – 6/3/23, Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Trout Lake, WA

SwallowtailsWestern swallowtails – 6/12/23, Imnaha River Trail, Eagle Cap Wilderness

SwallowtailSwallowtail – 6/12/23, Imnaha River Trail, Eagle Cap Wilderness

Sulphur butterfly on asterA sulphur – 9/9/23, Alta Lake Trail, Sky Lakes Wilderness

Large marbleLarge marble – 5/28/23, Criterion Tract, BLM Prineville District

Becker's whiteBecker’s white – 6/14/23, Imnaha Trail, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area

Male margined white?Male margined white? – 8/29/23, Newell Creek Canyon Nature Park, Oregon City

Mountain parnassianMountain parnassian – 6/15/23, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Clodius parnassianClodius parnassian – 7/29/23, Pumice Flat Trail, Crater Lake National Park

Silver-spotted Skipper on common buglossSilver-spotted Skipper – 6/14/23, Eureka Bar, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area

SkipperA skipper – 5/28/23, Criterion Tract, BLM Prineville District

SkipperA skipper – 6/12/23, Imnaha River Trail, Eagle Cap Wilderness

SkipperA skipper – 6/24/23, Rogue River National Recreation Trail, Wild Rogue Wilderness

SkipperA skipper – 9/3/23, Threemile Canyon, BLM Burns District

Skipper on a sagebrush mariposa lilySkipper on a sagebrush mariposa lily – 7/23/23, Metolius River Trail, Deschutes National Forest

Skipper on asterA skipper – 9/3/23, P Ranch, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

Duskywing on a peaDuskywing? – 6/24/23, Rogue River National Recreation Trail, Wild Rogue Wilderness

DuskywingDuskywing – 5/3/23, Waters Creek Interpretive Trail, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest

Dreamy duskywingDreamy duskywing – 6/12/23, Imnaha River Trail, Eagle Cap Wilderness

DragonflyDragonfly – 6/24/23, Rogue River National Recreation Trail, Wild Rogue Wilderness

DragonflyDragonfly – 7/1/23, Hummocks Trail, Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, WA

DragonflyDragonfly – 7/15/23, Plaza Lake, Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness

DragonflyDragonfly – 7/31/23, Godfrey Glen Trail, Crater Lake National Park

DragonflyDragonfly – 9/2/23, Idlewild Loop Trail, Malheur National Forest

Slug on the Licorice Fern TrailSlug – 4/29/23, Canemah Bluff Nature Park, Oregon City

SnailSnail – 4/15/23, Enchanted Valley Trail, Siuslaw National Forest

Rough skinned newtRough skinned newt – 4/15/23, Cape Mountain, Siuslaw National Forest

TadpolesTadpoles – 9/9/23, Pacific Crest Trail, Sky Lakes Wilderness

Cascade toadsWestern toads – 9/9/23, Pacific Crest Trail, Sky Lakes Wilderness

Cascade toadFull grown western toad – 9/9/23, Pacific Crest Trail, Sky Lakes Wilderness

FrogCascade frog – 9/9/23, Pacific Crest Trail, Sky Lakes Wilderness

FrogPacific treefrog – 9/3/23, Threemile Canyon, BLM Burns District

Northern red-legged frogNorthern red-legged frog – 8/26/23, Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Cloverdale

BullfrogBullfrog (invasive) – 4/22/23, Talking Water Gardens, Albany

Western pond turtlesWestern pond turtles – 4/22/23, Talking Water Gardens, Albany

Alligator lizardSouthern alligator lizard – 6/24/23, Rogue River National Recreation Trail, Wild Rogue Wilderness

Lizard along the Waters Creek Interpretive TrailWestern fence lizard – 5/3/23, Waters Creek Interpretive Trail, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest

LizardSagebrush lizard – 7/22/23, Shut-In Trail, Deschutes National Forest

Pygmy short-horned lizardPygmy short-horned lizard – 7/8/23, Santiam Wagon Road, Willamette National Forest

Gopher snakeGopher snake – 6/25/23, North Bank Habitat, BLM Roseburg District

Snake along the Dave Clark Riverfront PathGarter snake – 4/22/23, Dave Clark Riverfront Path, Albany

Snake on the Imnaha TrailRubber boa? – 6/14/23, Imnaha Trail, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area

NutriaNutria (invasive) – 5/13/23, Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, Sherwood

BeaverBeaver – 5/29/23, Riley Ranch Preserve, Bend

Yellow-bellied marmotYellow-bellied marmot – 7/31/23, Garfield Peak Trail, Crater Lake National Park

Gray squirrelGray squirrel – 4/22/23, Dave Clark Riverfront Path, Albany

SquirrelDouglas’ squirrel – 4/22/23, Dave Clark Riverfront Path, Albany

SquirrelEastern fox squirrel? – 4/29/23, Newell Creek Canyon Nature Park, Oregon City

Columbian ground squirrelColumbian ground squirrel – 8/16/23, Tombstone Lake Trail, Eagle Cap Wilderness

Golden-mantled ground squirrelGolden-mantled ground squirrel – 7/31/23, Garfield Peak Trail, Crater Lake National Park

ChipmunkChipmunk – 8/5/23, McNeil Point scramble trail, Mt. Hood Wilderness

PikaPika – 8/5/23, McNeil Point Trail, Mt. Hood Wilderness

RabbitRabbit – 5/13/23, Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, Sherwood

RabbitMountain cottontail – 5/29/23, Riley Ranch Preserve, Bend

FawnsFawns – 7/31/23, Garfield Peak Trail, Crater Lake National Park

DoeDoe – 5/20/23, Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Washougal, WA

BuckBuck – 7/31/23, Rim Trail, Crater Lake National Park

Elk along the road to Buckhorn LookoutElk – 6/15/23, Buckhorn Road (FR 46), Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Horses seen from the Threemile TrailHorses – 9/3/23, Threemile Canyon, BLM Burns District

Bat in the Sterling Mine Ditch TunnelBat -5/2/23, Sterling Mine Ditch Tunnel, BLM Medford District

SealsSeals – 11/18/23, Siletz Bay, Lincoln City

ShellShell with inhabitant – 11/18/23, Nelscott Beach, Lincoln City

Starfish at Short BeachStarfish – 10/28/23, Short Beach, Oceanside

Trout in Tombstone LakeTrout – 8/16/23, Tombstone Lake, Eagle Cap Wilderness

Fish in Hells Canyon ReservoirFish – 6/16/23, Hells Canyon Reservoir, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area

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Hiking Medford/Ashland Area Oregon Trip report

Upper Table Rock – 05/26/2022

After the debacle at Mule Mountain (post) we made some adjustments to our planned set of hikes by removing a hike up Stein Butte and a stop at Lower Table Rock which we had visited on a previous trip (post) and shortening our other planned outings. Removing Stein Butte left open the option to not hike on Thursday if we needed a full day of rest which as we went to bed Wednesday night seemed likely. We got up Thursday and hobbled down to the motel’s continental breakfast to finalize our plans for the day which included a trip to the store for food and medical supplies and doing a load of laundry to hopefully wash off any lingering poison oak that we’d picked up on the Mule Creek Trail. It was going to be another warm day but then the forecast showed a dramatic shift with precipitation possible Friday through Sunday including snow as low as 4500′. While we ate we decided that it was going to be too nice to not get out at all and waiting for the afternoon/evening would result in a warmer hike than we’d like so we decided to head to Upper Table Rock as soon as we were done with breakfast.

The Table Rocks are a pair of horseshoe shaped mesas north of Medford and host a variety of Spring wildflowers. Pre Mule Mountain our plan had been to hike both Upper and Lower Table Rocks along with a visit to the Denman Wildlife Area. The plan now was to skip Lower Table Rock this time and split the two other hikes up with the shorter, Upper Table Rock today, and a little longer loop at Denman on Saturday which was forecast to be the rainiest day of the weekend. When we arrived at the Upper Table Rock Trailhead a little before 8am it was already fairly warm out.
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We stopped at the signboards and reviewed the map determining to do the yellow “recommended loop” once we had climbed the 1.25 miles to the top of the mesa.
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There were a good number of flowers still blooming and although poison oak is profuse in the area the wide trail made it easy to avoid. We were definitely feeling the effects of the prior days hike though as we gained the 700’+ of elevation to the start of the loop.
IMG_0784Acorn woodpecker

IMG_0788Death camas and vetch

IMG_0789Carrotleaf horkelia

IMG_0794Lazuli bunting

IMG_0799Finch

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IMG_0801Lupine

IMG_0807Oregon sunshine

IMG_0810Andestite boulder

IMG_0803Mt. McLoughlin (post)

IMG_0811Ground squirrel having breakfast

20220526_081826Blow wives

IMG_0819A clarkia

IMG_0826Blue dicks

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IMG_0832Paintbrush (and poison oak)

20220526_082152Could be a cutleaf silverpuff or a hawksbeard

IMG_0843Viewpoint bench at the half mile point.

20220526_083031Clustered broomrape

IMG_0856Siskiyou Mountains including Mt. Ashland (post), Wagner Butte (post), and Dutchman Peak.

IMG_0857Another type of clarkia

IMG_0870Possibly bastard toadflax

IMG_0874Mariposa lilies

IMG_0875Balsamroot along the trail.

IMG_0879Bell catchfly

IMG_0881Plumed solomonseal

IMG_0884Approaching the start of the loop.

We did the 0.9 mile loop counter-clockwise trying to stick to the most worn trails where the official trail wasn’t obvious.
IMG_0885Looking toward the Siskiyous.

IMG_0886The Red Buttes (post)

IMG_0889Pilot Rock (post)

IMG_0890Mt. Ashland (w/snow) and Wagner Butte

IMG_0894A couple of different wildflowers.

IMG_0896Narrowleaf onion?

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IMG_0912Pincushion plant

IMG_0917Meadowfoam

IMG_0919Not sure what these yellow flowers are. Yellow flowers are by far the hardest to figure out.

IMG_0922Rock wren

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IMG_0928Turkey vulture in flight with Mt. McLoughlin in the background.

IMG_0934Lower Table Rock beyond the other bench of Upper Table Rock.

IMG_0941An American kestral atop a tree.

IMG_0944Lizard

IMG_0957A butterfly and a beetle on arrowleaf buckwheat

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IMG_0975Yarrow

IMG_0978Chaparral false bindweed

IMG_0995White tritelia

After completing the loop, along with taking a couple of breaks to enjoy the scenery, we headed back down to the trailhead. Along the way we spotted a few more species of wildlife and passed a couple of elementary school classes heading up the trail.
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IMG_1004Rufous sided hummingbird

IMG_1013Lizard

IMG_1022Brown headed cowbird

IMG_1019Mt. McLoughlin on the way down.

This hike was just what we needed after the previous days outing. The 3.5 miles and 720′ of elevation gain kept our muscles moving and helped us not stiffen up too much but it was easy enough that we didn’t feel we overexerted ourselves.

After the hike we stopped at Fred Meyer for supplies and lunch from their deli then returned to the motel to do a load of laundry. Later we headed out to Kaleidoscope Pizza having seen it mentioned in a post by Boots on the Trail. It was a good choice and we wound up with leftovers for the next nights dinner as well. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Upper Table Rock

Categories
Hiking Klamath/Siskiyou Mountains Oregon Trip report

Rogue River Trail – Big Bend to Clay Hill – 05/14/2021

Day two of our Southern Oregon Coast extended weekend had us visiting the Rogue River Trail for the first time. We were admittedly a bit apprehensive about this hike as we had hiked another river trail (the Illinois) in the area around the same time of year in 2016 and had been overrun with ticks on that outing. This turned out to be a much more pleasant outing with just a single tick needing to be flicked off Heather which she promptly flicked straight at me.

We started our hike at the Big Bend/Foster Bar Trailhead at the western end of the Rogue River National Recreation Trail.
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It was a beautiful morning as we set off on the trail in the forest skirting a pasture.
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IMG_4221Madia

IMG_4225Blue dicks

Near the half mile mark the trail passed below the Illahe Lodge where a couple of deer had their eyes on us.
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The trail passed through a fence that was booby trapped with poison oak.
IMG_4507The poison oak trap in the afternoon.

While the relative absence of ticks was great we still aren’t accustomed to hiking with the amount of poison oak that tends to be present in the southern part of the State but we’re working on that. This hike was a good test as the majority of the first 4.5 miles of the trail passed through quite a bit of vegetation that more often than not included poison oak. We weren’t entirely sure what to make of the hikers we saw in shorts or pants that left open skin near the calves and ankles, were we being too paranoid or are they crazy? The first four miles also included a couple of climbs to bypass private land which limited the views of the river quite a bit.
IMG_4234Bridge over Billings Creek.

20210514_072347Del Norte iris

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IMG_4278Tolmie’s mariposa lily

20210514_074548Douglas iris with insect.

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IMG_4300More mariposa lilies (with a poison oak background)

IMG_4303Thimbleberry

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IMG_4315The Rogue River from the trail during one of the climbs.

20210514_091222Henderson’s stars

IMG_4328One of dozens of lizards we saw (or heard).

IMG_4330Camas

We watched a number of rafts float by and later learned that it was the last weekend to float the river without needing a permit so it was an extra busy weekend.
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We had honestly been a little underwhelmed with the trail as we reached the bridge over Flea Creek at the 4.5 mile mark. We had equated the Rogue River Trail with the dramatic views we’d seen in others photos but the section of trail up to now was short on those.
IMG_4339Footbridge over Flea Creek

Things changed in a hurry beyond Flea Creek though as the views opened up a bit before the trail arrived at Flora Del Falls less than a quarter mile later.
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We took an extended break at the falls before continuing on another 1.75 miles to the Clay Hill Lodge where we decided to turn around. The scenery was now excellent, exactly what we had been hoping for but it was warmer than we were used to and we had more hiking to do over the next couple of days so as tempting as continuing on was, the lodge made for a good turnaround point.
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20210514_094757Oregon sunshine

20210514_095219Elegant brodiaea

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IMG_4388Yarrow

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IMG_4398Bindweed

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IMG_4407Poppies

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IMG_4439Clay Hill Lodge

IMG_4441Rafts in Clay Hill Rapids

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IMG_4462Winecup clarkia

We saw our only snake of the day on our return trip when we spotted our first ring-necked snake in the trail.
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The rafts seemed to have given way to Jet Boats which we could hear coming well before we saw them.
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We stopped again at Flora Del Falls where I was tormented by a swallow tail that just wouldn’t land.
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IMG_4489One of the dozens of photos I took trying to get the swallow tail in flight.

After the break we headed back to the trailhead. We were trying to come up with markers to break up the 4.5 mile section and Heather remembered that Sullivan had said that there were 5 bridge crossings over named creeks. We ignored the “named creeks” detail and began counting bridges down from 5. There were well more than 5 bridge, closer to a dozen but only 5 crossed “named creeks”. Either way we made it back to the car (and past a few cows) finishing a very nice 12.9 mile hike just after 2:15pm.
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After staying in Gold Beach the night before we were now headed north to Bandon for a couple of nights. We stopped for dinner in Port Orford at the Crazy Norwegian on a recommendation from Heather’s Dad. We shared a clam chowder and split the fish and chips. They were wonderful, a perfect ending to our day.

We found out a couple of days later that we had missed running into the folks from Boots on the Trail, one of our favorite hiking blogs. They had been hiking the entire trail one way and would be doing this section on Saturday the 15th, one day after our hike. We have wondered if that might happen sometime when we are down in that area and it almost did. Maybe next trip. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Rogue River Trail – Big Bend to Clay Hill Lodge