Tag: wildflowers

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Trip report

2024 Wildflower Gallery Part 2

This is part 2 of our annual wrap up of wildflowers we saw during the year on our hikes. (Part 1) I’ve tried to identify non-natives as well as indicate if this was our first time (that we know of) seeing a particular flower. We continue to work on learning to identify the flowers we see and remain a long way from being able to tell some of the different species apart, so any corrections or additional IDs are greatly appreciated.

The date and hike/trail of our observation is inculded.
Ocean sprayOcean spray – August 4th – Wizard Island (Crater Lake NP), OR

Olympic onionOlympic onion – June 8th – Cedar Butte, OR

One-sided wintergreenOne-sided wintergreen – July 25th – Minam River Trail, OR

OnionTapertip onion – July 21st – Granny View Overlook (Hells Canyon), OR

OokowOokow – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

Orange agoserisOrange agoseris – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain, OR

Orange globe mallowOrange globe mallow- May 25th – Barnes Butte (Prineville), OR

OrchidAn orchid – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Oregon bluebellsOregon bluebells – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain Trail, OR

Oregon grapeOregon grape – March 30th – Mulkey Ridge Trail (Corvallis), OR

Oregon sunshineOregon sunshine – July 13th – Nasty Rock Trail, OR

Pacific CoralrootPacific coralroot – July 13th – Joyce Lake Trail, OR

Pacific hound's tonguePacific hound’s tongue – March 30th – Mulkey Ridge Trail (Corvallis), OR

Pacific waterleafPacific waterleaf – May 12th – Cathedral Tree Trail, OR

PaintbrushIndian paintbrush – May 25th – Willow Creek Canyon, OR

Paintbrush - probably scarlet (Castilleja miniata)Paintbrush – probably scarlet (Castilleja miniata) – August 18th – Cliff Creek Trail (Wallowa-Whitman National Forest), OR

Parry's arnicaParry’s arnica – July 21st – Hat Point, OR

Partridge footPatridge foot – September 13th – Pacific Crest Trail (Mt. Jefferson Wilderness), OR

Path at the Granny View OverlookGray sagewort – July 21st – Granny View Overlook (Hells Canyon), OR

Pea-vinePea-vine – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

Pearly everlastingPearly everlasting – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR

Pearly everlasting and cloverWoolly head clover – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

PennycressPennycress – July 23rd – McCully Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

PenstemonPenstemon – May 25th – Barnes Butte (Prineville), OR

PenstemonPenstemon – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

PenstemonPestemon – July 13th – Nasty Rock Trail, OR

PenstemonVenus penstemon – July 21st – Granny View Overlook (Hells Canyon), OR

PenstemonGlobe penstemon – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

PhaceliaA phacelia – July 26th – East Peak (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Phantom orchidPhantom orchid – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

PhloxPhlox – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

PinedropsPinedrops – August 3rd – The Pinnacles Trail (Crater Lake NP), OR

Pink pyrolaPink pyrola – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR

Pioneer violetPioneer violet – April 13th – Wind Mountain, WA

Possibly woolly goldenweedWoolly goldenweed? (If so this was a first for us.) – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

Prairie smokePrairie smoke – May 26th – Bull Prairie Lake, OR

Prince's pinePrince’s pine – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Purple dead-nettlePurple dead-nettle – February 24th – Fernhill Wetlands, OR

Purpleflower honeysucklePurpleflower honeysuckle – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain, OR

PussypawsPussypaws – July 26th – Mount Howard, OR

PussytoesPussytoes – July 13th – Nasty Rock Trail, OR

Queen's cupQueen’s cup – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA

Raceme pussytoesRaceme pussytoes – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain, OR

Rosy pussytoesRosy pussytoes – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA

RagwortRagwort – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

Red cloverRed clover – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Red flowering currantRed flowering currant – April 13th – Wind Mountain, WA

RhododendronRhododendron – June 15th – O’Leary Mountain Trail, OR

RockcressRockcress – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

Rose campionRose campion (non-native) – June 19th – Buckhead Nature Trail, OR

Rosy bird's-foot trefoilRosy bird’s-foot trefoil – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR

Sagebrush mariposa lilySagebrush mariposa lily – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

SalalSalal – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR

Salmon berrySalmonberry – April 13th – St. Cloud Trail, WA

SandwortSandwort – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

SaxifrageSaxifrage – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Scarlet giliaScarlet gilia – July 4th – Horsepasture Mountain, OR

Scouler's bluebellScouler’s bluebell – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR

Scouler's corydalisScouler’s corydalis – April 13th – Lower Archer Falls, WA

Scouler's woollyweedScouler’s woollyweed – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Seaside bittercressSeaside bittercress – May 11th – Ecola State Park, OR

Self-healSelf-heal – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR

ServiceberryServiceberry – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

Shooting starShooting star – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

Silverleaf phaceliaSilverleaf phacelia – May 25th – Willow Creek Canyon, OR

silvery raillardellaSilvery raillardella (new to us) – August 4th – Crater Lake National Park, OR

Sitka mist-maidensSitka mist-maidens – April 27th – Wahkeena Trail, OR

Skunk cabbageSkunk cabbage – May 11th – Ecola State Park, OR

Slender phloxSlender phlox – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

Small-flowered woodland-starmall-flowered woodland-star – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

Small bluebellsSmall bluebells – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

SnowberrySnowberry – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR

SolomonsealSolomonseal – April 20th – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, OR

Sour grassOregon oxalis – April 13th – Lower Archer Falls, WA

Spiraea betulifoliaSpirea betulifolia – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA

SpireaSpiraea douglasii – July 6th – Independence Riverfront Park, OR

SpireaSpiraea splendens – July 25th – Minam River Trail, OR

Spotted coralrootSpotted coralroot – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

Spreading dogbaneSpreading dogbane – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Spreading stickseedSpreading stickseed? – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

Star-flowered false solomonsealStar-flowered false solomonseal – June 8th – Cedar Butte, OR

StarflowerStarflower – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

StonecropStonecrop – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

StonecropWormleaf stonecrop – July 13th – Nasty Rock, OR

StrawberryStrawberry – March 30th – Mulkey Ridge Trail (Corvallis), OR

Streambank globe-mallowStreambank globe-mallow – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Sub-alpine mariposa lilySub-alpine mariposa lily – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR

Sugar sticksSugar sticks – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR

Swamp onion and fleabaneSwamp onion – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Sweet bee on chicoryChicory (non-native) – August 18th – Cliff Creek Trail (Wallowa-Whitman National Forest), OR

Sweet coltsfootSweet coltsfoot – April 27th – Wahkeena Trail, OR

Tall bluebellsTall bluebells – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain Trail, OR

Tansy ragwortTansy ragwort (non-native) – July 6th – Independence Riverfront Park, OR

Tasselflower brickellbrushTasselflower brickellbrush – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

ThimbleberryThimbleberry – April 20th – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, OR

ThistleThistle – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR

ThistleThistle (non-native) – July 6th – Independence Riverfront Park, OR

Greene's thistle (Cirsium inamoenum)Greene’s thistle (Cirsium inamoenum) – July 26th – Mount Howard, OR

Threadleaf phaceliaThreadleaf phacelia – May 25th – Barnes Butte (Prineville), OR

Tiger liliesTiger lilies – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR

ToadflaxDalmation toadflax (non-native) – May 25th – Willow Creek Trail (Madras), OR

Tolmie's mariposa lilyTolmie’s mariposa lily – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR

ToothwortToothwort – March 30th – Mulkey Ridge Trail (Corvallis), OR

TrilliumTrillium – March 30th – Mulkey Ridge Trail (Corvallis), OR

TwinberryTwinberry – April 20th – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, OR

Twin flowerTwin flower – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR

ValerianValerian – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR

Vanilla leafVanilla leaf – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

variable-leaf collomiaVariable-leaf collomia – June 8th – Cedar Butte Road, OR

VetchVetch – May 28th – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, OR

Vine mapleVine maple – April 13th – Lower Archer Falls, WA

VioletViolet – March 6th – Dorris Ranch (Eugene), OR

VioletViolet – July 25th – Minam River Trail, OR

VioletsCanary violet – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

Hookedspur violetsHookedspur violets – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

WallflowerWallflower – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR

Wallowa paintbrushWallowa paintbrush – July 25th – Minam River Trail, OR

Washington LilyWashington lily – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR

Western buttercupsWestern buttercups – March 16th – Middle Fork Willamette Path (Eugene), OR

Western clematisWestern clematis – August 19th – Pine Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Western featherbellsWestern featherbells – July 13th – Nasty Rock Trail, OR

Western Labrador teaWestern Labrador tea – July 25th – Minam River Trail, OR

Western meadowrueWestern meadowrue – April 27th – Angel’s Rest Trail, OR

Western snakerootWestern snakeroot – August 4th – Wizard Island (Crater Lake NP), OR

White mariposa lilyWhite mariposa lily – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Bushy blazing-star (Mentzelia dispersa)Bushy blazing-star (Mentzelia dispersa) – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Wild irisTough-leaved iris – March 30th – Mulkey Ridge Trail (Corvallis), OR

Wild onionsWild onion (Tolmie’s?) – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

Wild rosesWild roses – May 28th – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, OR

WillowherbWillowherb – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

WintergreenWintergreen – July 13th – Nasty Rock Trail, OR

Woolly groundsel?Possibly woolly groundsel – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

YarrowYarrow – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA

Yellow bellYellow bell – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

Yellow columbineYellow columbine – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Yellowleaf irisYellowleaf iris – June 15th – O’Leary Mountain Trail, OR

Yellow sweet cloverYellow sweet clover (non-native) – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Youth-on-ageYouth-on-age – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR

Zigzag groundsmokeZigzag groundsmoke – August 3rd – The Pinnacles Trail (Crater Lake NP), OR

Unceremoniously the last flower seen was the non-native Queen Anne’s Lace at William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge on October 18th.
Cattail Pond Trail junction with the Beaver Pond TrailInvasive Queen Anne’s Lace lower right corner.

I’m sure we saw more varieties than we are able to identify, but even with our limited knowledge I’m confident we easily topped 300 by years end. The five best wildflower hikes we took in 2024 by date order were:
Madison Butte, OR – 5/26/24 (post)
Cook Hill, WA – 6/1/2024 (post)
PCT to Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA – 6/22/24 (post)
Olallie Trail to Horsepasture Mountain, OR – 7/04/24 (post)
Bonny Lakes, OR – 7/24/24 (post)

We look forward to seeing what kind of variety 2025 will bring. Wildflowers will start popping up in January when the grass widows make their appearance at the eastern end of the Columbia River Gorge with many others to follow. Happy Trail!

Categories
Year-end wrap up

2024 Wildflower Gallery Part 1

In 2018 we began a tradition of posting a collection of the variety of flowers that we encountered during that year’s hikes. We continue to work on learning to identify the flowers we see and remain a long way from being able to tell some of the different species apart. That doesn’t take away from our ability to enjoy the flowers though, so with that in mind here are some (but not all) of the flowers we saw this past year. We’ve split this into two posts this year due to the number of pictures (Part 2). (Any IDs provided are best guesses and any corrections or additional IDs are greatly appreciated.)

The first blooms we spotted were Indian plum during a February 24th hike at Fernhill Wetlands in Forest Grove (post).
Indian plum

Here are the others with date and location/hike. I’ve tried to identify non-natives as well as indicate if this was our first time (that we know of) seeing a particular flower.
AgoserisAgoseris – July 26th – Mount Howard, OR

AllumrootAllumroot – July 26th – Mount Howard, OR

Alpine pennycressAlpine pennycress – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

American saw-wortAmerican Sawwort (Saussurea americana) – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

An arnicaArnica – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

AnemoneDrummond’s anemone seedhead – August 4th – Crater Lake National Park, OR

AnemonesColumbia windflower (Anemone deltoidea) – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

Apple blossomsApple blossoms – April 13th – St. Cloud Trail, WA

ArnicaHeartleaf arnica – May 26th – Bull Prairie Lake, OR

ArnicaBroadleaf arnica – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA

Arrowleaf buckwheatArrowleaf buckwheat – July 13th – Nasty Rock, OR

AsterWestern mountain aster – July 13th – Nasty Rock, OR

AsterShowy? aster – August 22nd – East Fork Wallowa River Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Buckwheat and asterThick-stemmed aster and buckwheat – July 21st – Granny View Overlook (Hells Canyon), OR

Aster or fleabaneAnother aster (or fleabane) – August 20th – Bowman Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

AvensLargeleaf avens – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR

Bachelor buttonsBachelor buttons (non-native) – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

Ballhead sandwortBallhead sandwort – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Ballhead waterleafBallhead waterleaf – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

BalsamrootCarey’s balsamroot – May 25th – Willow Creek Canyon, OR

BalsamrootArrowleaf balsamroot – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

BaneberryBaneberry – May 18th – Wilson River Trail, OR

Bastard toadflaxBastard toadflax – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain, OR

BeardtongueWoodland beardtongue – July 13th – Nasty Rock, OR

BeargrassBeargrass – June 8th – Cedar Butte, OR

Big leaf mapleBigleaf maple – March 30th – Mulkey Ridge Trail (Corvallis), OR

BindweedBindweed – August 18th – Cliff Creek Trail (Wallowa-Whitman National Forest), OR

BiscuitrootBarestem biscuitroot – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

BlackberryTrailing blackberry – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR

Bleeding heartBleeding heart – April 27th – Devil’s Rest Trail, OR

Blue-eyed MaryBlue-eyed Mary – April 13th – Wind Mountain, WA

Bluebell-of-ScotlandBluebell-of-Scotland – July 13th – Nasty Rock, OR

Bluehead giliaBluehead gilia – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA

Bog orchidBog Orchid – July 23rd – McCully Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Bolander's ragwortBolander’s Ragwort – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA

Buckhead Nature TrailDaisies (non-native) – June 19th – Buckhead Nature Trail, OR

Sulphur-flower wild buckwheatSulphur-flower wild buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum) – July 13th – Nasty Rock, OR

BuckwheatBarestem wild buckwheat (Eriogonum nudum) – July 13th – Nasty Rock, OR

Cushion wild buckwheatCushion wild buckwheat – July 26th – Mount Howard, OR

Alpine buckwheatAlpine wild buckwheat – August 4th – Crater Lake National Park, OR

Buek's groundselBuek’s groundsel – July 26th – Mount Howard, OR

BugbaneCarolina bugbane – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

BunchberryBunchberry – July 13th – Joyce Lake Trail, OR

ButtercupButtercup – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR

Butterfly on bistortBistort – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR

California-teaCalifornia-tea – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR

California cornlilyCalifornia cornlily – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

CamasCamas – April 20th – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, OR

Canadian milk-vetchCanadian milk-vetch – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

CandyflowerCandy flower – April 13th – Sams-Walker Day Use Area, WA

Cardwell's penstemonCardwell’s penstemon – June 8th – Tillamook State Forest (Road FB3), OR

CatchflyCatchfly – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA

CeanothusCeanothus – June 15th – O’Leary Mountain Trail, OR

Checker (chocolate) liliesChocolate lily – April 13th – Doetsch Ranch, WA

Checker-mallowMeadow checker-mallow – May 28th – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, OR

CheckerbloomRose checker-mallow – May 28th – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, OR

CheckermallowOregon checker-mallow – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

ChickweedChickweed – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

CinquefoilCinquefoil – June 29th – Hiyu Ridge, OR

CinquefoilShrubby cinquefoil – July 21st – Hat Point, OR

ClarkiaFarewell to spring (Clarkia amoena) – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

Cliff beardtongueCliff beardtongue – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA

Clodius on mountain coyote mintCoyote mountain mint – July 13th – Nasty Rock, OR

CloverClover – August 22nd – East Fork Wallowa River Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Coastal manrootCoastal manroot – May 11th – Crescent Beach Trail, OR

Columbian larkspurColumbian larkspur – March 16th – Middle Fork Willamette Path (Eugene), OR

ColumbineColumbine – June 29th – Hiyu Ridge, OR

Common butterwort?Common butterwort? – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Common madiaCommon madia – May 28th – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, OR

Common whippleaCommon whipplea – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR

ConeflowerConeflower – August 17th – Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area, OR

Cusick's speedwellCusick’s speedwell – July 23rd – McCully Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Cut-leaf thelypodyCut-leaf thelypody – May 25th – Willow Creek Trail, OR

Cutleaf anemoneCutleaf anemone – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Death camasDeath camas – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

Desert yellow fleabaneDesert yellow fleabane – May 25th – Willow Creek Trail, OR

Devil's clubDevil’s club – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR

DogwoodDogwood – April 20th – Rood Bridge Park, OR

Dusty maidensDusty maidens – July 26th – East Peak (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Dwarf aplinegoldDwarf alpinegold – August 4th – Crater Lake National Park, OR

Dwarf lupineDwarf lupine – August 4th – Crater Lake National Park, OR

ElderberryElderberry – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain, OR

Elephants headElephants head – July 25th – Minam River Trail, OR

Elkhorn clarkiaElkhorn clarkia – July 21st – Granny View Overlook (Hells Canyon), OR

English plantainEngilish plantain (non-native) – May 11th – Fort Stevens State Park, OR

Explorer's gentianExplorer’s gentian – September 21st – Black Wolf Meadows, OR

Fairy bellsFairy bells – April 27th – Wahkeena Trail, OR

Fairy lanternsFairy lanterns – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR

Fairy slipperFairy slipper – April 13th – Wind Mountain, WA

Fawn liliesFawn lilies – March 30th – Mulkey Ridge Trail (Corvallis), OR

Felt-leaf everlastingFelt-leaf everlasting – August 4th – Crater Lake National Park, OR

Finetooth beardtongueFinetooth beardtongue – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA

FireweedFireweed – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Flase helleboreFalse hellebore – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

FleabaneA fleabane? – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain, OR

Showy FleabaneShowy? fleabane – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Flett's ragwortFlett’s ragwort – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR

Ground-ivy (non-native) at Sams-Walker Day Use AreaGround-ivy (non-native) – April 13th – Sams-Walker Day Use Area, WA

Foam flowerFoam flower – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

FringecupFringecup – April 13th – Lower Archer Falls, WA

Fringed pinesapFringed pinesap – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR

GentianGentian – August 19th – Pine Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

GeraniumGeranium – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Ghost pipeGhost pipe – August 22nd – East Fork Wallowa River Trail, OR

Giant wakerobinGiant purple wakerobin (Trillium kurabayashii) – April 20th – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, OR

Giant white wakerobinGiant white wakerobin (Trillium albidum) – April 20th – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, OR

GingerWild ginger – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

Glacier liliesGlacier lilies- May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

GoldenrodRocky Mountain goldenrod – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Gold starsGold stars – April 27th – Wahkeena Trail, OR

Grass-of-parnassuisGrass-of-parnassus – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Grass widowsGrass widows – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

Gray's licorice-rootGray’s licorice-root – August 3rd – Castle Crest Wildflower Trail (Crater Lake NP), OR

Greene's goldenbushGreene’s goldenbush – August 3rd – The Pinnacles Trail (Crater Lake NP), OR

GroundselGroundsel – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

HarebellsHarebells – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

HedgenettleHedgenettle – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR

Hoary CressHoary Cress (non-native) – May 25th – Barnes Butte (Prineville), OR

HoneysuckleHoneysuckle – June 29th – Hiyu Ridge Trail, OR

Hooded ladies tressesHooded ladies tresses – August 20th – Chimney Lake Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Idaho licorice-rootIdaho licorice-root – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Inside-out flowerInside-out-flower – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR

Jacob's-ladderRoyal Jacob’s ladder – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR

Jacob's ladderJacob’s ladder – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Jessica stickseedJessica’s stickseed – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR

Lance-leaf spring beautyLance-leaf spring beauty – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

Large-flower triteleiaLarge-flower triteleia – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

Largeleaf sandwortLargeleaf sandwort – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain Trail, OR

LarkspurMenzies’ Larkspur (Delphinium menziesii) – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR

LarkspurPossibly rockslide larkspur (Delphinium glareosum) – July 13th – Nasty Rock, OR

LarkspurSierra larkspur (Delphinium glaucum) – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Leafy fleabaneLeafy fleabane – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR

Leafy mitrewortLeafy miterwort – May 18th – Wilson River Trail, OR

Lemon-scented madiaLemon-scented madia – May 25th – Willow Creek Canyon, OR

Lewis flaxLewis flax – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain, OR

Lewis monkeyflowerLewis monkeyflower – August 3rd – Castle Crest Wildflower Trail (Crater Lake NP), OR

Lily of the valleyFalse lily of the valley – April 20th – Rood Bridge Park, OR

Little-leaf montiaLittleleaf montia – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR

Little prince's pineLittle prince’s pine – June 15th – O’Leary Mountain Trail, OR

Longhorn plectritisLonghorn plectritis – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR

Sickletop lousewortSickletop louswort – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR

LousewortCoiled lousewort – July 23rd – McCully Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

LupineLupine – May 18th – Wilson River Trail, OR

LupineLupine – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Lyall's GoldenweedLyall’s goldenweed – July 26th – Mount Howard, OR

MicroserisMicroseris – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA

Milk-vetchBasalt? milk-vetch – May 25th – Barnes Butte (Prineville), OR

Mock orangeMock orange – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

MonkeyflowerCommon monkey-flower (Erythranthe guttata) – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA

MonkeyflowerChickweed monkey-flower (Erythranthe alsinoides) – June 8th – Cedar Butte Road, OR

MonkeyflowerCoastal monkey-flower (Erythranthe dentata) – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR

MonkshoodMonkshood – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Mountain ashMountain ash – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Mountain death camasMountain death camas – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Mountain heatherMountain heather – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR

Musk monkeyflowerMusk monkey-flower (Erythranthe moschata) – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR

Naked broomrapeNaked broomrape – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain, OR

Nettle-leaf giant hyssopNettle-leaf giant hyssop – July 21st – Granny View Overlook (Hells Canyon), OR

Northern phloxNorthern phlox – June 15th – O’Leary Mountain Trail, OR

Northwestern rabbit-tabbacoNorthwestern rabbit-tabbaco – September 13th – Pacific Crest Trail (Mt. Jefferson Wilderness), OR

Northwestern twaybladeNorthwestern twayblade – July 13th – Nasty Rock Trail, OR

Nuttall's linanthusNuttall’s linanthus – July 25th – Minam River Trail, OR

Categories
Hiking Oregon Trip report Wallowas

Bonny Lakes – 07/24/2024

With dozens of fires already burning across Oregon another round of thunderstorms were forecasted for Wednesday afternoon/evening. We’d decided on the hike to Bonny Lakes which Sullivan had a 7.8-mile option, an 11.8-mile option, and a 16.3-mile loop. Once again we opted for the shortest option to avoid the heat and storms and to try and to keep the strain on my left leg as low as possible while still finishing one of the featured hike’s options.

After driving the very rocky Forest Road 100 we parked at the Tenderfoot Trailhead and set off on the Tenderfoot Wagon Road which quickly entered the Eagle Cap Wilderness.
IMG_9983We managed to get started about ten minutes before 6am.

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The trail brought us to a ford of Big Sheep Creek. We could have forded across, but then we noticed an old log bridge downstream. We backtracked up the trail and found a spur trail leading to the birdge.
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IMG_9994Bugbane and paintbrush

IMG_9996A 2022 wildfire burned the first 3-miles of the trail and left the old footbridge damaged. A steep scramble trail led down to it.

IMG_9997Big Sheep Creek

After crossing on the damaged bridge we rejoined the Wagon Road and began climbing through fields of wildflowers.
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IMG_0008

IMG_0009Paintbrush and lupine

IMG_0013Wildfire smoke filling the valley behind us.

The trail leveled out and continued to climb gradually arriving at a junction just before the North Fork Big Sheep Creek at the 1.1-mile mark.
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IMG_0038Phacelia

20240724_063413Butterfly on buckwheat.

IMG_0051Some of the trees survived the fire.

IMG_0055White mariposa lilies in a meadow along the trail.

IMG_0066Junction with the Wing Ridge Trail.

IMG_0074North Fork Big Sheep Creek

IMG_0076Lewis Monkeyflower along the creek.

The trail crossed the creek and continued the gradual climb past more wildflowers and several more streams for 1.2-miles to another junction. Portions of this section of trail burned fairly intensely damaging the soil and leaving little vegetation, but other areas were covered in colorful flowers.
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IMG_0094Canada milk-vetch

20240724_065844Grass-of-parnassus

20240724_065900Bog orchid

20240724_065956Checker-mallow

IMG_0122Bee heading for some monkshood.

<20240724_070059Me in some fireweed.

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IMG_0151

IMG_0162Getting eyed by a western tanager.

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IMG_0177When fires burn too hot they damage the soil which makes it difficult for all plants to obtain the necessary nutrients to grow.

IMG_0178A few plants had been able to take hold.

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IMG_0189A healthy patch of paintbrush.

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IMG_0194Middle Fork Big Sheep Creek

IMG_0196Monkeyflower

IMG_0198Brook saxifrage

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IMG_0208Another severely burned section.

IMG_0212The Bonny Lakes Trail forking to the right off of the Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail.

We turned onto the Bonny Lakes Trail which continued through the fire scar for approximately another half mile before reaching unburned forest.
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IMG_0221Wildflowers along the Bonny Lakes Trail.

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IMG_0229The wildflowers were profuse along this stretch of trail.

IMG_0231American sawwort

IMG_0234Police car moths

IMG_0247Larkspur and fleabane

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IMG_0259The trail recrossed the Middle Fork Big Sheep Creek.

IMG_0266Orange agoseris

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After recrossing the Middle Fork Big Sheep Creek the trail followed along it as it climbed toward the Bonny Lakes.
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IMG_0283

IMG_0286Taper tip onions

IMG_0290White mariposa lilies

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The trail came to a rock outcrop a half mile before reaching the lakes where it suddenly steepened. As I approached the rocks I heard an animal sound an alarm. A moment later I spotted a pika.
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IMG_0304False hellebore

IMG_0306Checker-mallow

IMG_0309Penstemon on the outcrop.

IMG_0307Mountain larkspur

IMG_0310Pika!

IMG_0314Gathering plants for the Winter store.

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IMG_0321On the steep climb.

IMG_0323Mountain heather

After the steep section the trail relented a bit and soon rejoined the creek on the final climb to Lower Bonny Lake.
IMG_0329Ground squirrel

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IMG_0338The creek was below between the ridges here.

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IMG_0349Stonecrop

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As we were passing above a marshy area along the creek filled with swamp onions Heather spotted a monarch butterfly.
IMG_0356Swamp onions

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IMG_0373Wallowa paintbrush

IMG_0374Aneroid Mountain and Lower Bonny Lake.

IMG_0380Aneroid Mountain to the right and an unnamed peak on the left.

The lake was beautiful. We followed the trail around the east side of the lake crossing a connecting creek between the two lakes.
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IMG_0388Shrubby cinquefoil

IMG_0389Cutleaf anemone seed heads.

IMG_0391Possibly a sandwort.

We followed the trail up a knoll to get a view of Upper Bonny Lake, then left the trail to climb to the top of the rocks to get a view down to the meadows behind the lower lake.
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IMG_0398Upper Bonny Lake

IMG_0399Lower Bonny Lake

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IMG_0404Aneroid Mountain from the knoll.

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After exploring the knoll we headed back down to the lower lake to admire the view once more before starting back.
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IMG_0425Spotted sandpiper

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20240724_095948Elephants head

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IMG_0454

IMG_0458White mariposa lily and buckwheat

IMG_0464Jacob’s ladder

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IMG_0479Checker-mallow and white mariposa lilies along the trail.

IMG_0482Scouler’s woolly-weed

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IMG_0510

20240724_111946Gentians

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IMG_0517Goldenrod and yarrow

20240724_113534Nuttal’s linanthus

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IMG_0534North Fork Big Sheep Creek

The McCully Creek Trail is shown on maps as joining the Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail just to the west of the North Fork Big Sheep Creek crossing but neither of us noticed any sign of its existence. That trail theoretically climbs to Big Sheep Basin then over a pass to McCully Creek where we’d hiked the previous day (post). After taking a short break at the creek crossing we hiked the 1.1-miles down to the damaged bridge and then back to the trailhead.
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IMG_0551The haze from the morning had improved now that the Sun had moved on from the east.

IMG_0556Looking down at the un-damaged bridge over a side stream.

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20240724_123722Yellow columbine

IMG_0566Big Sheep Creek.

This hike came to 9-miles with a little under 1500′ of elevation gain due to us wandering around a bit at the lake and a couple of other times along the trail.
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We drove back to our room in Enterprise and ordered pick-up from Thai Enterprise which Heather picked up shortly before a strong thunderstorm passed through. A little before 5pm we heard the first boom then the wind really picked up. Emergency vehicles were racing through town and debris was flying all over for about 15-20 minutes. The winds calmed down, but the thunder continued off and on for several more hours. We were watching fire reports closely and a new start, the Camelback Fire, was reported at 4:43pm near Highway 82 which was our route home on Friday. Interstate 84 was already closed along with several other highways due to various fires so we were starting to wonder if we would be able to get home. Fortunately the Oregon Department of Forestry was able to jump on this start quickly had managed to have it contained shortly before 10pm. We were also uncertain as to if we would be able to do our planned hike to Minam Lake the next day or if new fires would be ending our vacation early. If that were the case at least we’d gotten to see the wonderful wildflowers and Bonny Lakes which was our favorite hike of the trip thus far. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Bonny Lakes

Categories
Bull of the Woods/Opal Creek Hiking Mollala Old Cascades Oregon Trip report

Joyce Lake and Nasty Rock – 07/13/2024

Our quest to seek out new to us trails had us turning back to Matt Reeder’s “101 Hikes in the Majestic Mount Jefferson Region” (1st edition). Because the book was released in 2016 it pre-dates the 2020 Riverside and Beachie Creek Fires that devastated much of this region leaving many of the hike descriptions out-of-date. We were fortunate enough to experience most of the hikes, at least in part, prior to those fires.

One of the hikes that we had not yet gotten to was Reeder’s hike #4-Upper Molalla Divide. Reeder describes three options starting at two different trailheads ranging from a 0.7-mile loop at Joyce Lake and a 2.8-mile out-and-back to Nasty Rock. These hikes largely escaped the recent fires except for a couple of small sections of the trail to Nasty Rock scarred by the 2020 Beachie Creek Fire. On the other hand, other than the trail around Joyce Lake, the trails are rarely if ever maintained.

We decided to start our day at Joyce Lake when we found the trailhead parking area empty. Two of the three described hikes start from this trailhead, the very short loop around Joyce Lake, and a 2.6-mile loop combining the abandoned Baty Butte Trail and gravel roads.
IMG_8900The unsigned trail enters the forest across from a small pullout.

The trail quickly arrives at a campsite where we then headed left on the loop around the lake which is stocked with fish.
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IMG_8902Bunchberry

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IMG_8929Fish

IMG_8931Rough skinned newt

After completing the loop around the lake we headed back toward the road from the campsite looking for the abandoned Baty Butte Trail. It wasn’t easy to spot but a metal diamond on a tree marked the start of this trail.
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After pushing through some Rhododendron the trail became a little easier to follow.
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We had hiked a portion of this old trail in 2019 to Baty Butte itself (post) and were hoping to get more of the trail in, but just under half a mile from the start of the trail we came to a small talus slope.
IMG_8945Flagging and some old trail maintenance along the Baty Butte Trail.

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On the far side of the talus a tree had fallen onto the thick vegetation creating a matt of leaves and branches that covered the tread.
IMG_8950We could see the tread continuing on the other side of the thicket.

IMG_8949Vegetation covering the trail.

We initially thought that we might be able to dip below the downed tree, but the hillside below was covered with thorny devil’s club. Going up and around didn’t look any more promising, and even if we did find a way around this there was another mile of trail before reaching a powerline road that we would be turning onto. We accepted defeat here and turned back. Between Joyce Lake and the failed attempt at the longer loop our hike here was just 1.5-miles with a couple hundred feet of elevation gain.
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From the Joyce Lake Trailhead we continued 3.9-miles to the trailhead for the Nasty Rock Hike. (Note that online searches and Google maps for the Nasty Rock Trailhead will provide results for the Willamette National Forest’s Nasty Rock Trailhead which is currently closed due to the Beachie Creek fire and does not actually lead to Nasty Rock.)
IMG_8952The trailhead is located at a turnaround at the end of BLM road 7-4E-11.1.

The BLM refers the Nasty Rock Trail as “historic” and the area was part of a BLM study for addition to the adjacent Opal Creek Wilderness in 2013. That study found that the area met all the criteria and characteristics for a wilderness, but the addition never moved forward. The 2013 study mentioned that the trail was not being annually maintained but it was still “usable”. Having just been turned back on our earlier hike we were prepared for a similar experience here, although a 2022 trip report on Oregonhikers.org indicated that the trail was still passable at that time. While the trail itself still shows on the BLM’s recreation map there is no trailhead symbol shown.

Before setting off we took a moment to admire the roadside wildflowers.
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IMG_8957Oregon sunshine, lupine and paintbrush.

IMG_8958Larkspur, paintbrush, and Oregon sunshine.

IMG_8960Penstemon, paintbrush, and valerian.

The Nasty Rock Trail, like the Baty Butte Trail, was not obvious from the parking area. Again a metal diamond on a tree helped us locate the trail heading uphill from the road below.
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The trail initially climbs as it wraps around a shoulder of Burnt Mountain. The tread is narrow in places, and a bit overgrown.
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IMG_8968Westen featherbells

IMG_8971Bistort

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IMG_8975Arnica

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IMG_8981Bear sign on the trail.

IMG_8989Paintbrush and lousewort

The trail then traversed the hillside below Burnt Mountain entering the Beachie Creek fire scar a third of a mile from the start of the trail.
IMG_8996Nasty Rock from the trail.

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IMG_8999Entering the fire scar.

IMG_9000The trail was especially overgrown in the fire scar.

IMG_9002Penstemon

IMG_9003Columbine along the trail.

IMG_9005Valerian

IMG_9008Exiting the fire scar after less than 100 yards.

The trail continued on a fairly level grade past Burnt Mountain then curving to the West as it followed a ridge toward Nasty Rock.
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IMG_9013While none of the several downed trees posed much of an issue the condition of the trail made for slow going.

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The trail crossed the ridge near the mile mark where views opened up.
IMG_9024Nasty Rock sticking up ahead.

IMG_9034Not Nasty Rock further along the ridge and in the Beachie Creek fire scar.

IMG_9037Wildflowers were blooming in the openings along the ridge.

20240713_090340Arrowleaf buckwheat

IMG_9040Checkerspot on Oregon sunshine

20240713_090516Oregon sunshine

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IMG_9046Table Rock (post)

IMG_9049Mt. Hood peecking up from behind a ridge.

20240713_090640Scarlet gilia

IMG_9053Nasty Rock from the trail.

IMG_9057Flowers below the trail.

IMG_9058Flowers above the trail.

IMG_9066Buckwheat

As the trail neared Nasty Rock it entered another section of forest burned in the Beachie Creek fire.
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The trail steepened noticeably before effectively ending on the SW shoulder of Nasty Rock.
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IMG_9082There were a lot of nice Washington lilies below Nasty Rock with more to come over the next week or two.

IMG_9085Wintergreen

IMG_9086Nasty Rock from the trail.

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IMG_9098The trail below Nasty Rock.

IMG_9103Nasty Rock from the end of the “trail”. Prior to the 2020 fire a rougher use trail continued on to Not Nasty Rock, but we didn’t see any obvious tread. (We weren’t really looking though either.) We made the fairly easy scramble to the top of Nasty Rock and took a short break.

The view was all too familiar with the horizon filled with wildfire smoke. Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Hood were easy to see, but other Cascades such as Three Fingered Jack, Mt. Washington, and the Three Sisters were barely visible through the haze.
IMG_9108Mt. Jefferson from Nasty Rock.

IMG_9145Mt. Jefferson with the flat-topped Battle Ax (post), and rounded Whetstone Mountain (post) to the right.

IMG_9112Mt. Hood in the distance.

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French Creek Ridge with the rounded Marten Buttes (post) in the foreground. Behind is the flat-topped Coffin Mountain (post), Mt. Washington, and the Three Sisters.

IMG_9115Looking out across the Molalla River drainage to the Table Rock Wilderness.

IMG_9116Rooster Rock is the rock outcrop to the left with Table Rock the tall feature to the right. Pechuck Lookout can be seen on the lower hilltop in the center foreground.

IMG_9119Not Nasty Rock from Nasty Rock. The highest peak diagonally left of Not Nasty Rock is Rocky Top (post).

IMG_9118We were joined at the summit by a swarm of flying ants obsessed with this fir tree.

After our break we headed back. There were several breaks along the way as we stopped to watch the numerous butterflies visiting the flowers.
IMG_9140Checkerspot on Oregon sunshine

IMG_9141Swallowtail resting on serviceberry.

IMG_9149Blue bells of Scotland

IMG_9154Fritillaries on mountain coyote mint

IMG_9161Clodius parnassian on mountain coyote mint.

20240713_100321Fleabane

IMG_9169Buckwheats, paintbrush, Oregon sunshine and at least one butterfly.

20240713_100802Scarlet gilia

20240713_100917(0)Larkspur

20240713_100939Washington lily

20240713_101034Inside-out flower

IMG_9180Fritillary

20240713_101744Beardtongue

20240713_101807Pink pyrola

20240713_104945Bead lily a.k.a. Queen’s cup

20240713_105453Bunchberry

IMG_9201Cat’s ear mariposa lily

IMG_9208Approaching the road.

Another round of roadside flowers occurred before packing up and heading home.
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IMG_9212Larkspur and yarrow

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20240713_111443Checkerspots on Oregon sunshine

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Including the roadside flower wanderings our hike here came to 3 miles with approximately 600′ of elevation gain.
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At 4.5 miles total these two stops made for a fairly easy day despite the rough trail conditions. The roads were in good shape to both trailheads, but please note that the area sees heavy log truck traffic on weekdays. We didn’t see anyone during either stops and somewhat surprisingly still didn’t see anyone parked at the Joyce Lake Trailhead when we passed back by close to Noon.
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Nasty Rock was a bit of a bittersweet hike seeing all of the familiar areas burned by the 2020 fires, but we were glad to have finally made it up there. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Joyce Lake and Nasty Rock

Categories
Hiking Oakridge Area Old Cascades Oregon Trip report

Hiyu Ridge via Grasshopper Meadow – 06/29/2024

**Note the 2024 Young Grasshopper Fire burned over a portion of this hike including Grasshopper Meadow.**

In 2017 we did an overnight backpack to Grasshopper Meadow via Chucksney Mountain (post). During that trip we hiked a 9.8-mile section of the 13.5-mile long Grasshopper Mountain Trail #3569. The section covered was from the Box Canyon Trailhead to the base of Grasshopper Mountain. The trail does not go up the mountain’s summit but instead from the saddle at the base heads around the mountain and then follows Hiyu Ridge down to the Grasshopper Trailhead (approx 4 miles from the saddle).

Grasshopper Meadow was a beautiful destination making a second visit appealing and including the remainder of the Grasshopper Mountain Trail pushed it up on our list of planned hikes. We had a decision to make regarding where to start for this second visit though. In his “100 Hikes Central Oregon Cascades” guidebook Sullivan includes the hike from the Grasshopper Trailhead along Hiyu Ridge in the more hikes section at the back of the book. He also includes a hike to Grasshopper Meadow via the Grasshopper Meadow Trail in the back of the book beginning 850′ below the ridge at the top of the meadow at what is marked on Google Maps as the Grasshopper Meadow Trailhead. Hike Oregon also covers the same hike on their website here. Interestingly the Forest Service map and website do not mention this trailhead, but they do show the Grasshopper Meadow Trail #3314. We opted to start at the Grasshopper Meadow Trailhead for two main reasons. First it would allow us to pass through Grasshopper Meadow at two different times of the day instead of it being our turnaround point. The second, and more important reason, was Sullivan’s description of the hike along Hiyu Ridge indicated that we should be prepared to step over some logs. That’s code for lack of trail maintenance which could mean that this section of the trail could be impassable. The Forest Service website didn’t provide any trail conditions. We could have called to check, but we figured worst case scenario we could redo some of the 2017 hike if necessary.

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A word of warning regarding the drive to this trailhead. There was about a half mile section of Road 1929 where a good amount of gullying has occurred. We’d recommend high clearance, but somehow there was a Toyota Prius parked here (just out of frame).

The trail began with a gradual climb through a mixed conifer forest before steepening as the meadows began.
IMG_7618Valerian along the trail.

IMG_7623Vanilla leaf and anemones carpeting the forest floor.

There were wildflowers along the vast majority of this hike which resulted in our taking way too many photos. I will try and limit what I include here, just know that what gets shared will be a small portion of what we saw.
IMG_7635Star-flowered false solomonseal.

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IMG_7658Coneflower with lupine behind.

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IMG_7667Penstemon

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Near the three-quarter mile mark we took a short spur trail to the left to visit a spring at the base of a post.
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IMG_7686Monkeyflower

We continued steeply uphill from the spring for 0.3-miles where we took another short spur trail, this time to the right and a view of Diamond Peak.
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IMG_7689Lupine

IMG_7700Sub-alpine mariposa lily

IMG_7703Moth on fleabane.

IMG_7712Waterleaf

IMG_7714Tiger lily

IMG_7715Pussytoes

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IMG_7720From left to right the peaks with snow are: The Twins (post), Maiden Peak (post), Fuji Mountain (post), and Diamond Peak (post).

IMG_7721Diamond Peak

We continued uphill from the viewpoint following the trail to a post in a large rocky area that was filled with larkspur.
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IMG_7733Grasshopper Mountain above the meadow.

IMG_8209The post in the rocky area.

IMG_7739When we visited in 2017 it had been mid-July, and the larkspur show was over.

The Grasshopper Meadow Trail ends at these rocks for all intents and purposes. There is no clear path from the post up to the Grasshopper Mountain Trail which is approximately 150′ above running along the ridge. We made our way uphill trying to avoid as many plants as possible and picked up the trail which was marked by periodic rock cairns.
IMG_7741A cairn marks the Grasshopper Mountain Trail.

We turned left on the trail and headed toward Grasshopper Mountain.
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IMG_7761Looking out over the meadow.

IMG_7762Fuji Mountain and Diamond Peak

IMG_7774The saddle below Grasshopper Mountain.

From the ridgetop we gained a view to the NE which included the Three Sisters, Broken Top, and Mt. Bachelor (post).

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IMG_7777The Three Sisters and Broken Top

IMG_7779Mt. Bachelor

We crossed over the ridge and continued on the Grasshopper Mountain Trail which was, as we had suspected, in need of some trail maintenance.
IMG_7782The last of the snow, at least it is all we saw.

IMG_7784Glacier lilies near the tiny snow patch.

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IMG_7791It was evident that the trail does get maintained on occasion, but none of it appeared recent near Grasshopper Mountain.

Crossing over the ridge changed the mix of wildflowers we’d been seeing adding in some early season bloomers such as trillium.
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IMG_7797Anemone

IMG_7802Violets

IMG_7803Bleeding heart

Oregon bluebellsOregon bluebells

The trail passed through a small fire scar on the backside of Grasshopper Mountain where we had to briefly leave the trail to find a way over and around blowdown.
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IMG_7813The Three Sisters and Broken Top were visible from this area.

IMG_7815Back on the slightly overgrown trail.

As we made our way through the fire scar more mountains joined the view including Mt. Washington, Three Fingered Jack, and Mt. Jefferson.
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IMG_7833Mt. Jefferson and Three Fingered Jack

IMG_7820Bears appear to use the trail more than hikers. This was the largest of three piles we’d pass on the day.

IMG_7825Arnica

After navigating the fire scar we were able to more or less stay on the tread save for a couple of brief detours around blowdown. That being said there were numerous trees that we had to step, or in some cases climb over. There were also numerous burrows to watch out for along with a lot of forest debris which made for a slow and hard hike. The other thing that slowed us down was the sheer number and variety of flowers.
IMG_8119This is both the trail and a front (back) door.

IMG_7831Valerian and tall bluebells

IMG_7842Fairy bells

IMG_7843Meadowrue

IMG_7847Moth on valerian.

IMG_7851Jacob’s-ladder

IMG_7852While the trail was overgrown in places it was passable and the tread was in pretty good shape.

IMG_7854Fringecup

IMG_7859Possibly a speedwell but unsure and it was the only one we saw.

IMG_7860More blowdown to maneuver around.

IMG_7865Edith’s checkerspot

IMG_7874Trail passing through an area full of monkeyflower and larkspur.

IMG_7883Cinquefoil, larkspur, and buckwheat

IMG_7892Scarlet gilia

IMG_7907Paintbrush

IMG_7910Bluehead gilia and silverleaf phacelia

Approximately 1.5-miles from the saddle below Grasshopper Mountain the trail again crossed the ridge to avoid a rocky cliff area.
IMG_7917The rocky area from the trail as it crossed the ridge.

We could see that there were a lot of flowers on the rocks, but the trail dropped below the ridge quickly and my first attempt to scramble up to see the flowers was too soon and I just ended up in the brush on the ridgetop. On our way back I tried again, this time finding the correct spot where I was awarded not only with the amazing flowers but also another great mountain view.
IMG_7921Columbine crowding the trail.

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IMG_7997The wildflower covered rocks on the way back.

IMG_7999Arrowleaf buckwheat and Oregon sunshine

IMG_8001The Three Sisters and Broken Top with some clouds moving in.

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IMG_8005Paintbrush surrounded by buckwheat, bluehead gilia, and stonecrop.

IMG_8013Scarlet gilia

20240629_120718Wallflower

20240629_121434Wild rose

The trail stayed on the west side of the ridge for the remaining 2.3-miles. Just over a third of a mile from the rocky viewpoint the trail passed a small rock outcrop which we thought looked like and it might be a good spot for a break on the way back. Not far beyond the outcrop we came to another tricky downed log where Heather decided that was enough. She would go back to the outcrop and while I would continue. If the trail was passable I would continue for no more than 45 minutes as it looked like that would be enough time to reach the Grasshopper Trailhead based on the distance shown on the GPS.
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IMG_7935Beargrass near the outcrop.

IMG_7937The outcrop from the trail.

IMG_7938Blowdown

IMG_7939More blowdown

IMG_7948Western meadow fritillary

IMG_7952Bunchberry

IMG_7955Recent trail maintenance! There were a couple of cut trees in the final mile, but there were also still many to step over.

I had misjudged two things when Heather and I had split up. One was just how far the trailhead was, and the other was how much elevation I would be losing to get there.
IMG_7960The trail dropped low enough that there were several rhododendron blooming.

IMG_7961Queen’s cup.

IMG_7962South Sister (post) and Broken Top (post).

It turned out I had been almost 2-miles from the trailhead and needed to lose over 850′ of elevation to reach it. Luckily the trail was in a little better shape at this end again. I was able to keep a good pace and I arrived at Grasshopper Saddle with a couple of minutes to spare.
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Given that the Forest Service lists this as an official trailhead I was expecting a little more than a post with a road number and a faded laminated sheet of paper.
IMG_7970Had I not just come down the trail I might not have even noticed it was there.

IMG_7971Cardwell’s penstemon

I realized on my way down that while I was making good time going in that direction, I was going to be hard pressed to maintain the same pace going uphill. Fortunately for me it wasn’t a particularly warm day, so it only took me an extra five minutes to make it back to the outcrop. When I joined Heather on the outcrop she said she was just starting to wonder if she should start to worry. (I might have made a little better time had I not kept taking pictures, but then again, those breaks let me catch my breath.)
IMG_7973Starflower

IMG_7976Ginger

IMG_7974Mt. Bachelor through the trees.

IMG_7979Musk monkeyflower

IMG_7983Grasshopper Mountain from the outcrop.

IMG_7985

IMG_7987Cliff beardtongue

After I took a much-needed break we headed back. We kept our eyes out for flowers we’d missed on our first pass while we watched the various pollinators visiting the blossoms.
IMG_7994Blue-eyed Mary

IMG_8023Cicada, not a pollinator but interesting to see.

IMG_8026Solomonseal

IMG_8027Variable-leaf collomia

IMG_8032Honeysuckle

20240629_122523Oregon grape

IMG_8035Pollinator 1

IMG_8036Pollinator 2

IMG_8041Pollinator 3 (Clodius parnassian)

IMG_8056Bees on bastard toadflax

IMG_8053Checkerspot on groundsel

20240629_123723Naked broomrape (Aphyllon purpureum)

20240629_123617Penstemon

IMG_8065Our guess is this is mile three from Grasshopper Saddle. We didn’t notice any other numbers and missed this one on our first pass.

IMG_8067Dwarf bramble

20240629_120811Strawberry

IMG_8084

IMG_8086Cinquefoil

IMG_8088It started clouding up in the afternoon.

IMG_8132Back at the saddle below Grasshopper Mountain.

We took another break shortly after reaching Grasshopper Meadow then headed down to the spring where we both cooled off using the spring water.
IMG_8136

IMG_8158Great artic butterfly. There were a lot of these flying about. Their dorsum is a bright orange, but they rarely would open their wings when they landed.

IMG_8162The checkerspots on the other hand are happy to open their wings.

IMG_8164False hellebore

IMG_8175It clouded up over Diamond Peak as well.

IMG_8185Lewis flax

IMG_8201Orange agoseris

IMG_8216A Lycaendae on a lupine leaf.

IMG_8230Moth on a mariposa lily.

IMG_8233Butterflies gathering at the spring.

After refreshing ourselves with the spring water we continued back to the trailhead where we found the Prius still there. We never saw or heard another person on this hike. Not seeing anyone along Hiyu Ridge isn’t all that surprising given the trail conditions, but not seeing anyone in the meadow was a little surprising.
IMG_8250

IMG_8255The Prius at the TH. We parked on the shoulder in a pullout.

The hike from trailhead to trailhead came to 11.5-miles (according to the GPS) with a little over 2000′ of elevation gain (according to the topo maps, and my legs).
Screenshot 2024-06-30 035354

Despite the rough trail conditions this was a beautiful hike. The flowers were the highlight, but there were several good mountain views scattered throughout. Hopefully the gullies in FR 1929 can be repaired or at least kept from getting any worse. Forest Road 1927 at Grasshopper Saddle seemed to be a good gravel road, but for that to be a viable option for anyone other than those that don’t mind a challenge the trail needs to be cleaned up. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Hiyu Ridge via Grasshopper Meadow

Categories
Hiking Trip report Washington Washington Cascades

Big Huckleberry Mountain – 06/22/2024

Mt. Adams from Big Huckleberry Mt.

There are a few hikes we’ve done where either fog, clouds, or smoke have left us without a view from our destination. When that happens, we add them to the list of destinations to revisit. Big Huckleberry Mountain was one such destination. Located in SW Washington in the Gifford-Pinchot National Forest we had visited this former lookout site in 2019 (post). For that hike we started from the Grassy Knoll Trailhead. That was an 11.4-mile hike gaining 1800′ of elevation with lots of wildflowers.

While the Grassy Knoll approach was great there are other ways to reach Big Huckleberry Mountain. Two of them are by starting at trailheads along the Pacific Crest Trail from either the north or south. We chose the southern trailhead based on it being the starting point of William L. Sullivan’s featured hike in his “100 Hikes Northwest Oregon” guidebook. An unofficial trailhead, it isn’t shown on Forest Service or Google maps, but a large pullout along Forest Road 68 where the Pacific Crest Trail crosses serves the purpose.
IMG_7610Looking down at the pullout from the PCT on the way back.

Be aware that FR68 is rough with numerous good-sized potholes and one large, steep drop that would be difficult for low clearance vehicles.

From the pullout we crossed the road at a large sign for the Wind River Experimental Forest and headed uphill on the PCT.
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IMG_7211

The PCT gradually climbed through a nice forest where a good number of wildflowers were blooming. There were also some glimpses of Mt. Hood through the trees. At the 1.3-mile mark the views to the south opened up where a large landslide at some point in the distant past had removed much of the forested hillside.
IMG_7215

IMG_7216Phantom orchid

IMG_7219Spotted coralroot

IMG_7223Finetooth beardtongue

IMG_7226Mt. Hood through a window in the trees.

IMG_7230Finetooth beardtongue along the trail.

IMG_7231White spiraea

IMG_7233Bluehead gilia

IMG_7237Paintbrush

IMG_7239Some yellow balsamroot along the trail.

IMG_7250

IMG_7252Columbine

IMG_7254Inside-out flower

IMG_7260Queen’s cup

IMG_7261

IMG_7262Bunchberry

IMG_7270Vanilla leaf

IMG_7274Arnica

IMG_7275Approaching the landslide area.

IMG_7280

IMG_7277Starting at the green up to the left is Augspurger Mountain (post) and Dog Mountain (post) on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge. Mt. Defiance (post) is the high point on the Oregon side with Mt. Hood to the right. The three lower peaks to the right of Mt. Hood are Tomlike, Chinidere, and Indian Mountain (post).

IMG_7279Mt. Hood from the viewpoint.

IMG_7290Lomatium, bluehead gilia, and arrowleaf buckwheat in the bowl.

The trail continued along above the landslide before veering left to pass around a rise along the ridge.
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IMG_7298Honeysuckle

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On the far side of the rise a spur trail led right to a small wildflower meadow along the side of the landslide.
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IMG_7309

IMG_7313

IMG_7318Wild onion mixed in with bluehead gilia.

20240622_075219Bluehead gilia

IMG_7326Lupine

IMG_7322Catchfly

Beyond the viewpoint the trail dropped to a saddle then resumed its gradual climb following the forested ridge. Just before the 3-mile mark we passed the Cedar Creek Trail coming up from the right. Along the way we passed through a couple more small meadows with nice wildflowers.
IMG_7328Arnica and beargrass in the forest.

IMG_7329Nearing one of the little meadows.

IMG_7332

IMG_7336

IMG_7340Sub-alpine mariposa lilies

IMG_7341Bluehead gilia

IMG_7338Sub-alpine mariposa lilies

20240622_080109A closer look shows why these are also known as cat’s ear lilies.

IMG_7339Buckwheat

IMG_7344Onion

IMG_7352

IMG_7357Bastard toadflax behind a cat’s ear lily.

20240622_080550Rosy pussytoes

20240622_080609Yarrow

IMG_7367Looking back from the meadow.

IMG_7373

IMG_7374I believe these are some type of microseris.

IMG_7383

IMG_7385Boundary sign for the Wind River Experimental Forest.

IMG_7387Broadleaf arnica

IMG_7391Star-flowered false solomonseal

IMG_7392The Cedar Creek Trail coming up from the right.

IMG_7393

IMG_7394Anemones

A third of a mile beyond the Cedar Creek Trail junction the PCT passed by a rocky outcrop. On the far side we took a path to the left leading to the top of the outcrop which had a great view of Mt. Hood and more wildflowers.
IMG_7397

IMG_7401Wallflower

IMG_7405White groundsel

IMG_7409

IMG_7411Cliff beardtongue

IMG_7417Cliff beardtongue

20240622_085221Wild rose

20240622_085457Larkspur

IMG_7425Mt. Hood from the viewpoint.

20240622_085410Spotted coralroot

IMG_7430Oregon sunshine and wild onions

IMG_7441Chickweed

While we were taking a break at the viewpoint another pair of hikers arrived (the only others we would see all day). We left the viewpoint to them and continued on.
IMG_7444Arriving at another small clearing with flowers.

IMG_7445Phlox, penstemon, lomatium, onion, and mariposa lilies.

IMG_7451

IMG_7459Another little meadow.

IMG_7455Larkspur and balsamroot

IMG_7462This was the only time we spotted Mt. St. Helens on the hike.

At the 4-mile mark (0.7 from the rock outcrop viewpoint) we arrived at the junction with the Grassy Knoll Trail.
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Almost immediately after passing this trail the Big Huckleberry Mountain Trail led uphill to the right.
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IMG_7468

We had forgotten how steep the 0.2-mile trail to the former lookout site was compared to the PCT, but the wildflowers and views from the long summit were worth it.
IMG_7469

IMG_7470

IMG_7476

IMG_7472Mt. Adams from the former lookout site.

IMG_7479There was a lot of phlox in bloom.

IMG_7478Table Mountain (post) and Greenleaf Peak (post)

IMG_7480Mt. Hood

IMG_7482Mt. Hood with Mt. Jefferson behind to the right.

We walked west from the summit down the wildflower covered ridge to get some additional views.
IMG_7488

IMG_7489Balsamroot and groundsel

IMG_7492Mt. Adams

IMG_7495Phlox

IMG_7496

IMG_7498Paintbrush and cliff beardtongue

IMG_7506Another view of Mt. Hood.

IMG_7510

IMG_7513

IMG_7515Sandwort

IMG_7512Chickweed

20240622_095908Balsamroot

IMG_7518Some of the smaller flowers present on the summit.

IMG_7520Finetooth beardtongue

IMG_7522Wallflower

IMG_7525Wild onion

IMG_7524The end of the ridge is about three quarters of a mile from the lookout site.

We took a break on a small rock outcrop to enjoy the scenery and the gentle breeze that was keeping things from being too warm.
IMG_7511Heather on the outcrop.

IMG_7530Painted lady

When we finally started back we heard voices which turned out to be the two hikers that we’d seen at the lower viewpoint. They had set up their amateur radio and had just been communicating with someone in Pennsylvania. We passed by and made our way back past the lookout site and down to the PCT.
IMG_7535

20240622_101609Larkspur
IMG_7546Swallowtail

IMG_7536Chickweed in some phlox.

We returned the way we’d come on the PCT enjoying the wildflowers the second time as much as we had the first.
IMG_7555

IMG_7562

20240622_105129Wallflower

20240622_105731Colubmine

IMG_7587Bluehead gilia

IMG_7596Beargrass along the PCT.

IMG_7607

IMG_7608Heading down to the trailhead.

The hike ended up being 9.3 miles with approximately 1460′ of elevation gain.
Screenshot 2024-06-23 052443

This was a great hike with good views, lots of wildflowers, and plenty of solitude. The only downside at all was the rough drive up FR 68. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Big Huckleberry Mountain

Categories
Hiking Oakridge Area Old Cascades Oregon Trip report

Buckhead Nature Trail and Deception Butte – 06/19/2024

Mt. Yoran and Diamond Peak from Deception Butte

Juneteenth provided us an opportunity for a mid-week hike, and we used that opportunity to visit a pair of trails near Westfir, OR.

We began our day by stopping at the Buckhead Nature Trailhead for a short warmup hike.
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A paved interpretive loop explores a riparian zone along the Middle Fork Willamette River.
IMG_6877

IMG_6882

IMG_6883Signboard about a tenth of a mile from the trailhead.

IMG_6886

IMG_6887The loop began on the far side of the footbridge.

We hiked the loop clockwise and made our way back to the car. There were a few flowers and an obstructed view of the river. We didn’t see much in the way of wildlife save for a couple of birds and a snail.
IMG_6889

IMG_6893As far as we could remember we’d never seen a bench on the other side of a fence before.

IMG_6895Middle Fork Willamette River through the vegetation.

IMG_6897Tiger lily

IMG_6901Self-heal

IMG_6905

IMG_6907Snail

IMG_6913Mock orange

The hike here was a little over half a mile, a good warm-up for our next stop at the Deception Butte Trailhead which was only 3.5 miles away.
IMG_6915

We had attempted this hike in October 2017 (post), but a 2014 wildfire had left the trail beyond the creek itself unpassable. The trail remained closed until 2022 when the Forest Service and volunteers were finally able to clear and make the necessary repairs to the fire damage.

The fire mostly spared the forest up to the footbridge crossing Deception Creek.
IMG_6916

IMG_6920Anemone

IMG_6923There are a few junctions prior to reaching the footbridge. The first was the only one with any signage. We stayed on the correct trail by ignoring side trails to the left that headed uphill and on the right that led down to Deception Creek.

IMG_6924We turned left at the signed junction following half a sign for the Deception Butte Trail.

IMG_6931

IMG_6946

IMG_6947At the last unsigned junction there was a signboard, but with nothing on it. (We went straight.)

IMG_6950Warning sign for the burned area ahead.

IMG_6953The footbridge over Deception Creek.

IMG_6954Deception Creek

On the far side of the footbridge the trail entered the fire scar and climbed steeply up a small ridge.
IMG_6960

The trail then dropped steeply down on the other side of the ridge.
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Due to the fire damage the tread here and for much of the remainder of the trail is rocky and somewhat slick so trekking poles came in very handy. There were also a few spots where some of the tread was missing requiring care. The trail was free of any significant debris, and we only had to step over one small tree. From the bridge it was approximately 3 miles to the summit with around 2300′ of elevation gain. The trail used a combination of switchbacks and longer traverses to gain the elevation. The grade varied widely with a few steep sections and some gentler climbs
IMG_6965The amount of trail work needed to clear the trail was evident by the sheer number of cut trees along the length of the trail.

Blowdown over the Deception Butte TrailThis was from 2017 near the same stretch of trail.

IMG_6968View up the canyon from the trail.

IMG_6974Clodius parnassian

IMG_6976There was a lot of vegetation along the trail, so we had to keep an eye out for poison oak which was present at times on the lower two-thirds of the trail. It was never much of a problem, but there were a couple of plants crowding the trail that we had to maneuver around.

IMG_6983Moth

IMG_6984Starflower

IMG_6985Rhododendron

IMG_6989

Northern cloudywingNorthern cloudywing

IMG_6996Big deervetch

IMG_6998Hummingbird

Kreuger Rock with Patterson Mountain (post) behind to the left.

IMG_7013

IMG_7016Groundsel

IMG_7025One of the damaged sections of trail.

IMG_7026There was some forest that survived the fire starting near the 3.5-mile mark where the fire burned less intensely.

IMG_7032

IMG_7038Townsend’s solitaire

IMG_7039Canada jay

IMG_7051There were a few views of the Three Sisters through the remaining trees. (Middle & South Sister here)

IMG_7054

IMG_7055Inside-out flower

IMG_7068Looking up as the trail neared the summit.

IMG_7072Woodpecker

IMG_7074Common whipplea

IMG_7079Anemone

IMG_7087The Deception Butte Trail arriving at Deception Butte.

IMG_7088Beargrass

From the actual summit the view is limited in every direction save the south.
IMG_7089

IMG_7090

A user trail heads SW and drops to an open saddle where you can get an unobstructed view of Diamond Peak to the SE.
IMG_7091

IMG_7094Looking down at the saddle and wondering if it was really worth having to climb back up.

I had arrived before Heather and decided I needed to see the view, so I headed down to the saddle where there were I found quite a bit of wildlife and a few flowers.
IMG_7096Northern flicker

IMG_7100Lizard

IMG_7105Rock outcrop on the other side of the saddle.

IMG_7102Tolmie’s mariposa lilies

IMG_7104Bluehead gilia

IMG_7111Squirrel

IMG_7114Oakridge in the valley below with Diamond Peak (post) on the right. The smaller peak with snow to the left of Diamond is Mt. Yoran, the triangle shaped peak is Coyote Mountain, and the peak with a little snow to the left of that is Fuji Mountain (post).

IMG_7110Diamond Peak

IMG_7115Oakridge

IMG_7121Leafy fleabane

IMG_7125Oregon sunshine on the hillside looking up Deception Butte from the saddle.

IMG_7133Wild onion

IMG_7134One of the fritillary butterflies.

20240619_112358Fly inside a Tolmie’s mariposa lily.

Hether had joined me at the summit, and we took a nice break in the shade on the mossy ground before heading back down.
IMG_7136

IMG_7140There is a very steep trail just below the summit that leads to an upper trailhead. The Forest Service does not recommend using these though as the trail is said to be slippery and steep. We can vouch for the steep just by having looked down from the Deception Butte Trail.

IMG_7139Plectris and stonecrop

It was warming up fast as we descended, a stark contrast to the cold wet descent on MacDuff Mountain (post) just four days prior. We had to be careful not to slip on the loose rocks in the steeper sections and were again thankful for our trekking poles.
IMG_7141

IMG_7144Coralroot

IMG_7150The best view of the Three Sisters that we got all day.

IMG_7156Butterflies enjoying some vetch. There were at least a half dozen butterflies visiting this patch.

IMG_7166Brown creeper

IMG_7170Pink pyrola

IMG_7171

IMG_7174

IMG_7181Pearly everlasting

IMG_7184Turkey vulture

IMG_7186Fireweed

IMG_7193Entering the trees near the footbridge over Deception Creek.

IMG_7196Columbine

IMG_7204Tiger lilies

This was a challenging but nice hike. We only saw one other person all day, a trail runner, before reaching the footbridge in the morning. In addition to some poison oak along parts of the trail we did flick a total of three ticks off our clothing so that is something to be aware of. Our GPS track showed approximately 9.5 miles which is partially inflated by my wandering back and forth a bit at the summit.
Screenshot 2024-06-21 050345

While it’s not the most exciting hike you can find, there were enough views and variety of plants and wildlife to keep things interesting and the elevation gain made it a good training hike. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Buckhead Nature Trail and Deception Butte

Categories
Hiking McKenzie River Old Cascades Oregon Trip report

MacDuff Mountain – 06/15/2024

Seemingly all of the upcoming hikes I have slated for June (this year and in the future) involve viewpoints, but after a week of mostly blue skies and warm weather rain showers arrived just in time for our day off. Our original plan had been a two-stop day near McKeznie Bridge, first to revisit Castle Rock where we’d missed the view in 2017 (post) due to clouds, then hike to MacDuff Mountain for the first time. When I checked Friday morning the forecast for this area called for a 60% chance of showers mainly before 11am, less than a tenth of an inch of precipitation, and partly sunny skies. I checked some other areas and unless we were willing to drive to Central Oregon none looked better than this.

We decided to save Castle Rock for another (sunnier) day and drove straight to the O’Leary/Castle Rock Trailhead.
IMG_6567

The hike to MacDuff Mountain was brought to our attention by Hike Oregon who is a great resource for hiking and backpacking information and tips. The O’Leary Mountain Trail passes just below the rocky summit of MacDuff Mountain on its way to joining the 22.8-mile long Olallie Trail. This trail and a portion of the Olallie Trail are open to mountain bikes as well as hiking. The out-and-back to MacDuff Mountain is approximately 10.5 miles with over 2700′ of elevation gain. The well graded trail makes the climb feel like less than that number though.

From the trailhead we crossed FR 411 to a pointer for the Castle Rock and O’Leary Trails.
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We quickly arrived at a junction where the Castle Rock Trail headed left.
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From this junction it is approximately 5 miles to the summit of Castle Rock. We wouldn’t have gone that route even if we had stuck to the original plan to visit it first. We would have parked at the Castle Rock Trailhead which is only 1.2-miles from that peak’s summit.

We stayed straight on the O’Leary Trail and quickly became soaked by the damp vegetation along the trail.
IMG_6574

IMG_6576There were some nice rhododendron blooms along the trail.

It was hard to tell if it was actually raining or if the low clouds/fog was just leaving the trees and plants damp but either way drops were falling from overhead as we climbed a series of switchbacks. These led us past some nice rock formations in the first mile and a half.
IMG_6579

IMG_6580Spotted coralroot

IMG_6581The first of three crossings of FR 411, this is at the 0.4-mile mark.

IMG_6585Inside-out flower

IMG_6589Starflower

IMG_6590Yellowleaf iris

IMG_6595The trail is narrow at times but well maintiained.

IMG_6596Forest filled with rhododendron.

IMG_6597A closer look at the rhodies.

IMG_6612There were several madrones in the forest.

IMG_6618Little prince’s pine

IMG_6624Sugar sticks

IMG_6628There were a few places where we might have had a view if not for the clouds.

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IMG_6642Stonecrop

IMG_6643Passing below some of the rock formations.

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IMG_6652

IMG_6657

IMG_6659

IMG_6662Anemones

IMG_6666Bleeding heart

The switchbacks became much rarer beyond the rock formations as the trail traversed the hillside below a ridgeline, and occasionally on the ridge.
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IMG_6676

IMG_6679The first small meadow that the trail passed through was full of blue-eyed Mary.

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IMG_6685

IMG_6689Northern phlox

IMG_6692Coming up on another small meadow.

IMG_6697Subalpine mariposa lily

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IMG_6708Beargrass

A little under three miles from the trailhead the trail arrived at FR 411 for the second time.
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We were briefly confused here because the Forest Service map showed the trail continuing straight across the road here, and the description from Hike Oregon was that you would cross the road here. There was no sign of the trail to be seen though. We wandered back and forth a bit then based on the topography decided that any continuation of the trail would be further up the road (to the right when arriving at the road). We walked approximately 100 yards to spot the continuation of the trail through the fog.
IMG_6715The fog didn’t help with our trying to find the trail. There was enough room along this section of road that parking and starting the hike from here would be possible.

IMG_6716Back on trail.

The trail made one of its steepest climbs from the road here then after briefly leveling out dropped back down to the road again.
IMG_6719Honeysuckle

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IMG_6723More northern phlox

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IMG_6730This meadow was full of bluehead gilia.

IMG_6727

IMG_6733

IMG_6737

IMG_6738The trail dropped steeply as it rejoined FR 411.

Another brief road walk followed before the trail split off to the right at a pointer.
IMG_6739There was no parking room that we could see near this area.

IMG_6740

It was only about a quarter of a mile between the two road crossings and the steep up and down had us questioning if it wouldn’t have been better just to stay on the road, but then we’d have missed the meadow of bluehead gilia.

The trail continued its gradual but steady climb for two more miles before arriving below the rocky summit of MacDuff Mountain.
IMG_6742Vanilla leaf along the trail.

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IMG_6750

IMG_6751Bunchberry

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IMG_6755Trillium

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IMG_6760We stopped when we spotted something in the trail ahead that looked like it might be an animal. Using the camera to zoom we realized it was a grouse hen with her little chicks.

IMG_6762The hen got up and then the chicks headed into the underbrush. We felt bad having disturbed them, but once they’d moved, we calmly passed by while momma came back to gather her little ones.

IMG_6764This was all beargrass, but none of the plants in this area appeared to be planning on blooming this year.

Hermit thrushHermit thrush

IMG_6777The rocky summit of MacDuff Mountain.

Our hopes that the clouds might break up or lift before our arrival at MacDuff Mountain were in vain. It was a little past 11am but partly sunny skies were a distant dream. While there wouldn’t be any mountain views today the wildflowers blooming on the rocks made for a worthy destination on their own.
IMG_6788A lot of larkspur.

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IMG_6783Subalpine mariposa lilies

IMG_6790Paintbrush and buckwheat

IMG_6792Cinquefoil

IMG_6794A penstemon

Before going up to the actual summit I passed beneath and back into the forest following the trail until it began to descend.
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There is no trail to the summit, so I went up cross country along the forest border then across to a 1931 memorial plaque at the top.
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IMG_6809

IMG_6810The view from the top.

IMG_6811No blue sky that way.

IMG_6812No sign of clearing this way either.

IMG_6805Cliff beardtongue

IMG_6813Woodland-stars

IMG_6816Paintbrush

We didn’t stay at the summit long. There was a slight breeze and that combined with the damp conditions made things chilly. We were not as prepared for the chilly conditions as we probably should have been, but even after 14 years of hiking we occasionally do dumb stuff. We headed back down and along the way encountered the only other person we’d see all day, another hiker making good time going uphill. We got even wetter when an actual rain shower passed over (it was chunky rain and we both thought there might have been a little snow mixed in) before finally got to see at least a little blue sky.
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IMG_6824Hey look, there is another ridge over there.

IMG_6831Ookow just starting to open up.

IMG_6836Steep climb or road walk? We chose the trail again on the way back.

IMG_6837A wetter road now thanks to the rain shower.

IMG_6841Blue sky, it does exist.

IMG_6846The clouds got a late start but eventually started lifting.

IMG_6850From this angle it looks like a statue.

IMG_6852Looking down from some of the switchbacks.

IMG_6855Cougar Reservoir

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IMG_6863Pyrola

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IMG_6875Sunlight!

Both of our GPS units experienced technical difficulties. Mine randomly decided I was going a different direction that wound up putting us almost 7 miles north of our actual position, and Heather’s track couldn’t be imported to Basecamp. From what I could piece together the hike was approximately 11.2 miles but would have been closer to 10.5 had I not gone past the summit.
Screenshot 2024-06-15 171040I’ve never seen a track this far off.

Screenshot 2024-06-16 095937The track after manually editing it.

Despite the lack of views and not being prepared for it to be quite that chilly this was a good hike. The trail was in great condition with nice forest and wildflowers throughout. It may be a busier trail on nicer weekend days, but it didn’t appear that it sees a lot of usage regardless. Happy Trails!

Flickr: MacDuff Mountain

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Coastal Range Hiking Oregon Trip report

Kilchis Falls, South Triangulation Point, and Cedar Butte – 06/08/2024

We’re continually looking for hikes that are new to us which led us to a pair of such hikes in the Tillamook State Forest. William L. Sullivan includes the 1.6-mile round trip to a former lookout site in Cedar Butte as an additional, non-featured hike in his “100 Hikes Oregon Coast” guidebook. A hike that short didn’t warrant the 2hr drive from Salem, so I took a look at the Oregonhikers.org field guide for other nearby hikes. That research revealed the Triangulation Point Loop. The field guide entry mentioned that the loop could be started from a saddle on the north side of Cedar Butte which was just over a mile from the Cedar Butte Trailhead.

We decided to start with the long loop first. We drove up the steep, narrow Cedar Butte Road past the Cedar Butte Trailhead and parked at the saddle overlooking a clearcut.
IMG_6097From the saddle South Triangulation Point, the highpoint of the loop, is to the right.

We would be doing the loop clockwise to avoid ending the loop with a climb back up to up to the saddle. We headed down Kilchis Forest Road which wound down through the clearcut before entering the forest.
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The roadside was lined with wildflowers which we focused on over the missing trees.
IMG_6100Bleeding heart

IMG_6101Fairy lanterns

IMG_6102Solomonseal

IMG_6103Inside-out flower

IMG_6104Paintbrush

IMG_6108Lupine

IMG_6110Starflower

IMG_6118Salmonberry

IMG_6121Cardwell’s penstemon

IMG_6124Beargrass

IMG_6131Wallflower

Little-leaf montiaLittle-leaf montia

IMG_6140Fringecup

IMG_6142Salal

IMG_6143Rosy bird’s-foot trefoil

IMG_6147Band-tailed pigeons

IMG_6150Looking back at the saddle before heading into the trees.

IMG_6151Vetch

IMG_6153Leaving the clearcut.

The road leveled out in the forest making for a pleasant walk. Two miles from the saddle we arrived at 100′ Kilchis Falls.
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IMG_6160Rock cliffs marking the location of Kilchis Falls.

IMG_6163Located on a tributary of the North Fork Kilchis River the falls reportedly seldom have much flow, but there was enough water today to make for a pretty sight.

IMG_6170The small pool below the falls.

IMG_6175Avens

20240608_075447Spider hiding on a columbine.

20240608_075509Scouler’s corydalis

20240608_075536Youth-on-age

20240608_075723Valerian

After a relaxing break at the falls, we continued along Kilchis Forest Road which approached the North Fork Kichis River and then followed it NW.
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IMG_6193

IMG_6192Hedgenettle

IMG_6196Waterfall on an unnamed creek. It was quite a way back in thick vegetation.

IMG_6195The above waterfall sans zoom.

20240608_082736Buttercup

Fick CreekFick Creek joining the river.

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IMG_6206Potholes on the North Fork Kilchis River.

IMG_6208Triangulation Creek flowing into the river.

Approximately two miles from Kilchis Falls we crossed the river on a bridge.
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We continued to follow the river for another 0.6-miles where Middle Road joined steeply from the right.
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IMG_6223Snail shadow on a iris.

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IMG_6228Middle Road coming downhill on the right. This is the Middle Road Trailhead mentioned in the Oregonhikers.org field guide.

We made a sharp right turn here and began the difficult climb to South Triangulation Point.
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Middle Road isn’t really a road anymore and is only suitable for high clearance 4wd vehicles or OHVs. We huffed and puffed up this track passing a road on the left after 1.3 miles and arriving at a saddle in another 0.3 miles.
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IMG_6235A very blurry picture of a doe that was way down the hillside in the forest.

IMG_6238Large rock and log in the middle of Middle Road.

IMG_6241Monkeyflower surrounded by candyflower

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IMG_6251Paintbrush on some cliffs above Middle Road.

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20240608_095320Thistle

IMG_6268The road at the 1.3-mile mark along Middle Road.

IMG_6276The saddle at the 1.6-mile mark.

IMG_6277Memorial at the saddle.

We took a break at the saddle before continuing the climb. We passed another road on the left approximately half a mile from the saddle then came to 4-way junction 0.6 miles later.
IMG_6279Middle Road continuing on from the saddle.

IMG_6281Beargrass

IMG_6283The road on the left at the 2.1-mile mark.

IMG_6285Iris

IMG_6295Stream flowing down the road.

IMG_6296Coming up to the 4-way junction.

From the junction we took the righthand fork signed “FB3”.
IMG_6297Middle Road from the 4-way junction.

IMG_6298The two lefthand forks at the 4-way junction.

IMG_6299FB3

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The elevation at the 4-way junction is about 2600′ and the Middle Road Trailhead is just over 800′ so we’d gained over 1800′ on Middle Road. South Triangulation Point tops out at 3255′ meaning we were still over 650′ below its summit so neither of us were pleased when FB3 proceeded to lose approximately 100′ of elevation in the first 0.6 miles.
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IMG_6314

IMG_6315Monkeyflower

IMG_6318Beargrass, paintbrush and penstemon

IMG_6322More flowers on a rocky outcrop along FB3.

IMG_6326A bunch of monkeyflowers.

When the road finally started climbing again it was more gradual than Middle Road had been. In 3/4 of a mile, we gained 350′ before coming to a fork.
IMG_6329Springs along the road.

IMG_6330Snake cooling off in the mud.

IMG_6334The snake didn’t budge as we passed around it.

IMG_6339

IMG_6345This fork is approximately 4.2 miles from the Middle Road Trailhead.

At the fork we veered uphill to the left. This road gained nearly another 300′ in half a mile where it arrived at a saddle between Triangulation Point and South Triangulation Point.
IMG_6350Snake number two on the day.

IMG_6353This one didn’t budge either.

IMG_6358Switchback below the saddle.

IMG_6362Approaching the saddle.

IMG_6366Gated road up Triangulation Point.

IMG_6384South Triangulation Point

The wildflower display at the saddle was impressive and we spent some time admiring the blooms.
IMG_6364Serviceberry, paintbrush, yarrow, and iris.

IMG_6365Paintbrush and Cardwell’s penstemon

IMG_6368Iris

IMG_6370Broadleaf arnica, paintbrush and penstemon

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IMG_6375Columbine among others.

Broadleaf arnicaBroadleaf arnica

Aside from a vehicle that was just leaving the saddle below Cedar Butte when we’d arrived that morning we hadn’t seen anyone all day. That changed at South Triangulation Point as a group of dirt bikes had arrived while we were taking a break at the switchback below the saddle. We took a left fork in the road and made our way to the summit where we briefly spoke with them.
IMG_6390Final pitch to the summit.

IMG_6391We could see our car parked at the saddle below Cedar Butte from South Triangulation Point.

IMG_6392Motorcycle track heading down from the summit with Triangulation Point on the other side of the saddle.

IMG_6393Looking to the NW you can see out to the Pacific Ocean. The line of peaks furtherst back staring from left to right consists of Neahkahnie Mountain (post), Angora Peak (post), West Onion & Onion Peaks, Sugarloaf Mountain, and Kidders Butte.

IMG_6394Closer look at Surgarloaf Mountain and Kidder Butte.

IMG_6396Wildflowers on South Triangulation Point.

After a break we headed down the road to the fork where we turned left and quickly began a steep half mile descent to a 5-way junction.
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IMG_6405

IMG_6411Another nice clump of wild iris.

IMG_6413Lupine

IMG_6416Flowers lining the road.

IMG_6419More motorcycles at the 5-way junction.

We stayed straight at this junction and continued downhill sticking to the main road at all junctions.
IMG_6420

IMG_6423

IMG_6436Variable-leaf collomia

IMG_6438The road briefly followed a narrow ridge.

IMG_6442Anemones

IMG_6446Moth

IMG_6450

20240608_135701Heather spotted this little one. Not sure if it’s a vole, pocket gopher, or something else.

A little over a mile from our car we passed a series of wet cliffs that were putting on a spectacular flower display.
IMG_6455

IMG_6457Silverleaf phacelia and chickweed

IMG_6462A lomatium

IMG_6464

IMG_6466

IMG_6467Larkspur and monkeyflower

IMG_6468This pink larkspur really stood out on the cliffs.

IMG_6474Littleleaf miner’s-lettuce

IMG_6475Several types of yellow wildflowers.

The cliffs helped explain why the road had dipped so far below Kilchis Saddle where our car was. Shortly after passing them the road began a final climb to the saddle gaining close to 200′ in the final three quarters of a mile.
IMG_6478Still dropping a little after the cliffs.

IMG_6479Bleeding heart and candyflower

IMG_6485Climbing the road at the edge of the clearcut.

IMG_6486The saddle where our car was parked across the clearcut.

IMG_6492South Triangulation Point from Cedar Butte Road.

IMG_6493South Triangulation Point

IMG_6496Looking down the North Fork Kilchis River valley from the saddle.

For us this loop came in at 12.7 miles a little over 2700′ of elevation gain. Despite being on roads some of the elevation change was quite steep adding to the difficulty. That being said this was a good hike with a nice waterfall and lots of wildflowers. We encountered about a dozen motorbikes, all between South Triangulation Point and end of the hike and we didn’t hear them all that often either.

It had been a long hard loop, so Heather chose not to add another 780′ climb when we arrived at the Cedar Butte Trailhead.
IMG_6497

I on the other hand am a glutton for punishment so I threw my pack back on and walked 250′ up a gravel road to a signboard marking the start of the Cedar Butte Trail.
IMG_6500The trail information lists the hike as “difficult” due to the amount of elevation gained over just three quarters of a mile to the summit.

IMG_6501The start of the Cedar Butte Trail.

The trail began fairly level passing through some heavy brush before breaking into a second growth forest.
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IMG_6505Star-flowered false solomonseal

IMG_6510Black-headed grosbeak

IMG_6515False lily of the valley

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The trail didn’t really begin to climb until the 0.3-mile mark where it made a series of short switchbacks then alternated between steep straightaways and more switchbacks.
IMG_6523The trail was in good shape with just one small tree down over it.

IMG_6529Blue-eyed Mary

IMG_6531Small saddle below the summit.

IMG_6533Beargrass

IMG_6535Phlox

IMG_6539Final pitch to the summit.

IMG_6543Wild onion

IMG_6544Benches at the former lookout site.

IMG_6547View from the summit.

IMG_6551Wildflowers at the summit.

On the way back down I took a short, steep spur trail to a viewpoint where I could see Kings Mountain (post) to the NE.
IMG_6555Kings Mountain is the high point to the right along the ridge.

After checking out the viewpoint I continued my descent and rejoined Heather at the trailhead.
IMG_6557

IMG_6558Fairy bells and vanilla leaf

IMG_6565Almost back

This hike had been 1.6 miles and one heck of a climb. My legs were feeling all 3500′ on the day. Late Spring seems like a good time to visit this area as the wildflowers were the highlight. Kilchis Falls was nice but at different times of the year the flow would likely diminish the appeal quite a bit. Happy Trails!

Screenshot 2024-06-09 114436

Flickr: Kilchis Falls, South Triangulation Point, and Cedar Butte

Categories
Columbia Gorge North Hiking Trip report Washington

Cook Hill – 06/01/2024

Cook Hill is a 3015′ peak just east of Dog Mountain (post). Dog Mountain is famous for its wildflower meadows and has become so popular that permits are required for weekend hikes during the peak flower season. Cook Hill has its own, albeit less spectacular, meadows and a recent online report informed us that the wildflower display there was near peak. We did some shifting to our planned hikes and headed out to check them out for ourselves.

The hike up Cook Hill is on unofficial trails, partly using old logging roads, primarily on public lands. (A small section past the summit is on private land held by a lumber company.) Matt Reeder featured the hike in his “off the Beaten Trail” guidebook which is what put it on our radar. It can be done as a lollipop loop or a shorter out-and-back. Reeder’s description as well as older trip reports found online mentioned that the trail could be faint in places and that there was no signage present. This was no longer the case as we found a clear trail the entire route and some signage was now present. It may be that the implementation of the permit system has driven more people to this hike, or it may just be more well known now. Whatever the reason we were thankful to those that have been maintaining the unofficial trail.

We arrived at 6:30am and were the third car at the trailhead.
IMG_5712The trailhead is just a large gravel pullout along Cook-Underhill Road.

From the parking area we crossed the road to Jackson Rd (to the left in the above photo).
IMG_5716There is no parking for the trail anywhere along Jackson Rd.

Approximately a tenth of a mile up Jackson Road we came to a gate with a “Cook Trailhead” sign.
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We followed the roadbed uphill through a mixed forest with a lot of poison oak off to the sides.
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IMG_5724Ookow surrounded by poison oak.

IMG_5726

IMG_5728Mt. Defiance (post) across the Columbia River.

IMG_5731Large-flower triteleia

IMG_5733Monkeyflower along the road.

IMG_5737Ookow

IMG_5742

IMG_5743Small waterfall through the vegetation.

IMG_5751The first of two crossings of this unnamed creek.

IMG_5758There was a lot of spotted coralroot along the road.

IMG_5762Most of the trees had been cleared from the road, those that remained were easily stepped over.

IMG_5770Anemones

IMG_5777The second creek crossing.

IMG_5783

IMG_5781Lupine

IMG_5785White groundsel

IMG_5788Small spring near the junction with the start of the loop.

IMG_5792Reeder mentioned a rock cairn at the start of the loop which was still present, but now there were signs too.

IMG_5793Going counterclockwise seemed to be preferred direction based on trip reports. This was also the shorter distance to the summit at 1.6-miles.

IMG_5794The clockwise sign listed the summit as 2.8-miles away in that direction.

We chose counterclockwise and continued through the forest. The roadbed had been fairly steep but soon this trail began to steepen even more as it approached the small lower meadow.
IMG_5798

IMG_5804Arriving at the lower meadow.

At the meadow the trail turned directly uphill through the flowers before reentering the forest.
IMG_5807

IMG_5809Balsamroot

IMG_5811Groundsel and balsamroot

IMG_5808

IMG_5814Lupine

IMG_5817Death camas

IMG_5821The rocks up ahead made for some nice seats to take in the view from.

IMG_5827

IMG_5823Mt. Hood peaking over the ridge to the left with Mt. Defiance to the right.

IMG_5824Mt. Hood

After a much needed break we continued steeply through the forest to the start of the next, much longer meadow.
IMG_5828

IMG_5832Vanilla leaf

IMG_5835Starflower

IMG_5844

IMG_5847Fairybells

IMG_5853The start of the long upper meadow.

There wasn’t as much balsamroot in the upper meadow, but rather a wide variety of flowers in various stages of blooming.
IMG_5855Larkspur

IMG_5858Violets

IMG_5859Slender phlox and blue-eyed Mary

IMG_5864Phlox

IMG_5865Balsamroot surrounded by larkspur and coastal manroot.

IMG_5870Coastal manroot

IMG_5873Groundsel

IMG_5874Dog Mountain from the meadow.

IMG_5878Chocolate lily

IMG_5880This was the closest lupine to blooming in the upper meadow.

IMG_5881Chickweed

IMG_5883Oregon sunshine yet to boom.

IMG_5884Mt. Hood from the meadow.

The trail continued to climb through the meadow with increasingly better views and flowers.
IMG_5891

IMG_5888Woodland stars, larkspur, and lomatium.

IMG_5895

IMG_5902Yellow buttercups lining the trail.

IMG_5904Mt. Hood and Mt. Defiance

IMG_5892Mt. Hood

IMG_5906Mt. Defiance

IMG_5908Alpine pennycress

IMG_5911Larkspur and lomatium

IMG_5915

IMG_5923

IMG_5925Chocolate lily eating a buttercup.

IMG_5933Largeleaf sandwort

IMG_5945The final stretch of the upper meadow.

IMG_5946Violets

IMG_5951Phlox

IMG_5952Dog Mountain

IMG_5960Mt. Hood and Mt. Defiance from the upper meadow.

IMG_5961Table Mountain (post) and Greenleaf Peak (post) further to the west beyond Dog Mountain.

IMG_5966Phlox, paintbrush, and lomatium

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After slowly making our way through the meadow the trail climbed to the forested summit of Cook Hill.
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At this point we had hiked a little over 3.5-miles and gained over 2800′. To complete the loop portion of the hike we continued past the summit and made an initially steep descent along a ridge past some more meadow and occasional views of Mt. Adams to the north.
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IMG_5984

IMG_5987

IMG_5989Mt. Adams from between trees.

IMG_5992Arnica

IMG_5994The final stretch of the steep descent was through this forest with no understory.

The trail then leveled out along with the ridge and actually made a very gradual climb to a radio tower.
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IMG_6000Vine maple overhanging the trail.

IMG_6002It’s hard to tell from the photo but these were huge paintbrushes.

IMG_6004Another view of Mt. Hood and Mt. Defiance.

IMG_6005Dogwood

IMG_6007

IMG_6009Trillium

IMG_6011The first tower.

The trail continued past the radio tower to the left on a roadbed and soon passed under a large set of powerlines near more towers at Cook Hill Saddle.
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IMG_6013

IMG_6016Looking toward Mt. Adams from beneath the powerlines.

IMG_6015Mt. Adams

IMG_6017Wind Mountain (post) sticking up to the left before the Columbia River.

We made a hard right beneath the powerlines on a fainter old roadbed that quickly reentered the forest.
IMG_6018The faint roadbed heading left back toward the forest.

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We followed this roadbed back to the signed junction to complete the loop. This part of the trail was more overgrown with a few more logs to step over but it was still quite easy to follow and navigate.
IMG_6023

IMG_6026Wild ginger

IMG_6029

IMG_6031Candyflower

IMG_6035The trail passed under a talus slope where a fair number of flowers were present.

IMG_6036

IMG_6039Lupine and yarrow

IMG_6048Stonecrop

IMG_6050Bee visiting penstemon.

IMG_6056The talus slope.

IMG_6064Descending to the junction.

At the junction we turned right to head back to the car. At this point we’d encountered just three other hikers, but now that it was later, and we were off the loop we passed around two dozen more hikers heading up.
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IMG_6073Ookow and bachelor buttons along the trail.

IMG_6078Bachelor button

IMG_6082Heather spotted this arctic skipper on some vetch.

IMG_6087Clarkia. It wasn’t open yet when we’d passed by in the morning.

IMG_6089There were a lot of phantom orchids starting along the lower portion of the hike, but this was the only one with any flowers opened.

IMG_6092Cook-Underhill Road from Jackson Road.

The hike was challenging at 8.5-miles and over 2900′ of elevation gain, but the views and the flowers had made the effort worth it.
Screenshot 2024-06-01 163618

The parking area was full when we got back, and several cars had parked along the shoulder of the road which could become an issue at some point. The other thing we saw that could cause problems were the bags of dog poop left along Jackson Road, yuck. Please be respectful of both public and private lands and happy trails!

Flickr: Cook Hill