As we continue to look for hikes/trails that we have yet to visit we turned to the Eugene-Springfield area. There are numerous parks and natural areas offering hikes of varying lengths in or near these cities. We’ve visited a number of them in past and this outing would add three more to our list of places visited.
We began our day at Thurston Hills Natural Area. The trailhead, located within the city limits of Springfield, opens at 6am (restrooms at 7am).
Opened in 2017 the area offers trails for hikers and mountain bikers. The bike only trails are closed during the wet season which making it a quieter time for hiking. We set off on the gravel Mossy Maple Trail and began a gradual climb.
The trails were well marked with plenty of reminders which users were allowed on them.
There was a variety of Spring wildflowers blooming in the forest as we made our way up the trail.
Giant white wakerobin (Trillium albidum)
The only columbine we spotted.
Fairy lanterns
In addition to identifying the trails by name, several had mile markers.
Trillium
Solomon’s seal
Toothwort
Largeleaf sandwort
Bleeding heart
At 1.9-miles the trail crossed a gravel road (Mossy Maple Connector) and leveled out as it traversed a forested hillside.
Old fungus
Oregon grape
The 2.5-mile marker on the Mossy Maple Trail.
Seasonal closure sign and map at the upper junction with the bike only Yee-Haw Trail.
Pacific hound’s tongue
Fairy slippers
Star flowered solomon’s seal
Iris
Vetch
Fringecup
After approximately three miles on the Mossy Maple Trail we arrived at a junction with the Basalt Rim Trail. The Basalt Rim Trail would be our return route so for now we turned left and climbed a small hill to a meadow in a wide saddle.
Strawberry
Shooting star
Spotted towhee
We crossed the saddle (and an access road) to pick up the Camas Crest Trail.
Small-flowered woodland-stars
Checker lily and baby blue eyes (Nemophila menziesii)
Manroot
Red-flowering currant
The Camas Crest Trail joined the humorously named Cervus Road briefly where we went left for 100 yards to find the Basalt Rim Trail.
Dogwood
On the Cervus Road passing an old quarry on the right.
The Basalt Rim Trail.
The lupine is still a week or so away from blooming.
Basalt columns
We climbed up the Basalt Rim Trail to a junction with the Cascadian Thumb Trail on the right.
Warning signs along this hiker only trail cautioned trail users of dangerous cliffs and the risk of falling.
Fawn lily
Springfield from the trail.
There is a short one-way loop at the top.
The loop passes several rocky viewpoints, and a lot of poison oak.
Looking down from one of the viewpoints.
The highest peak to the left in the distance is Mount June (post) and the peak in the center is Bear Mountain.
Mt. Pisgah (post) just across the Middle Fork Willamette River with Spencer Butte (post) behind to the right.
Biscuitroot
Another viewpoint along the loop.
The peak with two humps is Mount Nebo. With the naked eye we could just make out Tidbits Mountain (post) in the distance to the right.
Camas (and poison oak) near the viewpoint.
Finishing the loop.
Stripped coralroot.
After completing the loop we returned to the Basalt Rim Trail and turned right and made our way back to the Mossy Maple Trail.
Switchbacks leading down to the Basalt Rim Trail.
Wren
Violets
Basalt outcrops
Ginger
Arriving back at the Mossy Maple Trail.
On the way back down we took the Mossy Maple Connector Trail which was simply a fairly steep gravel road but otherwise retraced our steps to the trailhead.
Starflower
Dunn’s salamander
Mossy Maple Connector Trail (left).
The Yee-Haw Trail coming down from the left to the Mossy Maple Connector Trail.
Buttercups
Fairy bells
Meadow near the trailhead.
The hike here came in just under 8 miles with 1215′ of elevation gain, by far the most strenuous stop of our day.
From Thurston Hills it was just a 15-minute drive to our next stop at Jasper State Recreation Site. This is one of the 25 State Park fee sites requiring a $10.00 day use fee. This year we purchased a $30.00 annual pass, so this stop was in part to make use of the pass and get our money’s worth. The hike description (or lack thereof) was from AllTrails so it was no surprise when we were immediately confused as to where to go from the parking area.
There was no obvious path down to the picnic shelters so we simply headed down to a gravel road where we turned right. After passing an impressive display of Menzies’ larkspur we found an actual trail and wound up making a short (0.6-mile) loop through the woods.
Menzies’ larkspur
Western meadowrue
Bleeding heart and purple deadnettle
Completing the loop.
AllTrails showed a 1.6-mile loop that not only went through the woods but also the picnic areas of the park. Aside from a few service roads there weren’t many obvious paths/trails that we could see so we made up our route which stuck mostly to a faint grassy track along the Middle Fork Willamette River.
Faint grassy path.
Golden crowned sparrow
A section of obvious trail.
The faint path disappeared near the fenced off-leash dog area. The AllTrails loop appeared to turn around here, but since we couldn’t see even a faint path leading back around closer to the parking areas we turned around and followed the river back.
We did find this short section of what appears to have been a paved path in the grass.
This was an odd little hike but the park itself was nice. There was some playground equipment, nice picnic shelters, the off-leash dog area, and some disc golf holes. We managed to get 1.5-miles of walking in and saw some really nice larkspur along the way.
A 10-minute drive took us from the Jasper State Recreation Site to Elijah Bristow State Park. Currently this is not a fee park, which was a bit surprising to us given it has wide range of activities to offer. There are over 10-miles of trails open to hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers along with access to the Middle Fork Willamette River for anglers and kayakers. There are several trailheads to choose from, but we parked at the Lost Creek Trailhead.
The trails here were well maintained and all official junctions were marked with posts consisting of pointers and symbols representing the trail names. That being said having a copy of the map handy was very helpful because the trail names, such as the Elk Trail, can apply to multiple spurs in the same area.
We set off past the signboard on the Elk Trail and soon found ourselves hiking along Lost Creek.
An example of the posts. Every directional arrow, including the far side that you can’t see, was for the “Elk Trail”.
Cedar along the Elk Trail.
We simply stayed left at posted junctions which brought us to the River Trail and the Middle Fork Willamette.
Candy flower and woodland buttercups
Picnic tables near Lost Creek.
Lost Creek
Not a signed junction so this is the one time we veered right.
Middle Fork Willamette River.
The River Trail turned eastward and ran parallel to the Middle Fork for a mile. For much of the mile the river was not visible however there were a few opportunities to reach the river bank.
I was hoping that there might be a turtle hiding in this photo but alas it does not appear that is the case.
We veered left here leaving the River Trail briefly to actually get a view of the river.
We hadn’t noticed the goslings in the grass until seeing the picture of the parents.
Another look at the river shortly before the River Trail turned away.
Barrow’s goldeneye
When we reached a post for the Angler’s Trail we turned right.
We stayed left again at the next junction then right at the following two. For the remainder of the hike we stayed left back to the park entrance road across from the Lost Creek Trailhead.
Left here as right led to a picnic area at the end of the entrance road.
Signpost at the second junction where we kept right.
The clouds had been stubborn all morning but by early afternoon they had mostly burned off.
We stayed left on the trail near the entrance road (across from the Channel Lake Trailhead).
ADA accessible path to a brushy wildlife viewing spot along a backwater channel.
Bufflehead and at least three turtles on the logs behind.
The Lost Creek Trailhead on the far side of the entrance road.
Our loop here came to 3.2-miles with less than 50′ of elevation gain.
A look at the relative proximity of our three stops.
On the day we wound up hiking 12.6-miles with approximately 1250′ of elevation gain, nearly all of which came at Thurston Hills. Thurston Hills was a great hike with a lot more varied scenery and wildflowers than we had expected. We are already planning on returning to Elijah Bristow to check out more of the trails there at some point. Jasper State Recreation Area was a pleasant addition to the stops, but it wouldn’t be a place that we would visit again if we were simply looking for a hike. It did however seem to be a great place to have a picnic with the family and spend a day along the river. Happy Trails!
Atwood Road
Death camas
Saxifrage and a yellow bells.
Grass widows
Gold stars, wood-land stars, and blue-eyed Mary.
Catherine Creek from Atwood Road.
Pungent desert parsley
Closer look at the arch.
Buttercup
I believe this was just our second time coming across these flowers.
Closer look at the Dutchman’s breeches.
Hairy bittercress (non-native)
Entering the sunlight.
Glacier lilies
wood-land stars
Toothwort
Columbia desert parsley
Heading through the forest.
Looking east as the road emerged from the forest.
Grassy hillside
Mt. Hood behind a few clouds.
Mt. Hood
Popcorn flower
Rowland Creek
Another user trail on the left, referred to as the Shoestring Trail by the Oregonhikers Field Guide. This trail is not shown on the Forest Service map nor is it mentioned on their website.
Coastal manroot
Grass widows
View of Mt. Hood’s summit.
Robin hunting worms.
Daffodils
The Upper Labyrinth Trail (aka Co8) joining from below. This was the first junction with signs naming official trails.
Labyrinth Creek below Atwood Road.
The Labyrinth Creek crossing.
Wet trail climbing away from Labyrinth Creek.
Red-tailed hawk
Yellow bells
We stayed left here.
We ignored the singletrack leading right on the far side of this unnamed stream.
Here we veered right on the single track. I believe the single track is the “official trail” although both paths led to the signed junction.
A multitude of tracks near the junction.
On one of the switchbacks.
Turkey vulture
The upper viewpoint.
Balsamroot
Looking east over the Columbia River.
Gold stars
The 
Woolly-pod milk-vetch
Miniture lupine, redstem storksbill and a popcorn flower.
Fiddleneck
We turned right at this junction with the Old Ranch Trail to continue downhill.
Naked broomrape and redstem storksbill
Tomcat clover and redstem storksbill
We ignored the Little Maui Connector Trail on the left near the old highway.
Larkspur
Crossing for Labyrinth Creek.
First view of the Catherine Creek Trailhead on the plateau ahead.
Hound’s tongue
Rowland Creek
Rowland Basin
Lupine and balsamroot
The Rowland Pinnacle
Ocean spray – August 4th – Wizard Island (Crater Lake NP), OR
Olympic onion – June 8th – Cedar Butte, OR
One-sided wintergreen – July 25th – Minam River Trail, OR
Tapertip onion – July 21st – Granny View Overlook (Hells Canyon), OR
Ookow – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
Orange agoseris – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain, OR
Orange globe mallow- May 25th – Barnes Butte (Prineville), OR
An orchid – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Oregon bluebells – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain Trail, OR
Oregon grape – March 30th – Mulkey Ridge Trail (Corvallis), OR
Oregon sunshine – July 13th – Nasty Rock Trail, OR
Pacific coralroot – July 13th – Joyce Lake Trail, OR
Pacific hound’s tongue – March 30th – Mulkey Ridge Trail (Corvallis), OR
Pacific waterleaf – May 12th – Cathedral Tree Trail, OR
Indian paintbrush – May 25th – Willow Creek Canyon, OR
Paintbrush – probably scarlet (Castilleja miniata) – August 18th – Cliff Creek Trail (Wallowa-Whitman National Forest), OR
Parry’s arnica – July 21st – Hat Point, OR
Patridge foot – September 13th – Pacific Crest Trail (Mt. Jefferson Wilderness), OR
Gray sagewort – July 21st – Granny View Overlook (Hells Canyon), OR
Pea-vine – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Pearly everlasting – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR
Woolly head clover – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Pennycress – July 23rd – McCully Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Penstemon – May 25th – Barnes Butte (Prineville), OR
Penstemon – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
Pestemon – July 13th – Nasty Rock Trail, OR
Venus penstemon – July 21st – Granny View Overlook (Hells Canyon), OR
Globe penstemon – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
A phacelia – July 26th – East Peak (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Phantom orchid – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
Phlox – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
Pinedrops – August 3rd – The Pinnacles Trail (Crater Lake NP), OR
Pink pyrola – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR
Pioneer violet – April 13th – Wind Mountain, WA
Woolly goldenweed? (If so this was a first for us.) – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Prairie smoke – May 26th – Bull Prairie Lake, OR
Prince’s pine – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Purple dead-nettle – February 24th – Fernhill Wetlands, OR
Purpleflower honeysuckle – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain, OR
Pussypaws – July 26th – Mount Howard, OR
Pussytoes – July 13th – Nasty Rock Trail, OR
Queen’s cup – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA
Raceme pussytoes – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain, OR
Rosy pussytoes – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA
Ragwort – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Red clover – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Red flowering currant – April 13th – Wind Mountain, WA
Rhododendron – June 15th – O’Leary Mountain Trail, OR
Rockcress – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Rose campion (non-native) – June 19th – Buckhead Nature Trail, OR
Rosy bird’s-foot trefoil – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR
Sagebrush mariposa lily – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Salal – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR
Salmonberry – April 13th – St. Cloud Trail, WA
Sandwort – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Saxifrage – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Scarlet gilia – July 4th – Horsepasture Mountain, OR
Scouler’s bluebell – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR
Scouler’s corydalis – April 13th – Lower Archer Falls, WA
Scouler’s woollyweed – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Seaside bittercress – May 11th – Ecola State Park, OR
Self-heal – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR
Serviceberry – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Shooting star – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Silverleaf phacelia – May 25th – Willow Creek Canyon, OR
Silvery raillardella (new to us) – August 4th – Crater Lake National Park, OR
Sitka mist-maidens – April 27th – Wahkeena Trail, OR
Skunk cabbage – May 11th – Ecola State Park, OR
Slender phlox – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
mall-flowered woodland-star – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Small bluebells – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Snowberry – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR
Solomonseal – April 20th – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, OR
Oregon oxalis – April 13th – Lower Archer Falls, WA
Spirea betulifolia – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA
Spiraea douglasii – July 6th – Independence Riverfront Park, OR
Spiraea splendens – July 25th – Minam River Trail, OR
Spotted coralroot – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
Spreading dogbane – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Spreading stickseed? – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
Star-flowered false solomonseal – June 8th – Cedar Butte, OR
Starflower – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
Stonecrop – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
Wormleaf stonecrop – July 13th – Nasty Rock, OR
Strawberry – March 30th – Mulkey Ridge Trail (Corvallis), OR
Streambank globe-mallow – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Sub-alpine mariposa lily – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR
Sugar sticks – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR
Swamp onion – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Chicory (non-native) – August 18th – Cliff Creek Trail (Wallowa-Whitman National Forest), OR
Sweet coltsfoot – April 27th – Wahkeena Trail, OR
Tall bluebells – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain Trail, OR
Tansy ragwort (non-native) – July 6th – Independence Riverfront Park, OR
Tasselflower brickellbrush – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Thimbleberry – April 20th – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, OR
Thistle – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR
Thistle (non-native) – July 6th – Independence Riverfront Park, OR
Greene’s thistle (Cirsium inamoenum) – July 26th – Mount Howard, OR
Threadleaf phacelia – May 25th – Barnes Butte (Prineville), OR
Tiger lilies – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR
Dalmation toadflax (non-native) – May 25th – Willow Creek Trail (Madras), OR
Tolmie’s mariposa lily – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR
Toothwort – March 30th – Mulkey Ridge Trail (Corvallis), OR
Trillium – March 30th – Mulkey Ridge Trail (Corvallis), OR
Twinberry – April 20th – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, OR
Twin flower – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR
Valerian – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR
Vanilla leaf – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
Variable-leaf collomia – June 8th – Cedar Butte Road, OR
Vetch – May 28th – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, OR
Vine maple – April 13th – Lower Archer Falls, WA
Violet – March 6th – Dorris Ranch (Eugene), OR
Violet – July 25th – Minam River Trail, OR
Canary violet – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Hookedspur violets – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Wallflower – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR
Wallowa paintbrush – July 25th – Minam River Trail, OR
Washington lily – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR
Western buttercups – March 16th – Middle Fork Willamette Path (Eugene), OR
Western clematis – August 19th – Pine Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Western featherbells – July 13th – Nasty Rock Trail, OR
Western Labrador tea – July 25th – Minam River Trail, OR
Western meadowrue – April 27th – Angel’s Rest Trail, OR
Western snakeroot – August 4th – Wizard Island (Crater Lake NP), OR
White mariposa lily – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Bushy blazing-star (Mentzelia dispersa) – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Tough-leaved iris – March 30th – Mulkey Ridge Trail (Corvallis), OR
Wild onion (Tolmie’s?) – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Wild roses – May 28th – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, OR
Willowherb – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Wintergreen – July 13th – Nasty Rock Trail, OR
Possibly woolly groundsel – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Yarrow – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA
Yellow bell – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Yellow columbine – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Yellowleaf iris – June 15th – O’Leary Mountain Trail, OR
Yellow sweet clover (non-native) – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Youth-on-age – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR
Zigzag groundsmoke – August 3rd – The Pinnacles Trail (Crater Lake NP), OR
Invasive Queen Anne’s Lace lower right corner.
Agoseris – July 26th – Mount Howard, OR
Allumroot – July 26th – Mount Howard, OR
Alpine pennycress – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
American Sawwort (Saussurea americana) – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Arnica – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Drummond’s anemone seedhead – August 4th – Crater Lake National Park, OR
Columbia windflower (Anemone deltoidea) – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
Apple blossoms – April 13th – St. Cloud Trail, WA
Heartleaf arnica – May 26th – Bull Prairie Lake, OR
Broadleaf arnica – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA
Arrowleaf buckwheat – July 13th – Nasty Rock, OR
Western mountain aster – July 13th – Nasty Rock, OR
Showy? aster – August 22nd – East Fork Wallowa River Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Thick-stemmed aster and buckwheat – July 21st – Granny View Overlook (Hells Canyon), OR
Another aster (or fleabane) – August 20th – Bowman Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Largeleaf avens – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR
Bachelor buttons (non-native) – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
Ballhead sandwort – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Ballhead waterleaf – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Carey’s balsamroot – May 25th – Willow Creek Canyon, OR
Arrowleaf balsamroot – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Baneberry – May 18th – Wilson River Trail, OR
Bastard toadflax – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain, OR
Woodland beardtongue – July 13th – Nasty Rock, OR
Beargrass – June 8th – Cedar Butte, OR
Bigleaf maple – March 30th – Mulkey Ridge Trail (Corvallis), OR
Bindweed – August 18th – Cliff Creek Trail (Wallowa-Whitman National Forest), OR
Barestem biscuitroot – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Trailing blackberry – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR
Bleeding heart – April 27th – Devil’s Rest Trail, OR
Blue-eyed Mary – April 13th – Wind Mountain, WA
Bluebell-of-Scotland – July 13th – Nasty Rock, OR
Bluehead gilia – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA
Bog Orchid – July 23rd – McCully Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Bolander’s Ragwort – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA
Daisies (non-native) – June 19th – Buckhead Nature Trail, OR
Sulphur-flower wild buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum) – July 13th – Nasty Rock, OR
Barestem wild buckwheat (Eriogonum nudum) – July 13th – Nasty Rock, OR
Cushion wild buckwheat – July 26th – Mount Howard, OR
Alpine wild buckwheat – August 4th – Crater Lake National Park, OR
Buek’s groundsel – July 26th – Mount Howard, OR
Carolina bugbane – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Bunchberry – July 13th – Joyce Lake Trail, OR
Buttercup – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR
Bistort – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR
California-tea – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR
California cornlily – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Camas – April 20th – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, OR
Canadian milk-vetch – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Candy flower – April 13th – Sams-Walker Day Use Area, WA
Cardwell’s penstemon – June 8th – Tillamook State Forest (Road FB3), OR
Catchfly – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA
Ceanothus – June 15th – O’Leary Mountain Trail, OR
Chocolate lily – April 13th – Doetsch Ranch, WA
Meadow checker-mallow – May 28th – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, OR
Rose checker-mallow – May 28th – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, OR
Oregon checker-mallow – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Chickweed – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
Cinquefoil – June 29th – Hiyu Ridge, OR
Shrubby cinquefoil – July 21st – Hat Point, OR
Farewell to spring (Clarkia amoena) – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
Cliff beardtongue – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA
Coyote mountain mint – July 13th – Nasty Rock, OR
Clover – August 22nd – East Fork Wallowa River Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Coastal manroot – May 11th – Crescent Beach Trail, OR
Columbian larkspur – March 16th – Middle Fork Willamette Path (Eugene), OR
Columbine – June 29th – Hiyu Ridge, OR
Common butterwort? – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Common madia – May 28th – Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, OR
Common whipplea – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR
Coneflower – August 17th – Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area, OR
Cusick’s speedwell – July 23rd – McCully Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Cut-leaf thelypody – May 25th – Willow Creek Trail, OR
Cutleaf anemone – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Death camas – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Desert yellow fleabane – May 25th – Willow Creek Trail, OR
Devil’s club – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR
Dogwood – April 20th – Rood Bridge Park, OR
Dusty maidens – July 26th – East Peak (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Dwarf alpinegold – August 4th – Crater Lake National Park, OR
Dwarf lupine – August 4th – Crater Lake National Park, OR
Elderberry – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain, OR
Elephants head – July 25th – Minam River Trail, OR
Elkhorn clarkia – July 21st – Granny View Overlook (Hells Canyon), OR
Engilish plantain (non-native) – May 11th – Fort Stevens State Park, OR
Explorer’s gentian – September 21st – Black Wolf Meadows, OR
Fairy bells – April 27th – Wahkeena Trail, OR
Fairy lanterns – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR
Fairy slipper – April 13th – Wind Mountain, WA
Fawn lilies – March 30th – Mulkey Ridge Trail (Corvallis), OR
Felt-leaf everlasting – August 4th – Crater Lake National Park, OR
Finetooth beardtongue – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA
Fireweed – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
False hellebore – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
A fleabane? – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain, OR
Showy? fleabane – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Flett’s ragwort – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR
Ground-ivy (non-native) – April 13th – Sams-Walker Day Use Area, WA
Foam flower – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
Fringecup – April 13th – Lower Archer Falls, WA
Fringed pinesap – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR
Gentian – August 19th – Pine Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Geranium – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Ghost pipe – August 22nd – East Fork Wallowa River Trail, OR
Giant purple wakerobin (Trillium kurabayashii) – April 20th – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, OR
Giant white wakerobin (Trillium albidum) – April 20th – Jackson Bottom Wetlands, OR
Wild ginger – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
Glacier lilies- May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Rocky Mountain goldenrod – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Gold stars – April 27th – Wahkeena Trail, OR
Grass-of-parnassus – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Grass widows – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Gray’s licorice-root – August 3rd – Castle Crest Wildflower Trail (Crater Lake NP), OR
Greene’s goldenbush – August 3rd – The Pinnacles Trail (Crater Lake NP), OR
Groundsel – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
Harebells – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Hedgenettle – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR
Hoary Cress (non-native) – May 25th – Barnes Butte (Prineville), OR
Honeysuckle – June 29th – Hiyu Ridge Trail, OR
Hooded ladies tresses – August 20th – Chimney Lake Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Idaho licorice-root – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Inside-out-flower – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR
Royal Jacob’s ladder – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR
Jacob’s ladder – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Jessica’s stickseed – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR
Lance-leaf spring beauty – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Large-flower triteleia – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
Largeleaf sandwort – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain Trail, OR
Menzies’ Larkspur (Delphinium menziesii) – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR
Possibly rockslide larkspur (Delphinium glareosum) – July 13th – Nasty Rock, OR
Sierra larkspur (Delphinium glaucum) – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Leafy fleabane – June 19th – Deception Butte Trail, OR
Leafy miterwort – May 18th – Wilson River Trail, OR
Lemon-scented madia – May 25th – Willow Creek Canyon, OR
Lewis flax – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain, OR
Lewis monkeyflower – August 3rd – Castle Crest Wildflower Trail (Crater Lake NP), OR
False lily of the valley – April 20th – Rood Bridge Park, OR
Littleleaf montia – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR
Little prince’s pine – June 15th – O’Leary Mountain Trail, OR
Longhorn plectritis – May 26th – Madison Butte, OR
Sickletop louswort – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR
Coiled lousewort – July 23rd – McCully Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Lupine – May 18th – Wilson River Trail, OR
Lupine – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Lyall’s goldenweed – July 26th – Mount Howard, OR
Microseris – June 22nd – Big Huckleberry Mountain, WA
Basalt? milk-vetch – May 25th – Barnes Butte (Prineville), OR
Mock orange – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Common monkey-flower (Erythranthe guttata) – June 1st – Cook Hill, WA
Chickweed monkey-flower (Erythranthe alsinoides) – June 8th – Cedar Butte Road, OR
Coastal monkey-flower (Erythranthe dentata) – June 8th – Kilchis Forest Road, OR
Monkshood – July 24th – Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Mountain ash – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Mountain death camas – July 22nd – Hurricane Creek Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Mountain heather – July 24th – Bonny Lakes Trail (Eagle Cap Wilderness), OR
Musk monkey-flower (Erythranthe moschata) – July 4th – Olallie Trail, OR
Naked broomrape – June 29th – Grasshopper Mountain, OR
Nettle-leaf giant hyssop – July 21st – Granny View Overlook (Hells Canyon), OR
Northern phlox – June 15th – O’Leary Mountain Trail, OR
Northwestern rabbit-tabbaco – September 13th – Pacific Crest Trail (Mt. Jefferson Wilderness), OR
Northwestern twayblade – July 13th – Nasty Rock Trail, OR
Nuttall’s linanthus – July 25th – Minam River Trail, OR
We managed to get started about ten minutes before 6am.
Bugbane and paintbrush
A 2022 wildfire burned the first 3-miles of the trail and left the old footbridge damaged. A steep scramble trail led down to it.
Big Sheep Creek
Paintbrush and lupine
Wildfire smoke filling the valley behind us.
Phacelia
Butterfly on buckwheat.
Some of the trees survived the fire.
White mariposa lilies in a meadow along the trail.
Junction with the Wing Ridge Trail.
North Fork Big Sheep Creek
Lewis Monkeyflower along the creek.
Bog orchid
Bee heading for some monkshood.
Me in some fireweed.
Getting eyed by a western tanager.
When fires burn too hot they damage the soil which makes it difficult for all plants to obtain the necessary nutrients to grow.
A healthy patch of paintbrush.
Middle Fork Big Sheep Creek
Monkeyflower
Another severely burned section.
The Bonny Lakes Trail forking to the right off of the Tenderfoot Wagon Road Trail.
Wildflowers along the Bonny Lakes Trail.
The wildflowers were profuse along this stretch of trail.
Police car moths
Larkspur and fleabane
The trail recrossed the Middle Fork Big Sheep Creek.
Orange agoseris
Taper tip onions
White mariposa lilies
Checker-mallow
Penstemon on the outcrop.
Pika!
Gathering plants for the Winter store.
On the steep climb.
Ground squirrel
The creek was below between the ridges here.
Stonecrop
Swamp onions
Wallowa paintbrush
Aneroid Mountain and Lower Bonny Lake.
Aneroid Mountain to the right and an unnamed peak on the left.
Shrubby cinquefoil
Upper Bonny Lake
Lower Bonny Lake
Aneroid Mountain from the knoll.
Spotted sandpiper
Elephants head
White mariposa lily and buckwheat
Checker-mallow and white mariposa lilies along the trail.
Gentians
Goldenrod and yarrow
Nuttal’s linanthus
North Fork Big Sheep Creek
The haze from the morning had improved now that the Sun had moved on from the east.
Looking down at the un-damaged bridge over a side stream.
Yellow columbine
Big Sheep Creek.
The unsigned trail enters the forest across from a small pullout.
Fish
Rough skinned newt
Flagging and some old trail maintenance along the Baty Butte Trail.
We could see the tread continuing on the other side of the thicket.
Vegetation covering the trail.
The trailhead is located at a turnaround at the end of BLM road 7-4E-11.1.
Oregon sunshine, lupine and paintbrush.
Larkspur, paintbrush, and Oregon sunshine.
Penstemon, paintbrush, and valerian.
Bistort
Arnica
Bear sign on the trail.
Paintbrush and lousewort
Nasty Rock from the trail.
Entering the fire scar.
The trail was especially overgrown in the fire scar.
Penstemon
Columbine along the trail.
Valerian
Exiting the fire scar after less than 100 yards.
While none of the several downed trees posed much of an issue the condition of the trail made for slow going.
Nasty Rock sticking up ahead.
Not Nasty Rock further along the ridge and in the Beachie Creek fire scar.
Wildflowers were blooming in the openings along the ridge.
Arrowleaf buckwheat
Checkerspot on Oregon sunshine
Oregon sunshine
Table Rock (
Mt. Hood peecking up from behind a ridge.
Scarlet gilia
Nasty Rock from the trail.
Flowers below the trail.
Flowers above the trail.
There were a lot of nice Washington lilies below Nasty Rock with more to come over the next week or two.
Nasty Rock from the trail.
The trail below Nasty Rock.
Nasty 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.
Mt. Jefferson from Nasty Rock.
Mt. Jefferson with the flat-topped Battle Ax (
Mt. Hood in the distance.
Looking out across the Molalla River drainage to the Table Rock Wilderness.
Rooster 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.
Not Nasty Rock from Nasty Rock. The highest peak diagonally left of Not Nasty Rock is Rocky Top (
We were joined at the summit by a swarm of flying ants obsessed with this fir tree.
Checkerspot on Oregon sunshine
Swallowtail resting on serviceberry.
Blue bells of Scotland
Fritillaries on mountain coyote mint
Fleabane
Buckwheats, paintbrush, Oregon sunshine and at least one butterfly.
Scarlet gilia
Washington lily
Inside-out flower
Fritillary
Pink pyrola
Bead lily a.k.a. Queen’s cup
Bunchberry
Cat’s ear mariposa lily
Approaching the road.
Larkspur and yarrow
Checkerspots on Oregon sunshine
Valerian along the trail.
Vanilla leaf and anemones carpeting the forest floor.
Star-flowered false solomonseal.
Coneflower with lupine behind.
Penstemon
Monkeyflower
Lupine
Sub-alpine mariposa lily
Moth on fleabane.
Waterleaf
Tiger lily
Pussytoes
From left to right the peaks with snow are: The Twins (
Diamond Peak
Grasshopper Mountain above the meadow.
The post in the rocky area.
When we visited in 2017 it had been mid-July, and the larkspur show was over.
A cairn marks the Grasshopper Mountain Trail.
Looking out over the meadow.
Fuji Mountain and Diamond Peak
The saddle below Grasshopper Mountain.
The Three Sisters and Broken Top
Mt. Bachelor
The last of the snow, at least it is all we saw.
Glacier lilies near the tiny snow patch.
It was evident that the trail does get maintained on occasion, but none of it appeared recent near Grasshopper Mountain.
Anemone
Violets
Bleeding heart
Oregon bluebells
The Three Sisters and Broken Top were visible from this area.
Back on the slightly overgrown trail.
Mt. Jefferson and Three Fingered Jack
Bears appear to use the trail more than hikers. This was the largest of three piles we’d pass on the day.
Arnica
This is both the trail and a front (back) door.
Valerian and tall bluebells
Fairy bells
Meadowrue
Moth on valerian.
Jacob’s-ladder
While the trail was overgrown in places it was passable and the tread was in pretty good shape.
Fringecup
Possibly a speedwell but unsure and it was the only one we saw.
More blowdown to maneuver around.
Edith’s checkerspot
Trail passing through an area full of monkeyflower and larkspur.
Cinquefoil, larkspur, and buckwheat
Scarlet gilia
Paintbrush
Bluehead gilia and silverleaf phacelia
The rocky area from the trail as it crossed the ridge.
Columbine crowding the trail.
The wildflower covered rocks on the way back.
Arrowleaf buckwheat and Oregon sunshine
The Three Sisters and Broken Top with some clouds moving in.
Paintbrush surrounded by buckwheat, bluehead gilia, and stonecrop.
Scarlet gilia
Wallflower
Wild rose
Beargrass near the outcrop.
The outcrop from the trail.
Blowdown
More blowdown
Western meadow fritillary
Bunchberry
Recent trail maintenance! There were a couple of cut trees in the final mile, but there were also still many to step over.
The trail dropped low enough that there were several rhododendron blooming.
Queen’s cup.
South Sister (
Had I not just come down the trail I might not have even noticed it was there.
Cardwell’s penstemon
Starflower
Ginger
Mt. Bachelor through the trees.
Musk monkeyflower
Grasshopper Mountain from the outcrop.
Cliff beardtongue
Blue-eyed Mary
Cicada, not a pollinator but interesting to see.
Solomonseal
Variable-leaf collomia
Oregon grape
Pollinator 1
Pollinator 2
Pollinator 3 (Clodius parnassian)
Bees on bastard toadflax
Checkerspot on groundsel
Penstemon
Our guess is this is mile three from Grasshopper Saddle. We didn’t notice any other numbers and missed this one on our first pass.
Dwarf bramble
Strawberry
Cinquefoil
It started clouding up in the afternoon.
Back at the saddle below Grasshopper Mountain.
Great 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.
The checkerspots on the other hand are happy to open their wings.
False hellebore
It clouded up over Diamond Peak as well.
Lewis flax
A Lycaendae on a lupine leaf.
Moth on a mariposa lily.
Butterflies gathering at the spring.
The Prius at the TH. We parked on the shoulder in a pullout.
Looking down at the pullout from the PCT on the way back.
Phantom orchid
Spotted coralroot
Finetooth beardtongue
Mt. Hood through a window in the trees.
Finetooth beardtongue along the trail.
Bluehead gilia
Paintbrush
Some yellow balsamroot along the trail.
Columbine
Inside-out flower
Bunchberry
Vanilla leaf
Arnica
Approaching the landslide area.
Starting at the green up to the left is Augspurger Mountain (
Mt. Hood from the viewpoint.
Lomatium, bluehead gilia, and arrowleaf buckwheat in the bowl.
Honeysuckle
Wild onion mixed in with bluehead gilia.
Lupine
Catchfly
Arnica and beargrass in the forest.
Nearing one of the little meadows.
Sub-alpine mariposa lilies
Bluehead gilia
Sub-alpine mariposa lilies
Buckwheat
Onion
Bastard toadflax behind a cat’s ear lily.
Looking back from the meadow.
I believe these are some type of microseris.
Boundary sign for the 
Broadleaf arnica
Star-flowered false solomonseal
The Cedar Creek Trail coming up from the right.
Anemones
Wallflower
White groundsel
Cliff beardtongue
Cliff beardtongue
Wild rose
Larkspur
Mt. Hood from the viewpoint.
Spotted coralroot
Oregon sunshine and wild onions
Chickweed
Arriving at another small clearing with flowers.
Phlox, penstemon, lomatium, onion, and mariposa lilies.
Another little meadow.
Larkspur and balsamroot
This was the only time we spotted Mt. St. Helens on the hike.
Mt. Adams from the former lookout site.
There was a lot of phlox in bloom.
Table Mountain (
Mt. Hood
Mt. Hood with Mt. Jefferson behind to the right.
Balsamroot and groundsel
Mt. Adams
Phlox
Paintbrush and cliff beardtongue
Another view of Mt. Hood.
Sandwort
Chickweed
Balsamroot
Some of the smaller flowers present on the summit.
Finetooth beardtongue
Wallflower
Wild onion
The end of the ridge is about three quarters of a mile from the lookout site.
Heather on the outcrop.
Painted lady
Larkspur
Swallowtail
Chickweed in some phlox.
Wallflower
Colubmine
Bluehead gilia
Beargrass along the PCT.
Heading down to the trailhead.
Signboard about a tenth of a mile from the trailhead.
The loop began on the far side of the footbridge.
As far as we could remember we’d never seen a bench on the other side of a fence before.
Middle Fork Willamette River through the vegetation.
Tiger lily
Snail
Mock orange
Anemone
There 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.
We turned left at the signed junction following half a sign for the Deception Butte Trail.
At the last unsigned junction there was a signboard, but with nothing on it. (We went straight.)
Warning sign for the burned area ahead.
The footbridge over Deception Creek.
Deception Creek
The amount of trail work needed to clear the trail was evident by the sheer number of cut trees along the length of the trail.
This was from 2017 near the same stretch of trail.
View up the canyon from the trail.
Clodius parnassian
There 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.
Moth
Starflower
Rhododendron
Northern cloudywing
Big deervetch
Hummingbird
Groundsel
One of the damaged sections of trail.
There was some forest that survived the fire starting near the 3.5-mile mark where the fire burned less intensely.
Townsend’s solitaire
Canada jay
There were a few views of the Three Sisters through the remaining trees. (Middle & South Sister here)
Inside-out flower
Looking up as the trail neared the summit.
Woodpecker
Anemone
The Deception Butte Trail arriving at Deception Butte.
Beargrass
Looking down at the saddle and wondering if it was really worth having to climb back up.
Northern flicker
Lizard
Rock outcrop on the other side of the saddle.
Tolmie’s mariposa lilies
Bluehead gilia
Squirrel
Oakridge in the valley below with Diamond Peak (
Diamond Peak
Oakridge
Oregon sunshine on the hillside looking up Deception Butte from the saddle.
Wild onion
One of the fritillary butterflies.
There 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.
Plectris and stonecrop
Coralroot
The best view of the Three Sisters that we got all day.
Butterflies enjoying some vetch. There were at least a half dozen butterflies visiting this patch.
Brown creeper
Pink pyrola
Turkey vulture
Fireweed
Entering the trees near the footbridge over Deception Creek.
Columbine
Spotted coralroot
The first of three crossings of FR 411, this is at the 0.4-mile mark.
Inside-out flower
Starflower
The trail is narrow at times but well maintiained.
Forest filled with rhododendron.
A closer look at the rhodies.
There were several madrones in the forest.
Sugar sticks
There were a few places where we might have had a view if not for the clouds.
Stonecrop
Passing below some of the rock formations.
Anemones
Bleeding heart
The first small meadow that the trail passed through was full of blue-eyed Mary.
Northern phlox
Coming up on another small meadow.
Subalpine mariposa lily
Beargrass
The 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.
Back on trail.
Honeysuckle
More northern phlox
This meadow was full of bluehead gilia.
The trail dropped steeply as it rejoined FR 411.
There was no parking room that we could see near this area.
Vanilla leaf along the trail.
Bunchberry
Trillium
We 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.
The 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.
This was all beargrass, but none of the plants in this area appeared to be planning on blooming this year.
Hermit thrush
The rocky summit of MacDuff Mountain.
A lot of larkspur.
Subalpine mariposa lilies
Paintbrush and buckwheat
Cinquefoil
A penstemon
The view from the top.
No blue sky that way.
No sign of clearing this way either.
Cliff beardtongue
Woodland-stars
Paintbrush
Hey look, there is another ridge over there.
Ookow just starting to open up.
Steep climb or road walk? We chose the trail again on the way back.
A wetter road now thanks to the rain shower.
Blue sky, it does exist.
The clouds got a late start but eventually started lifting.
From this angle it looks like a statue.
Looking down from some of the switchbacks.
Cougar Reservoir
Pyrola
Sunlight!
I’ve never seen a track this far off.
The track after manually editing it.
wanderingyuncks 