Traditionally we take a hike on July 4th somewhere in the Cascade foothills. Last year we broke that tendency by spending an extended weekend in California’s Siskiyou Wilderness (post). This year we set our sights back on the Cascade foothills with plans to hike three short trails featured in a couple of Matt Reeder’s guidebooks. All of the trails we were visiting today were impacted by the 2020 Beachie Creek Fire.
Our first stop of the morning was at the Natural Rock Arch Trailhead. Located in the Santiam State Forest Reeder combines the Natural Rock Arch Trail and the Rocky Top Trail as hike #15 in his “101 Hikes in the Majestic Mount Jefferson Region” 2nd edition.
The forecast for Salem was for temps in the mid-90s so we got an early start.
The Natural Rock Arch Trail set off downhill from the small parking area through burned woods.
There were a number of wildflowers blooming along the trail including some impressive Cascade lilies.
Bleeding heart and penstemon
Iris
Cascade lily
Scouler’s bluebell
Inside-out flower
A few green trees remain.
Another Cascade lily
The trail was in pretty good shape overall and we could tell there was ongoing trail work. It looked like there were some rock steps that were going be placed in this section.
Penstemon
Oregon sunshine
It was a half mile descent to the Natural Rock Arch.
View from the arch.
Fin below the arch.
The trail continues through the arch and uphill a short distance on the other side to a small cave/overhang.
After visiting the arch we hiked back up to the trailhead regaining the 500′ in elevation we’d lost on the way down. The climb was the main reason we’d started with this trail preferring to make the climb before it got too warm.
In the guidebook Reeder has you drive to the Rocky Top Trailhead which is just under 2 miles away. The last mile or so of the drive to the Natural Rock Arch Trailhead had been a little rough and I didn’t feel like two more miles of the same so we decided to walk the road instead. While there was another 500′ of elevation difference between the two trailheads the gain looked to be very gradual on the topographic map.
This wound up being a great choice as the road was lined with wildflowers for nearly its entire length, and we also spotted a pika along the way.
Snowberry checkerspot
Rocky Top straight ahead.
Penstemon and big deer vetch
Cascade lily
Oregon sunshine, penstemon, Oregon bedstraw, and a daisy or two.
Oregon sunshine and paintbrush
There was a fair amount of shade while the Sun was still low.
Paintbrush and penstemon
Thimbleberry
Bleeding heart. There was more bleeding heart on this hillside than we’d ever seen in one spot.
Eight-spotted Forester-Alypia octomaculata
Pika below the road.
Pika
Rhododendron
The Three Sisters on a hazy morning.
Anemone
Paintbrush and lupine
Beargrass
A few patches of green below Rocky Top.
This was probably the worst spot in the road in between the two trailheads.
Bunchberry
Trillium with a few petals yet to fall off.
Violets
Spirea and valerian
Large boykinia
Lots of lupine.
Larkspur and phacelia
Arriving at the Rocky Top Trailhead.
A Marion County Sherrif drove up in his pickup as I arrived at the trailhead. We had a nice talk before he started back down the road. Heather arrived shortly afterward and we started up the Rocky Top Trail together.
Clodius paranssian
More flowers awaited along the 0.7 climb to the former lookout site atop Rocky Top.
Columbine
Beardstongue
Lupine
The road from the trail. The taller, rounded, peak in the center is Sardine Mountain (post). Sardine Mountain Road has yet to reopen after the 2020 fire.
Mt. Washington and the Three Sisters.
We decide the primary cause of the haze was smoke from the Tunnel 5 Fire on the Washington side of the Columbia River across from Hood River with the fires in Canada most likely adding their own smoke to the mix. The hazy view didn’t bother us though as the wildflowers and abundant pollinators held our attention.
Mt. Jefferson, Three Fingered Jack, Mt. Washington and the Three Sisters.
Mt. Jefferson through the haze.
Elkhorn Ridge (post) with Mt. Hood in the distance to the right. Elkhorn Ridge and Opal Creek Wilderness beyond were severely impacted by the fire and remain closed for now.
Mt. Hood above ridges of burned forest.
The loss of the trees did result in better views of the various rock formations in the area.
We’d never seen so many of these eight-spotted forester moths.
Hummingbird taking a rest from visiting the penstemon and paintbrush.
Another moth that had some excellent camo.
The moth putting its camouflage to use.
Penstemon
Rose
Rocky Top from the trail.
This was the only pink colored penstemon we spotted.
Lupine and beargrass
Not sure which of the Lycaenidae this is but it was pretty.
The spirea was popular.
Bumble bee
At one point it looked like Three Fingered Jack was sitting on top of Coffin Mountain (post).
Nice blue sky overhead.
Looking North. Henline Mountain (post) is the high peak on the other side of Elkhorn Ridge.
Bistort and penstemon
Haven’t been able to identify this one yet.
Beargrass
A snowberry checkerspot and some fried avalanche lilies.
The trail wound behind Rocky Top to come up the West ridge to the summit.
Arnica
Sub-alpine mariposa lily
Tiger lily and beardstongue
Catchfly
There was a 360-degree view from the summit which was of course impacted by the smoke. On a clear day we would have been able to see Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens in Washington but we settled for a string of Oregon Cascades and Mary’s Peak in the Coast Range.
Not sure what the story is behind this chair, but we weren’t about to test its stability.
Detroit Lake
Mary’s Peak (post) is really hard to make out, but it is on the far left of the horizon.
Looking North we could see Table Rock (post), the high point in the center, behind Henline Mountain closer and to the left and Elkhorn Ridge nearest.
Closer look at Table Rock.
Henline Mountain, Table Rock, Mt. Hood, in front and just to the right of Mt. Hood is Whetstone Mountain (post) and the two humps in the distance to the far right are North and South Dickey Peaks.
Mountain bluebird checking us out.
Mt. Jefferson
Three Fingered Jack behind Coffin Mountain, Maxwell Butte (post), Mt. Washington, the Three Sisters, and The Husband.
While we were at the summit we spotted another car driving up the road to the trailhead so after a nice break we headed back to let the next visitor(s) have their turn.
Zerene fritillary
Beargrass
Moth and a checkerspot
We passed the couple from the car about halfway down the trail. It would be the only other hikers we would pass on the trails this day. (We did see a few others but not on the trails.)
The road walk between trailheads was a butterfly bonanza. The road was now in full sunlight and that had brought out hundreds of butterflies and moths.
A bee, a moth, and a butterfly land on some flowers…
Painted lady
Fireweed Clearwing Moth (Albuna pyramidalis).
A fritillary and a copper.
Two coppers and a bee.
Checkerspots, a bee, a copper and part of an eight-spotted forester moth.
Eight-spotted forester moth.
The previous four photos were all from this group of Oregon sunshine.
Bleeding heart, no butterfly but a nice group of blossoms.
More moths and butterflies.
Swallowtail on penstemon
One of the blues I think, but not sure which.
Lorquin’s admiral
With the road walk included our hike here came in at 6.4 miles with a little over 1800′ of cumulative elevation gain.
We headed back toward Salem and turned into the North Santiam State Recreation Area (3.8 miles West of Mill City or 28.6 miles East of Salem along Highway 22.) While this is a State Recreation Area Marion County is managing the park through at least 2024 following the 2020 fire. Reeder described a 2.3-mile loop here but we weren’t sure what we’d find with limited information available online. We parked near the day-use picnic area and followed the sidewalk left past a large signboard for the campground to a small “Trail” sign.
We turned onto a wide mowed path and followed it into the fire scar which was hosting masses of very tall fireweed.
Sparrow
Stellar’s jay
We almost missed the spur trail to the larger loop which was unsigned and hidden by some brush.
The spur trail is to the right just ahead.
We turned right onto the spur and quickly came to a “T” junction where we turned right following a “To River” sign.
We watched a norther flicker fly into the snag ahead and it took a minute to figure out where he was.
The flicker
At the river the trail curved right following it to the camping area.
Trailing blackberries. We might have found a few ripe ones.
Arriving at the camping area.
North Santaim River
We continued on what was now a paved path to a road
Oregon grape
Mock orange
The boat launch.
North Santiam River
It was a lot cooler by the river than it was on the paths so we lingered for a bit before heading back to the loop. Prior to the fire the loop crossed the road to the boat launch and continued in the forest eventually crossing the park entrance road and completing the loop near the “To River” sign. We quickly discovered that the loop no longer existed on the north side of the roads. We up the boat launch road past the trail we arrived on then past the park host. We could have just turned right at the parking lot, but we decided to see if any of the loop remained. A short way up the entrance road we spotted paint for a crosswalk.
The park host on the left and the parking lot on the right.
Crosswalk for the pre-fire loop.
Looking North from the crosswalk there was zero sign of the former trail.
They had at least restored this short section of the loop so we were able to return to the spur trail and turn right then right again to complete the inner loop.
The “To River” sign at the spur trail junction.
Possibly a western wood pee-wee
Spotted towhee
Osprey
The park host from the trail.
The loop as we did it is now only 1.7-miles with 50′ of elevation gain.
The park wasn’t as crowded as we thought it might be on a hot holiday and there was no one else hiking the trails here. It was a nice enough end to a good day hiking and we had finished just after Noon so we had avoided the hottest parts of the day. To be honest we hadn’t expected a whole lot from any of these hikes and had chosen them primarily for their proximity to Salem, but the Natural Rock Arch and Rocky Top far exceeded our expectations. We were home around 1pm and had the rest of the afternoon to relax with the cats. Happy Trails!
Flickr: Natural Rock Arch, Rocky Top, and North Santiam Park
While the loop did come in at 2.5-miles it was a little over 3/4 of a mile to the Boundary Trail.
Lupine
One of several ponds along the trail.
A “Student Stop” marker surrounded by dwarf lupine. We aren’t sure what the these meant or what program they are related to.
An interpretive sign along the trail facing some of the hummocks.
Penstemon
Mt. St. Helens as we neared the Boundary Trail junction.
Trail guide marker #3 and an interpretive sign at the junction.
The lower left map shows the current closure area and open trails. In a nutshell, all the trails are open but everything off-trail to the side facing SR504 is currently closed.
The views of Mt. St. Helens were great.
The trail began to climb as it squeezed between a gap in the hillsides ahead.
View back to the hummocks from the gap.
Trees in the gap.
After exiting the gap we got another good view of the mountain before the trail veered left turning away from the mountain.
Heading away from Mt. St. Helens to start the climb.
Dwarf lupine was profuse below the ridge.
Scouler’s bluebell
Thimbleberry blossoms
Castle Peak above Castle Lake with Spud Mountain to the right and the North Fork Toutle River below.
Horned lark
Tiger lily
Savannah sparrow
Heading back toward Mt. St. Helens.
The North Fork Toutle River flowing between Spud Mountain (left) and Elk Rock (right).
Castle Peak and Castle Lake
Elk Rock on the left and Coldwater Lake on the right.
Coldwater Lake
Mountain bluebird.
At one point quite a bit of dust? kicked up from the South Fork Toutle River canyon.
Cardwell’s penstemon
Coldwater Peak with Mt. Adams to the far right of the photo. The hiker ahead to the left of Coldwater Peak was from Belgium. He was here on work but using the weekends to explore the area. We would see him two more times, once from the observatory as he continued on the Boundary Trail and then as we were exiting the trailhead. He had done a loop using the Coldwater Trail (
Mt. Adams from the viewpoint on our way back. The angle of the Sun earlier caused the mountain to look pretty washed out.
Mt. St. Helens from the viewpoint.
Variable-leaf collomia
The Loowit Viewpoint on the ridge ahead.
Paintbrush covered hillside.
Mt. St. Helens from the Loowit Viewpoint.
Mt. St. Helens crater.
Golden mantled-ground squirrel. These brazen con-artists often convince visitors they would starve without humans help. While this is definitely not the case and 
A single plant.
A lot of paintbrush.
Daisies and paintbrush
Penstemon, yarrow, and Scouler’s woolyweed along with the paintbrush.
Paintbrush and penstemon along the trail.
Passing by the Johnston Ridge Observatory.
Before and after photos of the 1980 eruption.
Mt. Adams peaking over the ridges with Spirit Lake also visible (center).
Spirit Lake
The mountain identifier ahead on the left.
We could see where the repair work was happening on SR504 from this trail.
The rounded peak to the right is Goat Mountain (
Goat Mountain with a few patches of snow still showing up.
Rock Arch near Coldwater Peak.
Memorial for the lives lost in the 1980 eruption.
Junction with the Boundary Trail.
Pussypaws
Another view of the washout.
Our turn around spot. You can see the trail on far side of the saddle veering left behind the ridge.
Coldwater Peak from our turnaround spot.
The Johnston Ridge Observatory from the trail. We hadn’t realized how much elevation we’d lost until we turned around.
Castle Peak and Spud Mountain on the left and the observatory above some colorful cliffs.
Penstemon
White crowned sparrow
Boundary Trail leaving the Loowit Viewpoint.
Snowberry checkerspot on penstemon.
Another checkerspot, this time on lupine.
Cedar waxwings
Mt. St. Helens and the North Fork Toutle River.
The same view in May 2014.
Same spot, different angle 2014.
Monkeyflower
Maybe a yellow-rumped warbler.
Caterpillar
Dragonfly
Pearly everlasting
Arriving back at the Hummocks Trailhead.
At least one bull in the herd.
Buckhorn Lookout
Hells Canyon
Tolmie’s onion
Pale paintbrush
Larkspur, lupine, and northern mules ears.
Prairie smoke a.k.a. old man’s whiskers
Purple sticky geranium
Paintbrush
Parsley, larkspur, large flower triteleia, and Tolmie’s onion
Phlox
We could have driven the 1.2-miles on FR 780 to the gate but the road was not in good shape and after driving to Eureka Bar the day before we weren’t interested in another rough road.
Mallow ninebark
Arnica
Large flower triteleia
Gate at the end of the road.
Marker for the Nez Perce – Nee-Mee-Poo National Historic Trail.
Columbian lewisia
Seven Devils in Idaho
Lupine, yarrow, buckwheat, and scarlet gilia
Scarlet gilia
Elkhorn clarkia a.k.a. ragged robin
Another impressive scarlet gilia.
Paintbrush, lupine, phacelia, thistle, and scarlet gilia
Penstemon
A phlox
Scabland penstemon
Threadleaf phacelia
Penstemon
Paintbrush
Lark sparrow
Cedar waxwing
Elkhorn clarkia
Wallflower
Skullcap
Nettle-leaf giant hyssop
Monkeyflower and some tiny white flowers near a seep.
Buckwheat
Mylitta crescent
Rough eyelashweed
Looking back up the trail.
At Spain Saddle the road switched to the opposite side of the ridge.
Bush penstemon
Another type of penstemon
White spiraea
Manyflower tonella
Owl’s clover
The viewpoint on the far side of the fence.
Boat on the Snake River.
Salsify
Bindweed
Thistle with bugs.
Clouds moving in behind us.
Prickly pear cactus
The only poison ivy we saw all hike.
Eureka Viewpoint ahead to the left.
Hairy goldenaster
Fleabane
Eureka Viewpoint
Looking back
Looking down
Clustered broomrape
A very small part of the river is visible to the left and more to right.
Here come the clouds.
We spotted a rock arch on the way up that we’d missed earlier.
A closer look at the arch.
Common wood nymph
Spotted towhee
Northern flicker
The only time we noticed the Imnaha River from the trail.
Butterfly near the seep.
Mountain parnassian on yarrow.
A painted lady butterfly.
Chipping sparrow
We could actually smell a little smoke at times on the way back.
Tiny trumpet
Hound’s tongue and roses
Cassin’s finch
Western bluebird
Western tanager
Western wood peewee
Hairy Indian paintbrush
Hoary balsamroot
Mountain bluebird
The view in the afternoon from the lookout.
Indian Crossing Trailhead
Imnaha River at the trailhead.
Jessica’s stickseed
Hooked spur violet
Woodland star
Valerian
Arnica
Violets
We passed a pack station in the forest on our right.
Ballhead waterleaf
Lupine along the trail
Anemone
Western meadowrue
Paintbrush along the trail.
Larkspur, lupine, and Jessica’s stickseed
Chipmunk
A nice patch of lupine.
Snow patches high up on the ridge.
The Imnaha River below the trail.
One of many small unnamed stream crossings.
Large-flower triteleia
A ponderosa pine that survived the fire.
Robin
One of several types of penstemon along the trail.
We were just sure that there should be elk, deer, or a bear down along the river here.
There were quite a few of these millipedes in the trail.
In some cases the creeks had taken over the trail.
Cinquefoil
A brushy section of the trail.
Tall bluebells
Two-tailed tiger swallowtail
Blue Hole, not exactly blue this time of year due to the amount of silty snowmelt water swelling the river.
Wildflowers above the gorge.
The Imnaha emerging from the gorge into Blue Hole.
Arnica along the trail.
Coming up on a small stand of aspen.
A rockcress
Juba skipper
Roundleaf alumroot
Painted lady on Oregon sunshine.
Glacier carved rock outcrops provided some excellent views and good habitat for wildflowers.
Scabland penstemon
Paintbrush
Not a flower but very colorful.
Bush penstemon
Western tanager
Western blue clematis
Brown creeper on a tree trunk.
Left is Marble Mountain and to the right further back is Honeymoon Summit.
Larkspur along the trail.
Heartleaf springbeauty
Another flooded section of a the trail.
Western tiger swallowtails on chokecherry.
Dreamy duskywing
Threeleaf lewisia
We were too late for the Brown’s peony blooms.
Balsamroot and paintbrush
On the opposite side, with a series of drops, is Rock Creek flowing into the Imnaha.
The Imnaha River leaving the gorge.
Rock Creek cascading down through the forest.
Another creek cascading down.
Marble Mountain
Twinberry honeysuckle
Marsh violet
Rock outcrop above Imnaha Falls
I tried going down river first to see if I could get a view back up to the falls, but the water level was into the brush along the riverbank.
The falls were just upriver from this bench with a couple of campsites.
The gap in the outcrop.
Imnaha Falls.
Utah honeysuckle
Bee on a dandelion
Nettle-leaf giant hyssop
Slender phlox
Silverleaf phacelia
Vetch
Osprey, the fishing here must have been good because we’d seen a bald eagle in this area in the morning.
Fairy slipper
Arriving back at the trailhead.
Larkspur along the trail.
A pollinator in a Tolmie’s mariposa lily.
Shooting star
Grants Pass below Dollar Mountain.
Hooker’s Indian pink
Silver crown
Naked broomrape
Too cloudy for a good view.
Lupine
Scarlet fritillary
View from the summit.
We stuck to the road ignoring any side paths like this one since we had no idea where they might lead.
There were dozens of California groundcones along the roadbed.
California groundcones
Approaching Crescent Street.
Monkeyflower
Dwarf ceanothus
Paintbrush
Camas and shooting stars
Siskiyou fritillary
Passing the bench.
Trillium
Fairy slippers
Boardwalk #1
Second boardwalk
Waterfall on Limpy Creek.
Limpy Creek
Arriving at the second creek.
Unnamed creek
Mushrooms
Final crossing of Limpy Creek.
Candyflower
Waters Creek
A phacelia
The start/end of the loops with the bridge being our return route.
Staying left.
This was the barrier free loop splitting off and heading back across an unnamed creek.
Sign announcing the hiker only extended loop.
Snail
The first vanilla leaf we’ve seen blooming this year.
There were a bunch of fawn lilies blooming along this trail.
One of several little footbridges across side streams.
Trillium
Bench where the trail turned to head back on the opposite side of the unnamed creek.
The view from the bench.
Houndstongue
The barrier free trail below in the trees.
Back on the barrier free trail.
Biscuitroot and larkspur
Giant white wakerobin
The Sun was starting to shine a bit as we passed back by the meadow which brought out some butterflies and lots of lizards.
Red larkspur with blue dicks in the background.
Lupine
Red larkspur, madia, blue dicks, and tomcat clover along the trail.
Blue dicks
Tolmie’s mariposa lily and some madia.
Larkspur and a red larkspur
Plectritis
Monkeyflower
Serpentine phacelia
Naked broomrape
Camas with monkeyflower and plectritis
Fiddleneck
Saxifrage
A darker red larkspur
Some of the damage to the trail to Rainie Falls on the opposite side of the river.
Buttercups
Common whipplea
Silver crown
The wet rock here was sneaky slick.
We spotted a couple of pink larkspur.
Common mergansers
Common cryptantha
Starflower
Paintbrush
Del Norte iris
Coastal manroot
Canada geese
Looking back upriver from the high water sign.
Sanderson Bridge site
Golden-crowned sparrow
Scarlet fritillary
White campion
The only water we could make out on the far side of the river.
Bullock’s oriole
Yellow warbler
Yellow warbler
Sandy beach along the Rogue River.
Shooting star
California groundcone
Small-flowered woodland-star
Approaching China Gulch
Vetch
Wallflower
Silverpuffs
This manzanita was particularly striking in person.
Hairy pink
Robin
Rafts at Whiskey Camp.
Whiskey Creek
Footbridge over Whiskey Creek
Sign at the spur trail to the cabin.
Del Norte irises
Big Slide Camp to the left.
Outhouse at Big Slide Camp.
Common mergansers
Snow on a ridge above the Rogue River Valley. (This was a sign of issues for us later in the week.)
Redwood sorrel along Whiskey Creek.
Buiscuitroot
Passing the high water mark.
Arriving back at the trailhead.
May 14th – Chehalem Ridge Nature Park
June 15th – Donomore Meadows
June 16th – Pacific Crest Trail near Siskiyou Gap
Marsh violet, June 25th – Goat Marsh Lake
July 1st – Siskiyou Wilderness
Wedgeleaf? violet – July 1st – Youngs Valley, Siskiyou Wilderness
Goosefoot? violet, July 9th – Mt. Ireland
July 9th – Mt. Ireland
August 13th – Mt. Adams Wilderness.
Here is a more photogenic bleeding heart from May 21st on the Kings Mountain Trail.
Snow plant, June 18th – Red Buttes Wilderness
California lady slippers, July 2nd – Siskiyou Wilderness
Bolander’s lily, July 2nd – Siskiyou Wilderness
Scarlet fritillary, May 27th – Jack-Ash Trail
Henderson’s fawn lily, May 27th – Jack-Ash Trail
Pungent desert parsley, April 2nd -Balfour Trail
Columbia desert parsley, April 2nd – Klickitat Trail
Woodland stars, April 2nd – Balfour Trail
Pacific hound’s tongue, April 2nd – Balfour Trail
Lupine, April 2nd – Klickitat Trail
Big leaf maple, April 2nd – Klickitat Trail
Slender phlox, April 2nd – Klickitat Trail
Fringecup, April 23rd – Ankeny Wildlife Refuge
Buttercups, April 23rd – Ankeny Wildlife Refuge
Checkermallow, April 23rd – Ankeny Wildlife Refuge
Another checkermallow, April 23rd – Ankeny Wildlife Refuge
Iris, April 23rd – Ankeny Wildlife Refuge
A paintbrush, May 1st – Memaloose Hills
Balsamroot, May 1st – Memaloose Hills
Large-flower triteleia, May 1st – Memaloose Hills
Naked broomrape, May 1st – Memaloose Hills
Vetch, May 1st – Moiser Plateau
Large-head clover, May 1st – Moiser Plateau
Fiddleneck, May 1st – Moiser Plateau
Bachelor button (non-native), May 1st – Moiser Plateau
Service berry, May 7th – Orenco Woods
Aven, May 7th – Noble Woods
Camas, May 7th – Miller Woods
Wild ginger, May 7th – Miller Woods
Striped coralroot, May 7th – Miller Woods
Fairy slippers, May 7th – Miller Woods
Plectritis, May 14th – Chehalem Ridge Nature Park
Fairy bells, May 21st – Elk/Kings Mountain Traverse
Snow queen, May 21st – Elk/Kings Mountain Traverse
Red flowering currant, May 21st – Elk/Kings Mountain Traverse
Trillium, May 21st – Elk/Kings Mountain Traverse
A monkeyflower, May 21st – Elk/Kings Mountain Traverse
Chocolate lily, May 21st – Elk/Kings Mountain Traverse
Kittentails, May 21st – Elk/Kings Mountain Traverse
Glacier lily, May 21st – Elk/Kings Mountain Traverse
Henderson’s stars, May 25th – Mule Mountain
Larkspur, May 25th – Mule Mountain
Not sure if this is a cryptantha or a popcorn flower, May 25th – Mule Mountain
Douglas’ stichwort, May 25th – Mule Mountain
A blue-eyed Mary, May 25th – Mule Mountain
California poppy, May 25th – Mule Mountain
A clarkia, May 25 – Mule Mountain
Hooker’s Indian pink, May 25th – Mule Mountain
Star flower, May 25th – Mule Mountain
California ground cone, May 25th – Mule Mountain
Ookow, May 26th – Upper Table Rock
Blow wives, May 26th – Upper Table Rock
Best guess is Parry’s hawkweed, May 26th – Upper Table Rock
Clustered broomrape, May 26th – Upper Table Rock
Narrowleaf onion, May 26th – Upper Table Rock
California goldfield, May 26th – Upper Table Rock
Possibly Fitch’s tarweed, May 26th – Upper Table Rock
Marigold pincushion plant, May 26th – Upper Table Rock
Arrowleaf buckwheat, May 26th – Upper Table Rock
A clarkia, May 26th – Upper Table Rock
Iris, May 27th – Jack-Ash Trail
Milkvetch, May 27th – Jack-Ash Trail
Unknown on Anderson Butte, May 27th – Jack-Ash Trail
Giant white wakerobbin, May 27th – Jack-Ash Trail
A larkspur, May 27th – Jack-Ash Trail
Rough eyelashweed, May 27th – Jack-Ash Trail
Wallflower, May 27th – Jack-Ash Trail
A wild onion, May 27th – Jack-Ash Trail
Jacob’s ladder, May 27th – Jack-Ash Trail
Death camas, May 28th – Denman Wildlife Area
Common madia, May 28th – Denman Wildlife Area
Common viburnum, May 28th – Denman Wildlife Area
Hairy Indian paintbrush, May 28th – Denman Wildlife Area
White campion, May 28th – Denman Wildlife Area
Pale flax, May 28th – Denman Wildlife Area
Purple oyster (non-native), May 28th – Denman Wildlife Area
Rose, May 28th – Denman Wildlife Area
Pea, May 28th – Denman Wildlife Area
Kellog’s monkeyflower, May 29th – Applegate Lake
Heart-leaf milkweed, May 29th – Applegate Lake
Northern phlox, May 29th – Applegate Lake
White lupine, May 29th – Applegate Lake
Carrotleaf horkelia, May 30th – Roxy Ann Peak
Blue-eyed grass, May 30th – Roxy Ann Peak
Baneberry, June 4th – North Siouxon Trail
Star-flower solomonseal, June 4th – North Siouxon Trail
False lily-of-the valley, June 4th – North Siouxon Trail
Candyflower, June 4th – North Siouxon Trail
Scouler’s corydalis, June 4th – North Siouxon Trail
Yellow glandweed (non-native), June 11th – Julia Butler Hanson Wildlife Refuge
Daisy (non-native), June 11th – Julia Butler Hanson Wildlife Refuge
Unknown shrub (non-native), June 11th – Julia Butler Hanson Wildlife Refuge
A vetch or pea, June 13th – Susan Creek Falls Trail
Columbine, June 13th – Susan Creek Falls Trail
Solomonseal, June 13th – North Umpqua Trail
Valerian, June 13th – Lemolo Falls Trail
Gooseberry, June 14th – Illahee Rock
Blue-eyed Mary, June 14th – Illahee Rock
Fawn lilies, June 14th – Illahee Rock
Pussytoes, June 15th – Pacific Crest Trail near the Stateline Trailhead
Bistort, June 15th – Donomore Meadows
Cutleaf daisy, June 15th – Observation Peak
Lance-leaf spring beauty, June 15th – Observation Peak
A rockcress, June 15th – Observation Peak
Alpine pennycress, June 15th – Observation Peak
Quill-leaf lewisia, June 15th – Observation Peak
Marsh marigold, June 15th – Pacific Crest Trail
Anemone, June 16th – Pacific Crest Trail near Siskiyou Gap
Jacob’s ladder, June 16th – Pacific Crest Trail
Buds of an unknown flower, June 16th – Pacific Crest Trail near Big Red Mountain
A paintbrush, June 16th – Pacific Crest Trail near Big Red Mountain
Drummond’s anemone, June 16th – Pacific Crest Trail near Big Red Mountain
Ballhead waterleaf, June 16th – Pacific Crest Trail near Big Red Mountain
A mariposa lily, June 16th – Pacific Crest Trail near Siskiyou Gap
Diamond? clarkia, June 17th – Bandersnatch Trail
A honeysuckle, June 17th – Bandersnatch Trail
A catchfly, June 17th – Bandersnatch Trail
Blue-head gilia, June 17th – Red Queen Trail
Deerbrush, June 17th – Mike Uthoff Trail
Grand collomia, June 17th – Mike Uthoff Trail
A phaceli, June 17th – Mike Uthoff Trail
Rhododendron, June 18th – Frog Pond Trail
Pretty Face, June 18th – Frog Pond Trail
Believe this is some sort of saxifrage, June 25th – Toutle Trail
Avalanche lily, June 25th – Toutle Trail
A penstemon, July 1st – Siskiyou Wilderness
A phlox, July 1st – Siskiyou Wilderness
Lewis flax, July 1st – Siskiyou Wilderness
A paintbrush, July 1st – Siskiyou Wilderness
Nuttall’s sandwort?, July 1st -Siskiyou Wilderness
Queen’s cup, July 1st – Siskiyou Wilderness
Beargrass, July 1st – Siskiyou Wilderness
Shooting star, July 1st – Siskiyou Wilderness
Wolley-head clover, July 1st – Siskiyou ikyWilderness
A nightshade, July 1st – Siskiyou Wilderness
Siskiyou lewisia, July 1st – Siskiyou Wilderness
Spotted coralroot, July 1st – Siskiyou Wilderness
This tiny flower was at the edge of the meadow in Young’s Valley, July 1st – Siskiyou Wilderness
Azalea, July 2nd – Siskiyou Wilderness
Honeysuckle, July 2nd – Siskiyou Wilderness
Pacific ninebark, July 2nd – Siskiyou Wilderness
Streambank bird’s-foot trefoil, July 2nd – Siskiyou Wilderness
White-vein wintergreen, July 2nd – Siskiyou Wilderness
California pitcher-plant, July 2nd – Siskiyou Wilderness
Also California pitcher-plant, July 2nd – Siskiyou Wilderness
White-stemmed frasera, July 2nd – Siskiyou Wilderness
Washington lily, July 2nd – Siskiyou Wilderness
Phantom orchid, July 2nd – Siskiyou Wilderness
Oregon sunshine, July 2nd – Siskiyou Wilderness
Pussypaws, July 2nd – Siskiyou Wilderness
Musk monkeyflower, July 3rd – Siskiyou Wilderness
Klamath arnica, July 3rd – Siskiyou Wilderness
White rushlily, July 3rd – Siskiyou Wilderness
Spirea, July 4th – Siskiyou Wilderness
Wild onion, July 4th – Siskiyou Wilderness
A penstemon, July 4th – Siskiyou Wilderness
Phlox, July 9th – Mt. Ireland
Brown’s peony, July 9th – Mt. Ireland
Yet another paintbrush, July 9th – Mt. Ireland
Silverleaf phacelia with visitor, July 9th – Mt. Ireland
Venus penstemon, July 10th – Catherine Creek Trail
Douglas dustymaidens, July 10th – Catherine Creek Trail
Bog orchid, July 10th – Catherine Creek Trail
Mountain lady slippers, July 10th – Catherine Creek Trail
Rosy pussytoes, July 10th – Catherine Creek Trail
Yellow columbine, July 10th – Catherine Creek Trail
Heart-leaved bittercress?, July 10th – Catherine Creek Trail
Elephants head, July 10th – Catherine Creek Trail
Cone flower, July 10th – Catherine Creek Trail
Tall mountain bluebells, July 10th – Catherine Creek Trail
Another wild onion, July 11th – Horse Ranch Trail
Scarlet gilia, July 11th – Horse Ranch Trail
Arrowleaf groundsel, July 11th – Horse Ranch Trail
Purple sticky geranium, July 11th – Horse Ranch Trail
Ragged robin, July 11th – Horse Ranch Trail
False? sunflower, July 11th – Horse Ranch Trail
White mariposa lily, July 11th – Horse Ranch Trail
Rosy paintbrush, July 12th – Buck Creek Trail
Lyall’s rockcress, July 12th – Buck Creek Trail
Pacific coralroot, July 13th – Rock Springs
Hyssop, July 13th – Rock Springs
Another penstemon, July 13th – Rock Springs
Thistle, July 13th – Rock Springs
Oregon checker-mallow, July 13th – Rock Springs
This was a new one for us one-flowered moneses, July 14th – Bear Creek Trail
Pinedrop, July 14th – Bear Creek Trail
Sagebrush mariposa lily, July 14th – Wallowa Homeland
Blanket flower, July 14th – Wallowa Homeland
Yarrow, July 14th – Wallowa Homeland
Scouler’s bluebells, July 23rd – Silverstar Mountain
Inside-out flower, July 23rd – Silverstar Mountain
Tiger lily, July 23rd – Silverstar Mountain
Bluebells of Scotland, July 23rd – Silverstar Mountain
Subalpine mariposa lily, July 23rd – Silverstar Mountain
Western sweetvetch, July 23rd – Silverstar Mountain
Coiled lousewort, July 23rd – Silverstar Mountain
Best guess is subapline fleabane, July 23rd – Silverstar Mountain
Orange agoseris, July 23rd – Silverstar Mountain
A larkspur, July 23rd – Silverstar Mountain
Mock orange, July 23rd – Silverstar Mountain
Chicory (non-native), July 30th – E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area
Indian pipe, August 6th – Yasko Falls Trail
Leopard lily, August 6th – Hemlock Creek Trail
Mountain owl’s clover, August 6th – Yellowjacket Loop Trail
Rainiera, August 6th – Yellowjacket Loop Trail
Hedgenettle, August 6th – Yellowjacket Loop Trail
Large boykina, August 6th – Yellowjacket Loop Trail
Candy sticks, August 6th – Yellowjacket Loop Trail
Monkshood, August 6th – Yellowjacket Loop Trail
Scarlet monkeyflower, August 7th – Fall Creek Falls Trail
White mountain heather, August 13th – Mt. Adams Wilderness
Mountain heather, August 13th – Mt. Adams Wilderness
Gentian, August 13th – Mt. Adams Wilderness
False hellebore, August 13th – Mt. Adams Wilderness
A saxifrage, August 13th – Mt. Adams Wilderness
Beardstongue, August 20th – Grizzley Peak
Shasta knotweed, August 22nd – Mt. Shasta Wilderness
Marsh grass-of-Parnassus, August 22nd – Mt. Shasta Wilderness
Western pasque flower, August 22nd – Mt. Shasta Wilderness
Bigelow’s sneezeweed, August 23rd – Trinity Alps Wilderness
Western snakeroot, August 23rd – Trinity Alps Wilderness
A buckwheat, August 23rd – Trinity Alps Wilderness
Autumn dwarf gentian, August 23rd – Trinity Alps Wilderness
Saffron-flowered lupine, August 23rd – Trinity Alps Wilderness
An aster or fleabane, August 23rd – Trinity Alps Wilderness
Hooded ladies tresses, August 24th – Russian Wilderness
Can’t seem to identify this flower on the shore of Russian Lake, August 24th – Russian Wilderness
This one has me a bit stumped too, it looks like a wirelettuce or some sort of lewisa, August 24th – Russian Wilderness
Buckwheat, August 24th – Russian Wilderness
A monkeyflower (dwarf purple?), August 26th -Pacific Crest Trail near Carter Meadows Summit
Mountain coyote mint, August 26th – Pacific Crest Trail near Carter Meadows Summit
Sierra larkspur, August 26th – Pacific Crest Trail
Tasselflower brickellbush, August 26th – South Fork Lakes Trail
Monkeyflower, August 26th – South Fork Lakes Trail
Thistle, August 26th – South Fork Lakes Trail
California hairbells, August 26th – South Fork Lakes Trail
Common toadflax (non-native), September 10th – Spring Valley Greenway
Fireweed, September 17th – Union Peak Trail
Douglas spirea, September 18th – Sky Lakes Wilderness
Best guess is Crater Lake collomia, September 19th – Dutton Creek Trail
Another mystery seen near the Cold Springs Trailhead, September 25th – Sky Lakes Wilderness
The Riley Camp Trail (Trail 64) on the opposite side of FR 23.
We weren’t aware that the Forest Service was employing wilderness greeters.
May I see your self-issued permit?
The trail was in pretty good shape with just a few downed trees to step over/under.
First look at Mt. Adams through the trees.
Luna Lake
Aster
More Mt. Adams.
Paintbrush and lupine
Sub-alpine mariposa lily
Riley Creek along the trail.
Riley Creek at the crossing.
A trail sign up ahead at the junction.
PCT marker on the tree.
Riley Creek below the PCT crossing.
White mountain heather
A nice paintbrush
Mt. Adams behind us as we headed south.
Sheep Lake
Mt. Rainier behind a line of clouds.
Burnt Rock behind the snags left over from the 2012 Cascade Creek Fire.
Alpine false dandelion
Grouse
Hummingbird visiting paint.
Mountain heather
On the final pitch.
Mt. Rainier and Goat Rocks
Phlox
Almost there.
Not Crystal Lake, just a pretty little tarn nearby.
Mt. Rainier
Just a bit of snow left around 6300′.
The little tarn we’d passed.
While not big Crystal Lake was deep.
View down from the rocky ridge on the south side of the lake.
The rocky ridge along the south side of the lake.
We continued a tenth of a mile beyond the lake for a dramatic view of Mt. Adams.
We could hear a waterfall below on Riley Creek.
Zoomed in on the waterfall below.
Crystal Lake from above.
Mt. Rainier with Goat Rocks to the right.
Mt. Rainier
Some of Goat Rocks.
Golden-mantled grounds squirrel
Getting ready to drop down.
Clark’s nutcrackers
Butterfly on mountain heather.
Saxifrage
Violet
Alpine speedwell
A checkerspot
A crescent
Mountain bluebird
Northern flicker
I’m guessing a warbler of some sort. We saw quite a few of these little yellow birds but had a hard time actually getting a photo.
Mt. Adams from the PCT.
Adams Glacier
Riley Creek at the PCT crossing.
Wildflowers along the PCT.
Bee on valerian
Butterfly on valerian
Another butterfly on valerian
Looking back at Mt. Adams from the Riley Camp Trail.
Passing through Riley Creek Meadows.
Gentian
We only saw a couple of beargrass blooms.
Pollinators on fleabane.
False hellebore
Luna Lake and Mt. Adams from the trail.
We parked about 200′ north of the actual trailhead per a suggestion by Sullivan in his guidebook.
The Rock Springs Trail at FR 62.
The trail passed a large rock field just below FR 62 and then entered the 
Lupine
Coralroot
The edge of the storm clouds.
Scarlet gilia along the trail.
Oregon sunshine and tapertip onion
Nettle-leaf giant hyssop
View from the trail before the first “viewpoint”.
Oregon checker-mallow
Assorted wildflowers
Blue sky following the storm clouds.
Scabland penstemon
Penstemon near the first “viewpoint”.
Yarrow
Douglas dustymaiden
Looking back from the viewpoint.
Buckwheat
The Point Prominence Lookout atop the high point to the left.
Ballhead sandwort
Heather coming down from the viewpoint.
Blowdown over the trail.
Nookta rose
Wood rose
View to the SE deeper into the Wallowas.
Mountain parnassian?
Back in the trees.
Some pale columbine. At first we thought it might be yellow columbine but it definitely had a red tint.
Thimbleberry crowding the trail. The storm had left a lot of water on the vegetation which in turn wound up on our legs and shoes.
Heading down into the valley.
Elkhorn clarkia
Approaching the second viewpoint.
Backbone Ridge which separates the Minam and Little Minam Rivers. We had crossed over that ridge further south on Tuesday when we took the Horse Ranch Trail from Moss Springs to the Minam River (post).
Grand collomia
Prairie smoke
Mock orange along the trail.
Twin flower and foam flower
Sign marking the junction of the Rock Springs and Little Minam Trails.
Possibly a wasp of some sort near the junction.
The first cabin ruin.
Almost looks okay from this angle.
Not so good from this angle.
The lodge was at the edge of this meadow.
The lodge
The fireplace seems to have held up well.
This cabin didn’t hold up.
Wildflowers near the watering hole.
The Little Minam River. We couldn’t quite see the confluence of the two rivers from here despite being very close.
The dangerous ford.
Here we tried looking for horse hoof prints to stick to the trail.
Butterfly on yarrow.
We think this was the trail.
The campsites where we picked up the Rock Springs Trail again.
Lorquin’s admiral
Looking across the gully we could see the trail cut climbing up the far hillside.
Pincushion plant
Resting moth
A plane taking off from Minam Lodge.
A popular thistle.
A skipper of some sort.
We both missed this yellow columbine on the way down.
View from the upper viewpoint on the way back up.
A final view from the Rock Springs Trail.
The cloud cover that moved in turned out to be a blessing as it kept the temperature reasonable as we made the long climb back up.
Entering the 
Scarlet gilia along the trail.
Tapertip onion
Scarlet gilia
Lewis flax, we were hoping to see it opened up on the way back up to the car but somehow we both completely missed it.
Arrowleaf groundsel
Bog orchid
False sunflowers
Paintbrush
Sticky geranium
Footbridge over Horseshoe Creek.
Horseshoe Creek
Spotted coralroot
Mountain lady slipper
Little Minam River
Coral fungus
Huckleberry Creek
Bridge across the Little Minam River.
Little Minam River
The only area that we encountered showing signs of having burned in the not too distant past.
Elkhorn clarkia
Junction with the Little Minam Trail (left) just below the pass.
The meadow from the trail.
Arriving at the meadow.
Horses at Red’s Horse Ranch.
Minam River
Landing strip near Red’s Horse Ranch.
A plane coming in for a landing at the nearby 
Lousewort
Diamond clarkia
Grand collomia
Millipede
Pink pyrola
Little Minam River
Coral fungus
We saw a bunch of these black moths? but they seldom sat still long enough to get a photo.
An Orobanche
Penstemon
Butterfly
White mariposa lily
Large-flower triteleia
Arriving back at the trailhead.
wanderingyuncks 