TRIP REPORT: Columbia River Gorge Wildflower Hike

Dry-side Spring wildflowers are peaking in the east Gorge. Next Adventure Outdoor School was there last weekend to see the plateaus and hillsides covered in color. Balsam root and lupine flowers dominated the scene with fields of sunny-yellow and purple-blue.

But other flowers in bloom included red paintbrush, white yarrow, frilly prairie stars, pink penstemon, and the endemic Hood River Milkvetch (pictured with a brown skipper on it).

We hiked the short-but-steep McCall Point Trail, gaining broader vistas as the path wound up the hillside through more and more wildflowers. Mount Adams' glaciated white peak grew larger as it cleared the foothills north of the blue ribbon of the Columbia River. Magestic Mount Hood popped out to the west, underlined by balsam root, minutes before summiting. We encountered a wide range of wildlife, including many western fence lizards, swallowtail butterflies (pictured below on a lupine), many other insect pollenators, an birds such as turkey vultures, swallows, and lazuli buntings. We could hear larks, but never saw one.

After a scenic lunch among wildflowers atop McCall Point, we made the return hike down, and then looped around the lake on the lower plateau. Little yellow monkey flowers bloomed in the swales below the pond, and pink wild roses were just starting to bloom. A mule deer hid in the brush, watching us warily over its shoulder as we passed on the trail less than ten feet away.

Learn more about the wildflowers of the Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood at a free presentation on Thursday, May 23, 2013, at 7:00 p.m. at the Next Adventure Outdoor Store, 426 SE Grand Avenue, Portland, Oregon. I'll be presenting, with a slide show of local flowers, and the low-down on where and when to find the showiest blooms. Or join Next Adventure Outdoor School for a wildflower hike. We'll be heading out to the Clackamas River on Sunday, May 19 to hike up to Pup Creek Falls and see what flowers are blooming along the river. Then we'll be hiking along the Riverside Trail on June 15 to see what's blooming under the big old-growth trees. We'll be back in the Columbia Gorge on July 13 to see the summer blooms in the west Gorge at Angel's Rest. NA's Outdoor School also offers backpacking trips for total immersion in nature. Our first trip of the season is two days and one night, June 1-2, 2013. July 20-21 is the next 2-day backpack trip, and then there are options for 3- and 4-day trips, including a 4-day ultra-light experience along the Pacific Crest Trail August 5-8. Check out nextadventure.net/outdoor-school for full trip listings and to sign up. See you along the trail! Greg Hill is a Next Adventure Outdoor School Lead Guide and Outreach Instructor. Reach Greg at outdoorschool@nextadventure.net.