April is prime wildflower season in the eastern Columbia River Gorge. Before and after our road trip to California in the middle of the month, we hiked some of our favorite wildflower trails.
April 2nd – Tom McCall Preserve/Rowena Crest, OR – We walked the lower section of Tom McCall Preserve, and then a loop on Rowena Plateau, on a day when the balsamroot were just opening, and unusual clouds were reflected in the Columbia River.
Looking back at the Rowena Crest viewpoint
Popcorn flowers in the meadow
Glacier lilies
Balsamroot just starting to bloom at the lower elevations
Fresh balsamroot
Parsley alley, with purple Columbia desert parsley
and fern leaf parsley
Over on Rowena Plateau…
Clouds reflected in the glassy Columbia River
And in the pond on the plateau
April 5th – Memaloose Hills, OR – My childhood friend Susan visited for the first time since the pandemic. We took her to see the balsamroot in the Memaloose Hills, on a slightly rainy and windy day.
Walking up the southside of Chatfield Hill with freshly blooming balsamroot.
More flowers of the day…
And we stopped to show her Multnomah Falls on the way home…
Multnomah Falls
April 22nd – Dalles Mountain Ranch, WA – We hiked the Upper Loop near the ranch through these famous blooming fields…
Balsamroot and lupine, Dalles Mountain Ranch
Balsamroot
One tree to rule them all!
Phlox, Mt Hood
April 22nd – Catherine Creek, WA – And we heard that the Lewisia had begun blooming at Catherine Creek, so we made a short side trip up to the Fairy Ponds on our way home.
Bitterroot on basalt
Camas
Swales of camas and orchards of Mosier
Bitterroot
April 30th – Mosier Plateau, OR – A short hike on a slightly rainy day.
Mosier Plateau, and the S curve of Coyote Wall across the Columbia River
Meanwhile, in Portland …
Dogwood and camus were blooming in the neighborhood….
Dogwood
Giant camas
I took my friend to Powell’s Books, where the small art gallery had a display of book art….
I finished knitting a cowl, and made progress on my travel socks…
Ebb and Flow Cowl, pattern by Michele Bernstein; Barrett Wool Company Evenfall yarn
Travelling sock
And in the spirit Keeping Portland Weird, someone in my neighborhood has gone full Mad Hatter’s Tea Party with their yard decor…I love it!
Meme of the month…
Margaret Quilts 
I so appreciate your knowledge of botany! (and your photography itself) Keep it up.
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Love all of the photos but especially like the picture of Multnomah Falls.
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