We went on five hikes in May, all in the Columbia River Gorge, following the wildflower bloom…
May 6 – Lyle Cherry Orchard, WA
Warm and a bit windy today – we got a chance to see the waning balsam root – everyone’s favorite!
Purple ookow blooming on the Convict Road.Ookow and the seedpods of Columbia desert parsleySwales of lupine on the middle plateauThe last of the yellow balsam rootA poppy patch.
On our drive home, we stopped briefly at the Catherine Creek Trailhead so I could get a peek at the bitterroot that blooms there – probably my only chance this season.
And there it was, on the rocky outcrop just above the parking lot.Lewisia rediviva, bitterroot – one of my all time favorites!
May 10 – Cape Horn, WA
Tall larkspur season at Cape Horn – it is always a treat to walk on the neatly groomed trails here. Today we started at Strunk Road, and walked to one of the lower overlooks – less than two miles, but with rain in the forecast for the next few days, we took our opportunity.
Tall larkspur along the pathCloser viewWhite fringe cup and candy flower also prolific today.Nancy Russell Overlook – we stop to look at the view and say, “Thank you!” to Nancy Russell for her conservation work.Up river view toward Beacon Rock.Continuing downward, the purple path continues…And the fringe cup…A few other flowers tucked in – Hooker’s fairy bells,Fern leaf biscuitroot,and vanilla leaf.
May 13 – Wahkeena-Multnomah Loop, OR
Back again to this five mile long, 1500 foot loop.
We began at Multnomah Falls, and started west along the old highway toward Wahkeena Falls.After passing Wahkeena Falls, the trail ascends up many wildflower-filled switchbacks,to Lemmon’s Viewpoint, overlooking the Columbia River.Continuing up Wahkeena Creek, past Fairy Falls,passing more wildflowers along the way. Columbia windflowers, and salalBaneberryA few fading trilliumLarkspur and fringe cup
After a lunch break at the trail junction, we walked eastward toward Multnomah Creek. This part of the trail has always felt rather magical to me – mostly flat, through a forest of tall firs. The undergrowth has changed a bit since the 2017 fire, but it is still one of my favorite places.
2013 Lookback – Magical trail before the fire.May 2025, Lots of redstem ceanothus filling the forest floor under the burned trees.Still very pretty, and with a view to the river…More wildflowers along the trail as it descends into Multnomah Creek – thimbleberry, columbine, arnica.CorydalisWiesendanger FallsHoneysuckle and inside out flowerBack to the trailhead at the bottom of Multnomah Falls.
May 22 – Cape Horn, WA, again
We wanted to take our son and his fiancee for a hike – though they didn’t bring proper shoes, and it was a bit rainy. We settled for going back to the tall larkspur-lined path from Strunk Road to the Nancy Russell Overlook at Cape Horn. It was less than two weeks since our previous visit, the tall larkspur were even more profuse, and the cow parsley were starting to spread their umbrella heads. Lovely, even with a bit of our Oregon sunshine misting us.
Previous week, May 10, with older hiking gentleman.Same path, May 22nd, with cow parsley and a cute young couple.Misty view from the overlook.Cow parsley
May 27 – The Labyrinth, WA
The Labyrinth was one of the first trails we ever hiked in the eastern gorge, and we have returned many times. The path winds through piles of columnar basalt that provide some protection from the wind, and the views are great! Wildflowers change throughout the bloom season. Today was the first time I have seen this particular suite of flowers – blue and purple bachelor buttons and ookow; white buckwheat, yarrow, and mock orange; pink clarkia and onions; all accompanied by a full gauntlet of poison oak.
The first surprise – abundant wildflowers surrounding the Lower Labyrinth Waterfall on the old highway approach trail – mock orange, bachelor button, ookow, buckwheat, and monkeyflowersMore mock orange, poppies and buckwheat, the Columbia River, and Mt Hood.Mock orange
Starting up the trail along Labyrinth Creek –
Buckwheat, golden grass with late season flowers. YarrowOokow, and bachelor buttons. The bachelor buttons are considered disturbed, but they do add a pretty color to the late season wildflower suite.Winecup clarkiaSwales of flowers in the drying grass
Continuing up along Labyrinth Creek –
Monkey flowers surrounding the upper waterfallHomage to the poison oak gauntlet that we carefully walked through today.Colorful slopes beneath one of the volcanic buttes.My favorite oak grove, with a lush poison oak understory.
Lunch views, with mule deer…
Westward, mule deer on the next ridgeMule deerEastward – Columbia River shimmeringHooker’s onions
It was getting warm, and I was losing my uphill motivation, but I wanted to go a little higher, to the rocky bluff where bitterroot blooms.
Mt Hood and buckwheatAs I expected, the bitterroot is shriveled up – I’ll have to wait until next year.Looking farther uphill, toward the slopes that lead to Coyote Wall – green grass turning to gold.Another look at Mt Hood, then we begin the return hike…I didn’t notice these White Brodiaea on the way up.Ceanothus blooming in the oak groveAnd past the waterfall again on our return to the trailhead.
It was beautiful day in the Labyrinth. But it is getting too hot for me in the eastern gorge – we may not be back until fall! I am going to southern Utah in June, where it is already very HOT, to help a family member. I may not hike much in the next month, but there will be red rocks and possibly some dinosaur tracks…
Margaret Quilts 