By a vote of 52-50 in 1843 by the settlers of the Champoeg area, Oregon became a provisional territory of the United States. Today there is an interesting park at Champoeg (cham-poo-e’) along the Willamette River. With the promise of some sunshine, I explored the Park in mid-March and then began the pleasant hike to the Butteville Store, originally opened in 1863.
Splashes of white, yellow, purple and red along the trail was a fun reminder. Many varieties of wildflowers were coming into bloom. And, the sunshine warming the pathway enticed several large garter snakes to enjoy the heat. Toss in some squirrels, a few songbirds and geese along the Willamette River and you have the makings of a fine day. All in all the hike was 8.6 miles in length with several hundred feet of elevation gain.
Snake in the grass
Red Dead-Nettle (What a fun name)
Stream Violet
Dark-eyed Junco
Blossoms
Wet Trillium beginning to open
Long Garter Snake
Leave a Reply