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Wildflowers
On a sunny weekend in late winter I headed to the east side of the Columbia River Gorge to see if some colorful wildflowers could be spotted. My goal was to explore the Catherine Creek area in Washington about 65 miles from home.
Like Coyote Wall, the area is a tilted basalt formation extending a few miles north of the Gorge, rising to around 2,300 feet above sea level.
Shooting Star
Not having much time, I crossed the road from the parking area and did a short loop on a paved path past a small waterfall on Catherine Creek. I quickly began spotting purple grass widows and many other wildflowers. Several meadowlarks were serenading me along the way.
The trek made for a beautiful “spring” outing in early March.
Camus Lily
Raven on the watch
Grass Widows
Desert Parsley
An old corral along the trail
Yellow Bells (wild Lilies)
Wild Onion (?)
Naked Broomrape
Buttercup, Prairie Star and Saxifrage
An early morning look up the Columbia River
Arrow-leaf Balsamroot about to bloom
A complete joy to join you on this trail, John. Your wildflower finds were abundant, and photos are delightful, and I love learning some of these species which we do not have where I live. Knew nothing of grass widows, and they’re so pretty. Visiting the spectacular Columbia Gorge, seeing the river here, was a true heart-lifter. Thanks so much.
Thanks for the kind words Jet. I’ll likely return to the Catherine Creek area soon when the wildflowers are at their peak.