Saturday, May 11, 2024
Today I hiked a trail in Southern Oregon that turned out to be a delightful spring hike.
I parked at the lower trailhead for the Little Grayback Trail on Road 490:
Mine was the only car on this gorgeous Saturday:
Off I go:
Right away I noticed the abundant poison oak:
Lots of madrone trees:
There were plenty of wildflowers along the whole hike. Blue-eyed mary:
Tarweed:
Ookow:
Kellogg’s monkeyflower:
Pleasant hiking:
More tarweed:
Manroot:
Popcorn flower:
More madrone:
Views of the nearby snowy mountains started coming into view:
Lupine:
So pretty:
Wild strawberry:
A huge ponderosa pine:
Balsamroot:
Larkspur:
There was SO much Oregon grape in bloom:
There was evidence of recent trail maintenance:
I saw scarlet fritillary in several places. It’s so brilliant, I couldn’t help but keep photographing it:
Now that I was higher, the views were even better:
That knob at center is Whisky Peak, a former lookout site:
Traversing one of many meadows:
Looking back behind me:
That’s Acorn Woman Peak over there:
Snow on the north side of Dutchman Butte:
More big ponderosas:
This dead ponderosa had been thoroughly enjoyed by woodpeckers:
Another meadow:
SO many popcorn flower:
Looking back:
More views:
I passed this huge old Douglas fir tree:
Miner’s lettuce:
Fawn lilies:
Buckbrush:
Larkspur:
Hey there, lizard:
A different kind of lupine:
Looking south out over Acorn Woman Lakes:
Serviceberry:
Then I reached the upper trailhead on Road 340:
I stopped here for a break and soon heard, then saw, two ATVs. They drove up, gave me a wave, turned, and drove away:
After a nice break I headed back down:
What a lovely spring hike! Lovely meadows, colorful wildflowers, and views of snowy mountains on a gorgeous day. Plus I didn’t see a single other hiker!
Gaia stats: 8.6 miles, 1,550′ elevation gain
