{"id":5088,"date":"2024-05-11T18:05:31","date_gmt":"2024-05-11T18:05:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/?p=5088"},"modified":"2024-05-30T22:17:48","modified_gmt":"2024-05-30T22:17:48","slug":"little-grayback-trail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/2024\/05\/11\/little-grayback-trail\/","title":{"rendered":"Little Grayback Trail"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Saturday, May 11, 2024<\/p>\n<p>Today I hiked a trail in Southern Oregon that turned out to be a delightful spring hike.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>I parked at the lower trailhead for the Little Grayback Trail on Road 490:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53717800010_94b75e4b15_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Mine was the only car on this gorgeous Saturday:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53716459782_17ca32dd35_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Off I go:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53716459792_94ec363e8e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Right away I noticed the abundant poison oak:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718404664_bda6a5eb1e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Lots of madrone trees:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718386839_9bc585e77e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There were plenty of wildflowers along the whole hike. Blue-eyed mary:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718404579_5a61ef23e4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Tarweed:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718404654_966851a096_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Ookow:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53717159917_a1a52de8d8_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Kellogg&#8217;s monkeyflower:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718404509_1a9066b687_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718278183_5af68ed1ef_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Pleasant hiking:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718499215_279ea2d1fc_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>More tarweed:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718344608_88dc17171c_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Manroot:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718565835_529238bf67_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Popcorn flower:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718472599_3124c73977_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>More madrone:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718168136_623da5b0d2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Views of the nearby snowy mountains started coming into view:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718507774_b9b301d0c6_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718601375_645b07a2f2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718170211_5d9d9550b2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718379923_88b15c2b11_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Lupine:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718598990_3a42c1750f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>So pretty:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718379583_8b8096340d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Wild strawberry:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718167886_faf53a23a2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A huge ponderosa pine:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718505229_3ba7729839_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Balsamroot:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718598790_c3325585db_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Larkspur:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718378768_03a19aa655_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There was SO much Oregon grape in bloom:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53717261062_51a71ab7de_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There was evidence of recent trail maintenance:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718377373_270b8f09d7_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I saw scarlet fritillary in several places. It&#8217;s so brilliant, I couldn&#8217;t help but keep photographing it:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718167666_c422017858_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718599894_3e6ddf7435_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718601374_20a686197e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Now that I was higher, the views were even better:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718377213_2294c27401_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718598580_eba7efaf10_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>That knob at center is Whisky Peak, a former lookout site:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718533724_82183e0530_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Traversing one of many meadows:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718406023_78f7d8bff0_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Looking back behind me:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718196181_95f4cf5db0_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s Acorn Woman Peak over there:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718532334_62317b05b2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Snow on the north side of Dutchman Butte:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718194281_22fa30737d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>More big ponderosas:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53717287802_a0724a7ba8_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This dead ponderosa had been thoroughly enjoyed by woodpeckers:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53717334457_11ddbb81a9_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Another meadow:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718673070_2c40f310e9_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>SO many popcorn flower:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718242111_fbb54d4995_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53717333742_abd25da4ee_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Looking back:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718451588_c91e599490_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>More views:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718579114_8afe5445c2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I passed this huge old Douglas fir tree:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718473583_23648d6fb8_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Miner&#8217;s lettuce:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718694275_859e750a57_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Fawn lilies:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53717356832_19b53f70a6_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Buckbrush:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718694145_7846346dac_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Larkspur:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53717356592_f5cd286772_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718474118_9b2e2c1814_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"684\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53717357222_d4d87af8fb_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718473453_5e22e042fe_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Hey there, lizard:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718523743_c156398a70_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A different kind of lupine:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718652169_8b83008dd4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Looking south out over Acorn Woman Lakes:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718315916_427faca566_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Serviceberry:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718315191_75272239d5_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Then I reached the upper trailhead on Road 340:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53717406607_f5cd4997de_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I stopped here for a break and soon heard, then saw, two ATVs. They drove up, gave me a wave, turned, and drove away:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53717406542_564a43fe53_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>After a nice break I headed back down:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/53718651929_2475df7a81_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little Grayback Trail\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/><\/p>\n<p>What a lovely spring hike! Lovely meadows, colorful wildflowers, and views of snowy mountains on a gorgeous day. Plus I didn&#8217;t see a single other hiker!<\/p>\n<p>Gaia stats: 8.6 miles, 1,550&#8242; elevation gain<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Saturday, May 11, 2024 Today I hiked a trail in Southern Oregon that turned out to be a delightful spring<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/2024\/05\/11\/little-grayback-trail\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Little Grayback Trail<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5116,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[159,186],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5088"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5088"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"http:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5088\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5120,"href":"http:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5088\/revisions\/5120"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5088"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5088"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5088"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}