Category Archives: Nature Hikes

Wildflowers, flowering shrubs, and interesting plants observed and photographed while hiking, kayaking, and exploring.

Trophy Mountain Nature Hike

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For the fiftieth consecutive year, I hiked up the Trophy Mountain, enjoying the many faces of the route to the high alpine cirque.    It was a sunny and hot day for this 12.5 km hike.

Along the trail through the forest, subalpine glades, seep zones, alpine ridges, and alpine heath there were many plants.    Many photos were taken along the way and a few are shared here.

In the slideshow are photos of rosy twisted stalk (Streptopus lanceolatus) , white twisted stalk (Streptopus amplexifolius), white globeflower (Troillus albiflorus), white pasqueflower (Pulsatilla Occidentalis), haircap moss (Polytrichum sp.), three-leaf foamflower (Tiarella trifoliata), glacier lily (Erythronium grandiflorum), witch’s hair (Alectoria sarmentosa), subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa), green false hellebore (Veratrum viride), alpine mitrewort (Pectiantra pentandra), orange polypore mould (?)(Hypomyces aurantius), Eschscholz’s buttercup (Ranunculus eschscholzii), moss campion (Silene acaulis), giant red paintbrush (Castilleja miniata), five-leaf dwarf bramble (Rubus pedatus), mock azalea (Rhododendron menziesii), and white bog orchid (Plananthera dilatata).

A slideshow is shared below:

More information:

Mount Thynne Nature Hike

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Near the end of June, on a sunny day, I hiked over the top of Mt. Thynne to enjoy the wildflower display. The mountain is located south of Brookmere and requires driving up a forest service road for 16 km. The track climbs the ridge and continues south through subalpine meadows for 4 km, finishing at communication towers on the … Continue reading →

Ponderosa – Big Pine Nature Hike

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On a warm mid-June day the nature hike was a combination of trails on the west side of Kenna Cartwright Park – out west on the Ponderosa Trail and back on Big Pine Trail, and some connector trails for a loop route.   Spring wildflowers and flowering shrubs bordered the trails and birds and pollinators were active in the open forests … Continue reading →

Baileys Chute Nature Hike

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At the start of June I journeyed up the Wells Gray Corridor towards Clearwater Lake.    I stopped to hike a loop route which included three waterfalls and a lake.    I hiked past Bailey’s Chute, Marcus Falls, Myanth Falls, then West Lake on a warm day.    Much of the hike was through a wet zone with mists from … Continue reading →

Greenstone Nature Hike

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On a longer hike on trails on the northeast side of Greenstone Mountain, I stopped along the way for some quick photos of flowering plants alongside the trail.    Some areas were open grassland, some were on slopes that had burned in a forest fire and some were in open Douglas fir forests.  Almost all were expected appearances for the … Continue reading →

Lac le Jeune Lookout Nature Hike

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At the end of May, the day’s destination was the viewpoint on the lava cliffs to the northeast of Lac le Jeune, sometimes called the Lac le Jeune Lookout.   A route on cross country ski trails, unmarked routes, and snowshoe trails provides for a loop route to the open lookout and back through forested trails.   The top of the lava … Continue reading →

Buse Hill Nature Hike

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We hiked up Buse Hill in May to enjoy spring wildflowers and the expansive views from the tops of the cliffs.   Along the way we stopped to enjoy nature’s wonders, taking a few photos and including some here.   Shared here are a few – arrow-leaved balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittatus), hillside arnica (Arnica fulgens), old man’s whiskers (Geum triflorum), sticky geranium (Geranium viscosissimum), … Continue reading →

Red Hill Nature Hike

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I have been traveling to the Ashcroft area annually in May for a few years now, coinciding with the bitterroot (Lewisia redviva) bloom.   In most years the bitterroot is at its height with thousands of flowering plants on dry and sunny slopes in the area.   The day was drizzly and cool so the bitterroots were mostly closed and laying low.  … Continue reading →

Lower Rose Nature Hike

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On a warm mid-May morning I hiked for 2 hours on a grasslands-benchland, sometimes known as the Lower Rose area.   It was a combination of hiking-exercise and a nature-hike.   There were no other people on the trails, but the area is also used by dog-walkers, hikers, and mountain bikers at busier times.    there were a few birds in the … Continue reading →