Eagle Eye Nature Hike
We hiked a loop route in the hills above Isobel Lake and enjoyed the birds, butterflies, and wildflowers.
The route wound around the hill, through the forest, on open grassland routes, through glades, and into a hilltop meadow. Along the way, we saw catchfly (Silene sp.), wild rose (Rosa sp.), red paintbrush (Castilleja sp.), parsnipflower buckwheat (Eriogonum heracleoides), old man’s whiskers (Geum triflorum), and a checkerspot butterfly (Euphydras sp.).
All photos by the author from that day. Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption.
From the meadows, we hiked through open forest back to the start. We spotted several birds and squirrels, but they were too elusive to get good photos. The wildflowers were more cooperative. We spotted narrow-leaf mountain trumpet (Collomia linearis), sandwort (Arenaria capillaris), birch-leaved spirea (Spiraea betulifolia), hound’s tongue (Cynoglossum officinale), catchfly (Silene sp.), and showy fleabane (Erigeron sp.).
We plan to return to Isobel Lake for more hiking and paddling this year.