Every summer I hike up and over McConnell Hill,  combining different trails each time.     This year the hike was done on a hot end-of-July day.   The route followed cross-country ski trails, then snowshoe trails and back onto Sidewinder Trail around the hill, taking about 3.5 hours.   there were still lots of wildflowers in bloom and berries were also appearing.    As I hiked I stopped to observe plants and took some photos.   Flowers that have appeared for much of the season were not included – yarrow, columbine, paintbrush, pussytoes, pearly everlasting, roses, and some others.    As the summer progresses photographs are mainly for new arrivals – berries, fruits, and late bloomers – wild raspberries (Rubus idaeus), baneberry (Actaea rubra), strawberry (Fragaria virginiana), thimbleberry (Rubus parvilforus), twisted stalk (Streptopus amplexifolius), grouse whortleberry (Vaccinium scoparium), soopalallie (Shepherdia argentea), aspen fleabane (Erigeron speciosus), a late tiger lily (L. columbianum), slender cinquefoil (Potentilla gracilis), stonecrop (Sedum stenopetalum), Agoseris (A. glaucus), and several butterflies (crescents and fritillaries).

Included here is a slideshow of images from that day of hiking:

The photo album with captions can also be seen at this link – McConnell Hill Nature Hike

I sampled the raspberries, whortleberries, strawberries, and left the rest (esp. baneberry) for the wildlife of the area.