Short winter days and skies swathed in gray leave me daydreaming of springtime’s colorful display of wildflower blooms. One of my favorite spring getaways is to the Columbia River Gorge to take in one of the most prolific wildflower exhibitions in the country.
As the ski season winds down, I begin checking the wildflower bloom reports, weather reports and my Outlook calendar. My hope is to perfectly coordinate a free weekend with a sunny weather report and peak wildflower blooms. It’s not as easy as it sounds. And the forecast, flowers and free time do not always cooperate with one another. My eye is always trained on hitting Dog Mountain in peak bloom.
Views of the Columbia River, Mount Hood and a seemingly endless carpet of bright yellow balsamroot reward those who conquer Dog Mountain. The strenuous trail is a 6.9-mile hike with a nearly 3,000- foot elevation gain but worth every calorie expended during peak bloom. However, due to the odd weather this year, Dog Mountain was not yet in bloom in April. Instead, my timing was more conducive to enjoying the wildflowers at lower altitudes. And they were blooming beautifully.
We headed to Hood River on a Friday afternoon and set up temporary residency at the Riverview Lodge. After settling in, we wandered down Oak Street to Brian’s Pourhouse, a quaint neighborhood pub where we happened upon a local’s bachelorette party in full swing. We enjoyed watching the woman we presumed to be the owner interact with the bride and bridesmaids. It was if she had watched them grow up in this quaint riverside town.
Saturday morning we grabbed our packs and set out early to hike the Catherine Creek Labyrinth Trail, just east of the Coyote Wall (Syncline). The round-trip distance is approximately five miles with 1,200 feet of gain and is known for a diversity of flower species. Mindful of the ticks, rattlesnakes and poison oak in the area, we wore protective cover on our legs, arms and head. We were thankful to have worn lightweight pants rather than shorts as we passed many a hiker cursing the poison oak that stung them along the trail.
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From key vantage points along our route, we marveled at the beauty of the contrasting colors of the lupine and balsamroot against the bright blue sky. The variety of flowers we encountered did not disappoint. We spotted cow parsley, fairy slippers, chocolate lilies, California poppy, serviceberry, true babystars, Gray’s lomatium, bicolor lupine, biscuitroot and more.
In the late afternoon, we set off to visit a few more of the area’s best-known wildflower destinations. We drove to Columbia Hills State Park above The Dalles Mountain Ranch where we were greeted by supreme views of balsamroot-covered hillsides. This detour was surely worth a look.
Feeling ambitious enough to tackle one more hike before sunset, we ventured across the river to see how the bloom was at Tom McCall State Park. We found the trailhead at the Rowena Plateau car park near the town of Mosier. From the south side of the river, we admired the views of Mount Adams, which at 12,276 feet is the second-tallest peak in Washington.
The gentle trail at Tom McCall Park attracted the masses on such a bluebird day. We found a place to park and headed up the trail, which is a 3.2-mile loop with 1,100 feet of gain. The balsamroot, lupine and paintbrush were prolific on the lower slopes of the trail and at the plateau. We happened upon a rattlesnake sleeping peacefully in a sunny spot along the trail.
From what we deemed to be a safe distance, we quietly photographed the slumbering snake as it lay neatly coiled beside the footpath. At the plateau and from a field carpeted in balsamroot, we admired views of the area’s volcanic beauties, Mount Adams to the north and Mount Hood to the southwest.
As the sun began to set over the river, we headed back to our home base in Hood River. We dined at Oishi Sushi. The comfortable atmosphere, fresh rolls and sashimi, and impressive sake selection made this gem of an eatery a hit with us.
Morning coffee at the Pine Street Bakery geared us up for one last hike before making the five-hour trek northeast to Coeur d’Alene. We chose the Mosier Plateau Trail for our finale and were glad we did. This 3.5-mile trail was uncrowded and offered the best floral display we’d happened upon this trip.
By afternoon, the wind had picked up, so we grabbed lunch at Pfriem Family Brewers, an artisanal brewery offering tasty food and direct views of the river, where kiteboarders and windsurfers danced across the water. Alas, it was time to bid the gorge adieu, until the next time.
Located on the south bank of the Columbia River, Hood River is a great backyard destination for a sporty, fun and scenic retreat. You can watch kiteboarders and windsurfers soar above the river in this wind seeker’s mecca. Hike Tom McCall Nature Preserve for an easy walk or conquer Dog Mountain if you’re up for a workout. Follow a trail to one of the area’s many waterfalls, enjoy cycling through the ‘fruit loop,’ or stroll the downtown neighborhoods, enjoying the beautiful gardens and historic craftsman homes. It’s home to trendy shops, fabulous restaurants, brew pubs and wineries and is a mere five- hour drive from Coeur d’Alene.
Cheers and safe travels!
By Denise Lundy
As Featured In: Winter/Spring 2016