Am eagerly awaiting the wildflower season here in Oregon. Since am a new transplant here, am not sure when the season starts. Is the first week of April a good start ? Am planning on taking some photo-op shoots on every weekend if possible. Could someone give some pointers to locations to shoot ? Based on my studies these are two locations I've come up with:
Mt.Rainier national park - not sure when and where to go
Mt.Hood national forest - somewhere around cooper spur.
Will continue my research but any pointers to the right places would be greatly appreciated.
thanks,
pradeep
Posted by Marc Adamus on March 18, 2006 at 12:11 AM
We have several wildflower seasons in the Northwest. They range from late April to late August depending on location and elevation. Easily the most spectacular blooms are found high in the sub-alpine meadows of the Cascade range about 4-6 weeks after the last snow melts from them. This year this will likely occur between the last week of July and the last week of August. Last year it was three weeks sooner due to much less snowpack.
To comment specificly on the places you mention, I would venture to say there is no other place in the US with more spectacular blooms that the meadows of Rainier park, particularly those found near Paradise and in Spray Park on the East Side. Still, any other meadows between 5500 and 6500 feet in the park will be amazing come the first week of August. Mount Hood isn't nearly as spectacular, and the Cooper Spur area isn't always that exciting though Lupine and Paintbrush are still found in some admirable groves. The meadows on the North and Northwest sides such as Elk Cove and Eden Park offer better displays, but with less view of the Mountain. Oregon's peak areas are Jefferson Park in the Jefferson Wilderness and Green Lakes in the Three Sisters, both Rainier-like with excellent landscape surroundings. The Wallowa range also has much to offer in August too. Ice Lake is absolutely stunning!
Earlier in the year there are exceptional displays in the Eastern half of the gorge, particularly the highland meadows with some Columbia overlooks. These blooms come in Late April through May. There are displays out in the Painted Hills around this time also. The SE Steens range has cascade-quality blooms around 7500 feet in late June. There are sporadic bloom cycles in almost any NW environment, so I've commented on my personal favorites. Blooms are coming up in the valley and coast right now, Trilliums come up in the rain forests in April and the Western gorge can be beautiful in spots come early May.
For pure wildflower grandeur, the peak is the mountains in summer though.
You can get some nice blooms in the Hood River area in April, of course it can vary by days and weeks, but I've got images of blooming fruit trees in Hood River around April 10th, and blooming fields of balsamroot and lupine on the Rowena Plateau on April 24 in 2004. I'm not sure if that is going to be the scedule for this year, but Mark Hudon would probably have a good idea of how the spring bloom is shaping up in that area. The photo I attached was one of the images I took on April 24, 2004 to give you an idea of what can pop up in April.
Posted by Mark Hudon on March 18, 2006 at 12:06 PM
Pradeep,
I'm checking some of the dates of my wild flower shots from Rowena and The Dalles Hills and it looks like the end of March beginning of April was the start of the show last year. I drove through Rowena and The Dalles Hills yesterday and only the warmer slopes were starting to get any color, mainly Desert Parsley.
Last year wasn't too good and we didn't get a lot of balsamroot/lupine combinations. The Lupine comes in later and with it being a dry year and the Balsamroot being sparse, they were mostly gone or on the way out by the time the Lupine came out. 2004 was a fully awesome year and I think it's going to happen again.
BTW anyone can email me privately for updates throughout the spring. I'll be out and about most afternoons to Rowena, The East Hills and The Dalles Mt Road.
Marc, Based on your inputs I would most definitely venture to the Rainier valley in the summer. Thanks for the detailed information.
Ryan, Thanks I will drive by hood river sometime in mid april to get a feel of the blooms, contact some locals and put up a more detailed schedule.
Mark, Yeah I do hope that 2006 will be as or more awesome than 2004. Thanks for all the information. I'll be in the Bahamas till April 1st and the weekend of April 7th I will venture out.
Discussion
4 repliesMt.Rainier national park - not sure when and where to go
Mt.Hood national forest - somewhere around cooper spur.
Will continue my research but any pointers to the right places would be greatly appreciated.
thanks,
pradeep
To comment specificly on the places you mention, I would venture to say there is no other place in the US with more spectacular blooms that the meadows of Rainier park, particularly those found near Paradise and in Spray Park on the East Side. Still, any other meadows between 5500 and 6500 feet in the park will be amazing come the first week of August. Mount Hood isn't nearly as spectacular, and the Cooper Spur area isn't always that exciting though Lupine and Paintbrush are still found in some admirable groves. The meadows on the North and Northwest sides such as Elk Cove and Eden Park offer better displays, but with less view of the Mountain. Oregon's peak areas are Jefferson Park in the Jefferson Wilderness and Green Lakes in the Three Sisters, both Rainier-like with excellent landscape surroundings. The Wallowa range also has much to offer in August too. Ice Lake is absolutely stunning!
Earlier in the year there are exceptional displays in the Eastern half of the gorge, particularly the highland meadows with some Columbia overlooks. These blooms come in Late April through May. There are displays out in the Painted Hills around this time also. The SE Steens range has cascade-quality blooms around 7500 feet in late June. There are sporadic bloom cycles in almost any NW environment, so I've commented on my personal favorites. Blooms are coming up in the valley and coast right now, Trilliums come up in the rain forests in April and the Western gorge can be beautiful in spots come early May.
For pure wildflower grandeur, the peak is the mountains in summer though.
I'm checking some of the dates of my wild flower shots from Rowena and The Dalles Hills and it looks like the end of March beginning of April was the start of the show last year. I drove through Rowena and The Dalles Hills yesterday and only the warmer slopes were starting to get any color, mainly Desert Parsley.
Last year wasn't too good and we didn't get a lot of balsamroot/lupine combinations. The Lupine comes in later and with it being a dry year and the Balsamroot being sparse, they were mostly gone or on the way out by the time the Lupine came out. 2004 was a fully awesome year and I think it's going to happen again.
BTW anyone can email me privately for updates throughout the spring. I'll be out and about most afternoons to Rowena, The East Hills and The Dalles Mt Road.
Ryan, Thanks I will drive by hood river sometime in mid april to get a feel of the blooms, contact some locals and put up a more detailed schedule.
Mark, Yeah I do hope that 2006 will be as or more awesome than 2004. Thanks for all the information. I'll be in the Bahamas till April 1st and the weekend of April 7th I will venture out.