The Island Springs Trail begins at the north side of Bench Lake in the Tract D portion of the Yakama Nation. The trail quickly descends to Hellroaring Creek with a wood foot bridge across the creek. A fairly large wet meadow may be found on the northern side of the the creek, through which the trail winds. Search the interface between the trees along the creek and meadows for interesting plants, then meander the meadows for a different selection of plants. The upland parts of the meadow where the conifer slopes meet the meadow offer a third habitat. Some of the creeks meandering through the meadow are lined with Lewis' monkeyflower and monkshood.
The trail soon ascends the ridge just east of Little Mt. Adams, climbing through dry meadows with numerous quaking aspen, some of large aspen. About 100 meters past Hellroaring Creek, the intersection with the Hellroaring Creek Trail #10 is reached. Trail #10 veers to the right (east) and follows the north bank of Hellroaring Creek before crossing it and returning to the outlet of Bench Lake on its northeastern shore.
Continuing up the Island Springs Trail, one eventually enters open forest about where the trail crosses Island Springs Creek, which seems to run all summer long, although as a trickle. The trail continues to climb gently up the ridge, passing a second wet area. Beyond this point, the trail begins to fade out, and some clambering through brush on a steep sideslope must be undertaken before regaining the trail. Stop to look at the old growth trees in this section of the trail, some of which are very wide diameter. About one mile from Hellroaring Creek, the trail finally reaches the crest of the ridge which is a good picnic spot, or spot to turn around. Unfortunately, this trail offers no views of Mt. Adams, which is hidden behind timber as well as Little Mt. Adams. One can turn left, and hike uphill (partly on trail, partly via heavy bush-whacking) to reach Little Mt. Adams which offers better views of the area. Be aware however, that you should take plenty of water and lunch as this is an all day trek, and potentially could lead one to get lost! One should also refrain from climbing or descending the ridge, straight down, or off the trail, as the slopes are very steep (with a few cliffs) and numerous stands of dense brush, which makes navigation and footing difficult.
GPS coordinates for the Island Springs Trailhead are:
N46 09.077' --- W121 24.052' --- 4910' --- +/-30'
Coordinates for the crest of the Island Springs Trail are:
N46 10.861' --- W121 23.367' --- 4982' --- +/-200'
Island Springs Trail #66:
1. Bracken Fern: Pteridium aquilinum -
2. Pacific Silver Fir: Abies amabilis -
3. Subalpine Fir: Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa -
4. Engelmann Spruce: Picea engelmannii -
5. Lodgepole Pine: Pinus contorta var. murrayana -
6. Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa -
7. Douglas Fir: Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii -
8. Black Cottonwood: Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa -
9. Quaking Aspen: Populus tremuloides -
10. Unidentified Willow: Salix species -
11. Idaho Fescue: Festuca idahoensis -
12. Bottlebrush Squirreltail: Elymus elymoides (ssp. elymoides?) (formerly Sitanion hystrix) -
* 13. Queen's Cup/ Bead Lily: Clintonia uniflora -
14. Star-flowered False Solomon Seal: Maianthemum stellatum (formerly Smilacina stellata) - In fruit.
15. Rosy Twistedstalk: Streptopus lanceolatus (formerly S. rosea) - Fruits maturing.
* 16. White Bog Candle: Platanthera dilatata -
* 17. Sulfur-flowered Buckwheat: Eriogonum umbellatum var. umbellatum -
* 18. Monkshood: Aconitum columbianum ssp. columbianum - A few blossoms still present.
19. Red Baneberry: Actaea rubra - In fruit.
* 20. Crimson Columbine: Aquilegia formosa -
* 21. Creeping Oregon Grape: Mahonia (Berberis) repens - Maturing fruits.
* 22. Rough Wallflower: Erysimum asperum -
23. Prickly Currant: Ribes lacustre - Fruits forming.
24. Spring Gooseberry: Ribes watsonianum - Spiny fruits formed.
24. Serviceberry: Amelanchier alnifolia var. semiintegrifolia -
* 25. Large-leaved Avens: Geum macrophyllum var. macrophyllum -
26. Cascade Mt. Ash: Sorbus scopulina var. cascadensis - Orange fruits present.
* 27. Hardhack: Spiraea douglasii var. douglasii - Fading from bloom.
* 28. Pyramid Spiraea: Spiraea X pyramidata -
* 29. Burke's Lupine: Lupinus burkei ssp. burkei -
* 30. American Vetch: Vicia americana var. americana -
* 31. Snowbush Ceanothus: Ceanothus velutinus - A few in bloom again.
* 32. Willowherb: Epilobium species (either E. ciliatum ssp. ciliatum? or E. watsonii ?) -
33. Lyall's Angelica: Angelica arguta -
* 34. Cow Parsnip: Heracleum maximum -
* 35. Gray's Lovage: Ligusticum grayii -
36. Fern-leaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium multifidum - Mature fruits.
* 37. Western Sweet-cicely: Osmorhiza occidentalis - In fruit.
38. Thinleaf Huckleberry: Vaccinium membranaceum - Tasty fruits present.
* 39. Tall Bluebells: Mertensia paniculata var. borealis - Leaves only.
* 40. Western Horsemint: Agastache occidentalis -
* 41. Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida -
* 42. Common Paintbrush: Castilleja miniata
* 43. Suksdorf's Paintbrush: Castilleja suksdorfii -
* 44. Common Monkey Flower: Mimulus guttatus -
* 45. Lewis' Monkey Flower: Mimulus lewisii -
* 46. Woodland Beardtongue: Nothochelone nemorosa -
* 47. Fragrant Bedstraw: Galium triflorum -
48. Purpleflower Honeysuckle: Lonicera conjugialis - Fruits forming.
49. Mountain Snowberry: Symphoricarpos oreophilus var. utahensis - Fruits forming.
* 50. Bluebell Bellflower: Campanula rotundifolia -
* 51. Yarrow: Achillea millefolium var. occidentalis -
* 52. Western Pearly Everlasting: Anaphalis margaritacea - A few plants still in bloom.
* 53. Rydberg's Arnica: Arnica rydbergii -
* 54. Douglas' Sagewort: Artemisia douglasiana -
* 55. Giant Mountain Aster: Canadanthus modestus (formerly Aster modestus) -
* 56. Rabbitbrush Goldenweed: Ericameria bloomeri -
* 57. Klickitat Aster: Eucephalus glaucescens (formerly Aster glaucescens) -
* 58. Roughleaf Aster: Eurybia radulina (formerly Aster radulinus) -
* 59. Rocky Mountain Sunflower: Helianthella uniflora var. douglasii - Several still in bloom.
* 60. White-flowered Hawkweed: Hieracium albiflorum
* 61. American Sawwort: Saussurea americana - Fading out of bloom.
* 62. Streambank Butterweed: Senecio pseudaureus -
* 63. Arrowleaf Groundsel: Senecio triangularis -
* 64. Canada Goldenrod: Solidago canadensis var. salebrosa -
* 65. Leafy Aster, Parry's Aster: Symphyotrichum foliaceum var. parryi (formerly Aster foliaceus var. parryi) -
Chipmunk
Coopers Hawk? (too big for a Sharp-shinned Hawk?)
Clark's Nutcrackers
Northern Flicker
Dark-eyed Juncos
Red-breasted Nuthatch
3 young Goldeneye ducklings
Fritillaries
Lorquin's Admiral