Wildflowers in Bloom Along the High Rock Trail #266

Access to our starting point was via Forest Road (FR) 52 from Packwood, WA. This a paved road but it suffers at times from bumps and slumps. Paint markings on the road indicate it might get an upgrade in the next year or two. FR 52 drops into the Nisqually River drainage and when you reach a juction with FR 84, make a left (south) onto this dirt road. Drive defensibly along this road, which can be very potholed, especially on flat sections. Where the road climbs, it is in much better shape. When you reach a Y - junction with FR 8440, take the right fork which appears less travelled. It climbs steadily and is in good shape until you reach the trailhead for Trail #266 at the top of the ridge. Look back down FR 8440 and you will see the lookout clearly atop High Rock, indicating you have made the trailhead. Trail signs on both sides of the road are heavily shot up, so use a map or GPS to determine where you are. Parking is sufficient for 8 vehicles or more. There was some windshield glass near the parking area, so protct your possessions from car clouting!

The trail cimbs steadily to the NW from the trailhead, and is generally well maintained as this is a popular destination due to it's short duration and the pretty views from the old lookout atop High Rock. The last 100 meters is a bit of a scramble with loose gravel atop solid rock, and a lack of vegetation due to excessive user trails. The views are splendid though with a good southern view of Mt. Rainier about 5 miles northeast. You can also see the Cascades from Mt. Hood north to Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens. If you are afraid of heights, the final 100 meters will be tough as the summit has several hundred foot dropoffs on two sides and the scramble is steep.

* Denotes the plant was in bloom.

American Rockbrake: Cryptogramma acrostichoides

Western Polypody: Polypodium hesperium

Imbricate Swordfern: Polystichum imbricans

Pacific Silver Fir: Abies amabilis

Noble Fir: Abies procera

Slide Alder: Alnus viridis

Common Juniper: Juniperus communis var. montana

Oregon Boxwood: Paxistima myrsinites

Black Cottonwood: Populus trichocarpa - At the trailhead.

Douglas Fir: Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii

Mountain Hemlock: Tsuga mertensiana

* Merten's Sedge: Carex mertensii

Orchard Grass: Dactylis glomerata - At trailhead.

* Bottlebrush Squirreltail: Elymus elymoides

* Bead Lily: Clintonia uniflora

* Columbia Lily: Lilium columbianum

False Solomon Seal: Maianthemum racemosum ssp. amplexicaule

Star-flowered False Solomon Seal: Maianthemum stellatum

Rosy Twistedstalk: Streptopus lanceolatus - Fruits ripening.

Western Wakerobin: Trillium ovatum

Green False Hellebore: Veratrum (viride var. eschscholtzii ?)

* Bear Grass: Xerophyllum tenax - Fading out of bloom near the summit.

* Merten's Coralroot: Corallorhiza mertensiana - Fading out of bloom.

* Rattlesnake Plantain: Goodyera oblongifolia

* Northwestern Twayblade: Listera caurina

Cascade Knotweed: Aconogonon davisiae var. davisiae

* American Bistort: Bistorta bistortoides

* Northern Buckwheat: Eriogonum compositum var. compositum

Yard Knotweed: Polygonum aviculare

* Rosy Lewisia: Lewisia columbiana (var. rupicola ?)

* Littleleaf Montia: Montia parvifolia

* Mountain Sandwort: Eremogone capillaris var. americana - In bloom atop High Rock.

Largeleaf Sandwort: Moehringia macrophylla

* Parry's Campion: Silene parryi

* Oregon Campion: Silene oregana

Vanilla Leaf: Achlys triphylla

* Menzie's Larkspur: Delphinium menziesii ssp. menzisii ?

Cascade Oregon Grape: Berberis nervosa

Rough Wallflower: Erysimum capitatum ?

Alpine Pennycress: Noccaea fendleri ssp. glauca - Fruits maturing.

Spreading Stonecrop: Sedum divergens - In bud.

Oregon Stonecrop: Sedum oreganum - In bud.

* Crevice Alumroot: Heuchera micrantha var. micrantha

* Rusty Saxifrage: Micranthes ferruginea

* Yellow-dot Saxifrage: Saxifraga bronchialis ssp. austromontana - Fading out of bloom at the summit of High Rock

* Rusty Saxifrage: Micranthes ferruginea

* Foamflower: Tiarella trifoliata var. unifoliata

Maple-leaf Currant: Ribes acerifolium

Prickly Currant: Ribes lacustre

Serviceberry: Amelanchier alnifolia (var. semiintegrifolia ?)

Gordon's Ivesia: Ivesia gordonii or Tweedy's Ivesia: Ivesia tweedyi ? - Past bloom, so hard to positively ID. Atop High Rock.

* Baldhip Rose: Rosa gymnocarpa - Fading out of bloom.

Dwarf Bramble: Rubus lasiococcus

Salmonberry: Rubus spectabilis - Berries ripening.

Cascade Mountain Ash: Sorbus scopulina var. cascadensis - Fruits ripening.

Sitka Mountain Ash: Sorbus sitchensis var. grayi - Fruits developing.

* Birchleaf Spiraea: Spiraea betulifolia

* Rose Meadowsweet: Spiraea densiflora (var. ?) - Beginning to bloom.

* Arctic Lupine: Lupinus arcticus

Pioneer Violet: Viola glabella

Darkwoods Violet: Viola orbiculata

* Fireweed: Chamerion angustifolium - Beginning to bloom.

Cascade Desert Parsley: Lomatium martindalei - Past bloom.

Common Sweet Cicely: Osmorhiza berteroi

Pinemat Manzanita: Arctostaphylos nevadensis

Pipsissewa: Chimaphila umbellata - In bud.

Slender Wintergreen: Gaultheria ovatifolia

* Side-bells Wintergreen: Orthilia secunda

* Cascade Azalea: Rhododendron albiflorum

Thin-leaved Huckleberry: Vaccinium membranaceum

Oval-leaf Huckleberry: Vaccimium ovalifolium - Berries ripening.

Grouse Whortleberry: Vaccinium scoparium

Spreading Phlox: Phlox diffusa (var. longistylis ?)

Fendler's Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum fendleri var. albifrons

* Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida ?

* Scarlet Paintbrush: Castilleja miniata

* Turtleheads: Nothochelone nemorosa

* Bracted Lousewort: Pedicularis bracteosa var. latifolia

* Sickletop Lousewort: Pedicularis racemosa

Rock Penstemon: Penstemon rupicola - Past bloom around the lookout.

* Cascade Penstemon: Penstemon serrulatus

Broadleaf Plantain: Plantago major

* Oregon Bedstraw: Galium oreganum

Fragrant Bedstraw: Galium triflorum

* Twinflower: Linnaea borealis

* Northern Valerian: Valeriana sitchensis

* Roundleaf Bluebell: Campanula rotundifolia

* Scouler's Harebell: Campanula scouleri

* Yarrow: Achillea millefolium

* Pearly Everlasting: Anaphalis margaritacea

* Field Pussytoes: Antennaria howellii ssp. neodioica

Hooker's Pussytoes: Antennaria racemosa

* Rosy Pussytoes: Antennaria rosea

* Mountain Arnica: Arnica latifolia

* Short-styled Thistle: Cirsium brevistylum

* Subalpine Daisy: Erigeron glacialis var. glacialis

Cascade Aster: Eucephalus ledophyllus var. ledophyllus - In bud.

* White-flowered Hawkweed: Hieracium albiflorum

* Oxeye Daisy: Leucanthemum vulgare - At trailhead.

* Silverback Luina: Luina hypoleuca - In bloom atop High Rock.

* Pineappleweed: Matricaria discoidea - At trailhead.

* Dwarf Goldenrod: Solidago simplex ssp. simplex var. nana

Common Dandelion: Taraxacum officinale

Ravens

Evening Grosbeaks

Hermit Thrushes

Varied Thrushes

Dark-eyed Juncos

Pine Siskins

Chestnut-backed Chickadees

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Vaux's Swifts

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