North Steens Loop Road

From Head of McCoy Creek (just below Kiger Gorge Access Rd) to the Summit Parking Lot

* indicates flowers currently in bloom

* Mat Buckwheat: Eriogonum cespitosum - Fading out of bloom (viewed at right).

* Oval-leaved Buckwheat: Eriogonum ovalifolium var. depressum

* Sulfur-flower Buckwheat: Eriogonum umbellatum var. dicrocephalum

* American Bistort: Polygonum bistortoides

* Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum

* Pygmy Lewisia: Lewisia pygmaea

* Prickly Sandwort: Arenaria aculeata

* Ballhead Sandwort: Arenaria congesta

* Nuttall's Sandwort: Arenaria nuttallii var. fragilis

* Field Mouse-ear: Cerastium arvense

* Douglas' Campion: Silene douglasii

* Oregon Campion: Silene oregana

Marsh Marigold: Caltha leptosepala - Past bloom.

* Dwarf Larkspur: Delphinium depauperatum

* Wintercress: Barbarea orthoceras

* Lance-leaved Stonecrop: Sedum lanceolatum

* Roundleaf Alumroot: Heuchera cylindrica var. alpina

Wax Currant: Ribes cereum - Past bloom.

* Alpine Prickly Currant: Ribes montigenum

* Prairie Smoke: Geum triflorum var. ciliatum -Fading.

* Pink Pinwheels: Horkelia fusca

* Gordon's Ivesia: Ivesia gordonii - In good bloom only at the summit parking lot.

* Shrubby Cinquefoil: Pentaphylloides fruticosa

* Short-leaved Cinquefoil: Potentilla brevifolia - Found only at the headwaters of McCoy Creek

* Brewer's Cinquefoil: Potentilla breweri - Fading out of bloom.

* Diverse-leaved Cinquefoil: Potentilla diversifolia - Fading out of bloom.

* Sibbaldia: Sibbaldia procumbens

* Balloon Milkvetch: Astragalus whitneyi var. confusus - Mostly in fruit.

* Low Mt. Lupine: Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii

* Long-stalk Clover: Trifolium longipes var. shastense (T. multipedunculatum)

* Willowherb: Epilobium sp. (white flowers)

* Club-fruited Willowherb: Epilobium clavatum (E. alpinum var. clavatum)

* Gray's Lovage: Ligusticum grayii

* Prickly Phlox: Leptodactylon pungens - A few in bloom at the head of Big Indian Gorge.

* Silverleaf Phacelia: Phacelia hastata var. alpina

* Silky Phacelia: Phacelia sericea - Fading.

* Broadleaf Bluebells: Mertensia ciliata

* Common Paintbrush: Castilleja miniata

* Steens Mt. Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis

* Subalpine Monkeyflower: Mimulus tilingii

* Little Elephant Heads: Pedicularis attolens

* Steens Mt. Penstemon: Penstemon davidsonii var. praeteritus

* Small-flowered Penstemon: Penstemon procerus var. formosus

* Yarrow: Achillea millefolium

Mt. Agoseris: Agoseris glauca var. monticola

* Alpine Pussytoes: Antennaria media

* Rosy Pussytoes: Antennaria rosea

* Umber Pussytoes: Antennaria umbrinella

Long-leaf Arnica: Arnica longifolia - Nearing bloom.

* Hairy Arnica: Arnica mollis

* Hayden's Aster: Aster alpigenus var. haydenii

* Steens Mountain Thistle: Cirsium peckii

* Orange Sneezeweed: Dugaldia hoopesii

* Cut-leaved Daisy: Erigeron compositus var. glabratus - Fading.

* Foreign Fleabane: Erigeron peregrinus var. callianthemus

* Alpine Meadow Groundsel: Packera (Senecio) cymbalarioides

* Woolly Groundsel: Senecio canus

* Thick-leaved Groundsel: Senecio crassulus

* Dwarf Mountain Butterweed: Senecio fremontii

* Northern Goldenrod: Solidago multiradiata

Narrowleaf Goldenweed: Stenotus stenophyllus - Past bloom.

Between the following GPS coordinates:

N 42* 39.988' --- W 118* 33.889' --- Elevation: 9685' --- +/- 19'

N 42* 39.820' --- W 118* 33.943' --- Elevation: 9668' --- +/- 19'

Note that many of the species listed below were seen only below the rim on the narrow benches on the steep eastern slopes below the East Rim.

* Mat buckwheat: Eriogonum cespitosum

* Oval-leaved Buckwheat: Eriogonum ovalifolium var. depressum

* Oval-leaved Buckwheat: Eriogonum ovalifolium var. purpureum

* Sulfur-flower Buckwheat: Eriogonum umbellatum var. dicrocephalum

* Alpine Sorrel: Oxyria digynia

* Prickly Sandwort: Arenaria aculeata

* Nuttall's Sandwort: Arenaria nuttallii var. fragilis

* Lance-leaved Stonecrop: Sedum lanceolatum

* Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum

* Steens Mt. Draba: Draba cusickii var. cusickii (A few still in bloom.)

* Roundleaf Alumroot: Heuchera cylindrica var. alpina

Wax Currant: Ribes cereum

* Alpine Prickly Currant: Ribes montigenum

* Shrubby Cinquefoil: Pentaphylloides fruticosa

* Sticky Cinquefoil: Potentilla glandulosa var. pseudorupestris - below the east rim.

* Balloon Milkvetch: Astragalus whitneyi var. confusus

* Prairie Lupine: Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii

* Sky Pilot: Polemonium viscosum -Fading out of bloom.

* Silky Phacelia: Phacelia sericea var. ciliosa - A few still in bloom.

* Common Paintbrush: Castilleja miniata

* Steens Mt. Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis

* Steens Mt. Penstemon: Penstemon davidsonii var. praeteritus - Fading above, but floriferous on eastern slopes below the rim.

* Yarrow: Achillea millefolium

* Hairy Arnica: Arnica mollis

* Steens Mt. Thistle: Cirsium peckii

* Cut-leaved Daisy: Erigeron compositus var. glabratus

* Foreign Fleabane: Erigeron peregrinus var. callianthemus

* Discoid Goldenweed: Ericameria discoidea var. discoidea (Very sparse bloom yet!)

* Truckee Green Rabbitbrush: Ericameria humilis - On ledges below the rim.

* Woolly Groundsel: Senecio canus

* Dwarf Mountain Butterweed: Senecio fremontii

*Diverse-leaved Cinquefoil: Potentilla diversifolia

*Balloon Milkvetch: Astragalus whitneyi var. confusus

*Prairie Lupine: Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii

*Elko Spring Parsley: Cymopterus nivalis

*Prickly Phlox: Leptodactylon pungens

*Silverleaf Phacelia: Phacelia hastata var. alpina

*Steens Mt. Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. steenensis

*Steens Mt. Penstemon: Penstemon davidsonii var. praeteritus

*Small-flowered Penstemon: Penstemon procerus var. formosus

*Yarrow: Achillea millefolium (Both white- and pink-flowered forms.)

*Steens Mountain Thistle: Cirsium peckii

*Orange Sneezeweed: Dugaldia hoopesii

*Discoid Goldenweed: Ericameria discoidea var. discoidea (A few in bloom on ridge to west of Wildhorse Canyon.)

*Cut-leaved Daisy: Erigeron compositus var. glabratus

*Woolly Groundsel: Senecio canus

*Dwarf Mountain Butterweed: Senecio fremontii

1. Horned Larks

2. Violet-green Swallows

3. Mountain Bluebirds

4. Red-tailed Hawk

5. Golden Eagles

6. Prairie Falcons

7. Numerous grasshoppers

8. Tens of thousands of butterflies (largely anglewings and fritillaries with a few whites mixed in) being blown along by the wind, especially along the edge of the rim.

9. Sierra Nevada Ground Squirrel

10. Belding Ground Squirrels