Wildflowers of Spanish Peak via Road 3800-200, Ochoco National Forest.......September 25, 2016.

The view east from the summit of Spanish. Road 3800-200 comes to a trailhead at center with a trail headed west for a southern approach, or one can hike Road 3800-200 (driveable with high clearance vehicles with good tires and a good low gear) from the east. Ochoco National Forest.........June 14, 2015. Sheep Rock and Picture Rock Gorge (John Day Fossil Beds NM) are behind the mountain mahogany at left. In the distance at right are respectively, Aldrich Mt., Fields Peak, Canyon Mt, Strawberry Mt and the north half of the Monument Rock Wilderness. On the north side of the John Day Valley one can pick out Dixie Butte and the Greenhorn and Elkhorn Mountains. The towns of Mount Vernon, John Day and Prairie City were all observable from this vantage point.

Weather: Temperatures in the 60s in the morning climbing to the low 70s by the afternoon. The morning saw clear skies with a light wind that persisted all day long which made the hike comfortable. The sky was incredibly clear, affording views northwest to Mt. Adams and Mt. Hood and to the west to South Sister looming over Lookout Mt. To the southwest we could see Newberry Crater and Pine Mountain, to the south the Hampton and Glass Buttes, to the southeast Snow Mountain loomed over the horizon, and to the east we could see nearby Aldrich Mt., Fields Peak, Canyon Mt., Strawberry Mt. and the north end of the Monument Rock Wilderness as well as Dixie Butte. The Greenhorn Mts. were far off to the northeast with part of the Elkhorns beyond them. The Simcoe Mts in Klickitat County could be seen to the north. Sheep Rock and Picture Rock Gorge in the John Day Fossil Fossil Beds NM were clearly visible downhill several miles to the northeast.

Spanish Peak is found near the northeastern edge of the Ochoco National Forest, or just northwest of the Black Canyon Wilderness. It is several miles west of the South Fork John Day River. There are a number of trails here, although an old access road worked for us when road 3800-200 was blocked by downed trees about one mile uphill from the junction with road 3800. Few hikers and campers appear to use the area, and ATV traffic seems to be light (on the roads).

We parked on FS Road #3800-200 about 2 miles from the summit of Spanish Peak where the Ochoco Mountain Trail #823 crosses. We then hiked up the road (driveable to the summit with high clearance vehicle with good tires and low gear, Subaru Forester and Outback probably okay). The first two photos show the Ochoco Mountain Trail #823 signage at the trailhead. The eastern segment of the trail descends through forest and open balds to the Cottonwood Trailhead near the north forest boundary on Road #3850. The western segment of the trail descends westward towards Rock Creek or to the Mascall Corral (Trail #822). The Rock Creek Trailhead is a 12 mile hike. One could do this as a through hike, although its about a 35 minute drive between trailheads. The middle pair of photos show Spanish Peak from one mile and one-half mile away, respectively.The lowest photo looks west from the summit down into the lower Rock Creek drainage with Rock Creek Lake (private) visible. On the horizon from left to right are Lookout Mt., Round Mt., Mount Pisgah and the Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds NM is hidden at the horizon at right. Ochoco National Forest.........September 25, 2016.

North American Red Raspberry: Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus ? - Atop Spanish Peak summit on north-facing cliffs.

Shrubby Penstemon: Penstemon fruticosus var. fruticosus - Crest of north-facing cliffs at the summit.

Wildflowers of Spanish Peak via Road 3800-200

From the trailhead for the Ochoco Mountains Trail #823 to the summit of Spanish Peak

Ochoco National Forest

September 25, 2016