Wildflowers of the Blue Mt. and Elkhorn Scenic Byways: Umatilla & Wallowa-Whitman National Forests

Wildflowers of the Blue Mt. and Elkhorn Scenic Byways

The following driving routes offer numerous places to look for roadside wildflowers mixed with great scenery and usually very light traffic. Most of the roads are paved, but as typical forest roads, they should generally be driven at speeds of less than 35 mph.

Drive east from John Day on US Highway 26 ascending into the mountains. At Austin Junction, turn left (north) and proceed on State Highway 7 through Bates (County Rd 20 proceeds west from Bates, following the Middle Fork John Day River.....another possible sidetrip!) ascending another low pass (where Balsamorhiza hookeri var. hirsuta can be seen roadside) just to the south of Tipton. Proceed east on OR 7 until arriving in the Sumpter Valley. Turn west toward Sumpter, OR on County Rd 410 to view mining equipment and century old environmental damage from mining tailings. Continue west out of Sumpter on County Rd 520 which eventually becomes County Rd 24 as it passes into the Wallowa-Whitman NF. I've noticed a number of interesting plants roadside and in small meadows near by as it reaches a pass and then begins descending towards Granite, OR. Several species of Allium, Castilleja, and Penstemon should be seen.

On arriving in Granite, turn north onto FS Rd 73. After about a dozen miles or so FS Rd 73 turns right (east) and heads up towards Anthony Lakes. One can ascend to the lakes to view nice riparian species around the lakes. There are also a number of hikes in this area that would warrant some time spent here, so look for trail guides that include hikes from eastern Oregon for more information. The vegetation seems to be a bit more reminiscent of the flora found in the Wallowa Mts. The book "Guide to the Plants of the Wallowa Mountains of Northeastern Oregon" by Georgia Mason (U of O Press) may be handy here.

Alternatively, at the intersection where FS Rd 73 turns east, you can continue north on FS Rd 51. After another mile or so, you will intersect with the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway, FS Rd 52.

If you continue north on FS Rd 51, you will quickly come to the headwaters of the Grande Ronde River. Travelling this road, you will pass several penstemons including tapertip penstemon (Penstemon attenuatus var. palustris), yellow penstemon (Penstemon confertus), Rydberg's penstemon (Penstemon rydbergii var. oreocharis) and pincushion beardtongue (Penstemon procerus var. procerus) as well as several lupines including Burke's lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus var. burkei), velvet lupine (L. leucophyllus var. tenuispicus) and sulphur lupine (Lupinus sulphureus ssp. sulphureus) - yellow) among many other plants before intersecting OR 244 after about an hour or so. OR 244 will take you east to Hilgard and then to LaGrande. Another recommendation if you have plenty of time (near LaGrande) is to proceed west from Hilgard on Interstate 84 a few miles to the next exit. Proceed west on this old highway which parallels I-84 on its north side until you reach FS Rd 31. Turn right onto FS Rd 31 and proceed northeast on this road about 45 minutes until you reach subalpine, floriferous meadows. Turn right onto "primitive" FS Rd 3120 and proceed several bumpy miles to Indian Rock. This area is one that often has one of the best flower blooms I've seen in Oregon at this time of year. Partial plant lists may be viewed here.

If you wish to head west towards Ukiah to explore the Blue Mt. Scenic Byway, turn west on FS Rd 52. This proceeds through subalpine coniferous forests, some of which was burned in recent years. Penstemons, lupines, and paintbrush may be seen along the route. To the west of Pearson Guard Station, you come across the North Fork John Day Overlook, which is FS Rd 55 on the south side of the road. Park where it is safe and proceed downhill on FS Rd 55 on foot. The area was both burned and clearcut, but offers roadside flowers with especially spreading dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium) which attracts drifts of butterflies and pollinating insects. I've seen at least 8 or more butterfly species here nectaring on the dogbane.

Proceeding west on FS Rd 52, you eventually reach Ukiah. The Ukiah-Dale State Campground does have some round-leaved trillium (Trillium petiolatum) which flowers from late May into early June and is located several miles south of Ukiah on US Highway 395. Turn north a mile west of Ukiah on US Highway 395 for Pendleton, or continue west on FS RD 53 which heads for Heppner.

Dry wildflower prairie along US 395 just north of Ukiah, OR................June 22, 2007. Parsnipflower buckwheat (Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides), yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata) are the predominent plants in the photo.

Continue west on FS Rd 53, searching the roadsides for sulphur lupine (Lupinus sulphureus ssp. sulphureus), Burke's lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus var. burkei), and the diminutive prairie lupine (L. lepidus var. aridus) along this road between FS Rds 5312 & 21. Meadow areas along the road that are worth searching (land beyond the fence is private) include Jones Prairie at Four Corners, Herren Meadow, and meadows along FS Rd 21 enroute to Penland Lake. I always stop along this route at Herren Meadow, both to look for wetland wildflowers but also to enjoy the number of butterflies (including the great spangled fritillary). If you park on a warm day with the windows down, you may have to carefully 'shoo' as many as a dozen butterflies out of the car. After leaving the forest, the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway descends alongside Willow Creek to Heppner. Head north to Interstate 84 via State Rd 207. Heppner is about 3 hours or so east of Portland.

Several views of wildflower-filled meadows and wetlands as seen at Potamus Creek and Kelly Prairie along the Blue Mt. Scenic Byway west of Ukiah, OR..................June 22, 2007.

July 2, 2001: Meadows along Anthony Lake, Hoffer Lake Trailhead, Wallowa-Whitman NF 15

July 2, 2001: Meadows along Anthony Lake, Anthony Lakes Day Use Area, Wallowa-Whitman NF 14

July 1, 2001: Meadows along Ditch Creek & FS Rd 21 west of Penland Lake, Umatilla NF