Buckhorn Meadows Trail #205: Strawberry Mountain Wilderness

[Wildflower Hikes and Trips in Grant County, OR]

Buckhorn Meadows Trail #205

From Buckhorn Meadows to the bluffs above Wildcat Basin (and adjacent sections of Trail #201)

Strawberry Mountain Wilderness

Wildflower slopes along the Buckhorn Meadows Trail #205, Malheur National Forest..........July 8, 2010.

Balsamroots, blue stickseed, paintbrush and mountain big sagebrush in meadows along the Buckhorn Meadows Trail #205................July 8, 2010.

Trail Length: 2.7 miles, one way.

Elevation: 6000-7000'

Rating: Moderate

Season: June to November

Allowed Activities: Hiking and horse use. ATVs and mountain bikes prohibited.

Use: Light

Access: Drive south from John Day, OR for about 10 miles. Turn left onto Grant County road 65 which eventually becomes FS Rd 15 at the national forest boundary. Turn left onto FS Rd 1520 and drive uphill, passing Canyon Meadows campground. FS Rd 1520 should be okay for most vehicles, although low-slung vehicles like the hybrid Honda Civic and Toyota Prius may have difficulty. Drive to the end of the road and follow signs to the trailhead (which is undeveloped). Passenger vehicles are encouraged to park so that vehicles with horse trailers have room to turn around.

Trail: Water is available at the trailhead and at Wildcat Springs in Wildcat Basin. Buckhorn Meadows at the trailhead are worth exploring for wildflowers (as Canyon Meadows probably is next to the campground further down the road). The trail is well graded with just a few steep spots with loose gravel (which would require extra care on the way down). The trail passes through a mix of forest, open meadows and rocky areas. As the trail nears Wildcat Basin, its condition worsens as it crosses ash and stone slopes. Upon reaching Trail 201, that trail can be hiked west or east to points where the slopes above the trail can be carefully hiked to reach the upper outcrops, or to obtain views west along the ridgeline of the Strawberry Range or north into the Indian Creek drainage. Snow drifts may still partially cover the Wildcat Basin in late June, so care should be exercised in crossing them to view the early spring flowers on those slopes.

Plant Lists for the Buckhorn Meadows Trail #205:

Partial plant list for the Buckhorn Meadows Trail #205 (includes Canyon Meadows and outcrops above Wildcat Basin): To be updated in 2011.

Strawberry Mt. Flora: A fairly complete floral list that can be substituted until the above list is updated.

Additional views of the Buckhorn Meadows Trail #205, Malheur National Forest...............July 8, 2010.

Paul Slichter