Leader: Lance Barker

Five Hundred Lady's Slippers and Ponderosa Pine Restoration: Auto Trip with easy walking, 1/4 mile at each stop. Regular cars OK.

Morning Hill Farm: a solar-powered homestead with easy walking (less than 1/2 mile, very gentle) through east-side ponderosa pine forest and mesic-to-dry meadow plants (See link for plant list below.). The second-growth forest is being managed to produce old-growth characteristics, care for native plants, and to enhance wildlife habitat. No promises, but there is a high likelihood of seen northern goshawk fledglings. Floral highlights include Sierra onion (Allium campanulatum), bigpod mariposa (Calochortus eurycarpus), sugar bowls (Clematis hirsutissima), shrubby cinquefoil (Dasiphora floribunda), showy daisy (Erigeron speciosus), pink pinwheels (Horkelia fusca), slender prairie star (Lithophragma tenella), Brown's penstemon (Paeonia brownii), lowly penstemon (Penstemon humilis) and many others (See list below.).

After visiting the Morning Hill Farm in the morning, we will drive to view the "500" lady slippers and see the "Burma Road" with great ridgetop views and flowers. This will be an auto tour with several stops with easy walks. The lady's-slippers are in T15S R30E S19 SW1/4. Drive up MNF road #21 about 3 miles from the Izee Road, past road #4955 .2 mile or so. Park at a large, obvious landing on the left just before the 21 road begins to climb. Walk up the narrow road in the draw on the left, and you will soon see the lady's-slippers on both sides. They only get more numerous as you approach the end of this short road and wander around the open basin. Our place is in T15S R30E S26 W1/2. From the lady's-slippers, if you have the time, drive road #4955 to its other end at Geary Creek Road (formerly road #49). This is a little rough, with a few potholes, but if our bug can handle it any other cars can. Just plan on 45 minutes driving time, and a stop at T15S R30E S8 SESE (a very wet spring, be sure to go up the road on its left and see what else is in it). Look where you cross Geary Crrek as well. This is mostly overlogged and overgrazed, but the views are nice. If you spend more time at the lady's slippers, just go back out to the Izee Road and drive 2 miles east (left), then turn in at Geary Creek Road and go 1 mile to our green gate on the right.

Flora of Morning Hill Forest Farm