The road from Enterprise, OR to Buckhorn Springs CG and Overlook traverses the Joseph-Imnaha Plateau, which includes one of the largest remaining, good quality, native grasslands (Idaho fescue bunchgrass) in the Pacific Northwest. The grasslands are under both private and public ownership. As can be seen by the plant list below, there is a high degree of plant diversity within this area, which sees its share of cattle grazing.

It helps to have a Wallowa-Whitman NF map to find the Zumwalt-Buckhorn Rd after departing Enterprise. The first part of the road proceeds up a small canyon with intermittent stream. A number of plants, along with prairie song birds and raptors may be seen there. Eventually, the road works its way up to the plateau, and crosses a mixture of grasslands and ridgetop/palouse grasslands. Views are extensive, especially south towards the Wallowa Mts, and east, downslope towards the Imnaha River.

Eventually, the road enters the pine/fir forests at the north end of the plateau. This is where the national forest begins. The creeks and north facing slopes are forested, and the flatter and southern facing slopes tend to be more open. Explore both the grasslands and forests here to experience the contrasts in plant species that may be seen.

Buckhorn Springs Campground is a primitive campground with several picnic tables and a couple of pit toilet buildings. It makes a great place to make a base camp for exploration of the region. Vigne and Coyote campgrounds about 20 miles further west may also be used. Again, one may explore the creek here as well as the grasslands and scablands to notice the variety of plants and animals to be seen here. Buckhorn Viewpoint, with fantastic views into the north end of the Imnaha River canyon is an easy 15 minute walk via road or crosscountry ramble.

One may continue driving westward toward Coyote and Vigne campgrounds, and to the east side of Joseph Canyon. Or one can return via the Zumwalt-Buckhorn Rd to use the paved road to Imnaha. One may also take an old jeep road (the old Imnaha Rd) which leaves the main road eastward, passing through grazed areas (there are at least 2 gates which must be opened and closed), finally descending very steeply to the Imnaha River. It is a "short" cut from Buckhorn to Imnaha. This route passes entirely through private lands (the Howard Ranch), and they ask that people stay in their vehicles the whole way. The road is passable via passenger car, but care must be taken crossing the several small streams and dry water bars as you descend the steep parts, both so you don't bottom out, or take out the front of your car. Rockfall also may be a problem, so watch for larger rocks that may need to be removed from the road surace. I would probably only recommend this route when the weather has been dry for a week or so.

Cinquefoil: Pontentilla gracilis

Yarow: Achillea millefolium

Heart-leaf Buckwheat: Eriogonum compositum- both yellow and white flowered forms

Wyeth Buckwheat: Eriogonum heracloides var. heracloides

Velvet Lupine: Lupinus leucophyllus

Blanket Flower: Gaillardia aristata

Stinging Nettles: Urtica dioica

Sticky Geranium: Geranium viscossissimum

Twin Arnica: Arnica sororia

Meadow Death-camas: Zigadenus venenosus

Woolly Groundsel: Senecio canus

Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus

Tumblemustard: Sisymbrium species

White Campion: Lychnis alba

Oyster Plant: Tragopogon dubius

Strict Buckwheat: Eriogonum strictum ssp. strictum

Woolly Sunflower: Eriophyllum lanatum

Mountain Sandwort: Arenaria capillaris var. americana

Giant Frasera: Frasera speciosa

Blepharipappus: Blepharipappus scaber

Dwarf Purple Monkey Flower: Mimulus nanus

Hawksbeard: Crepis species

Shaggy Fleabane: Erigeron pumilus

Elkhorns Clarkia: Clarkia pulchella

Common St. John's-wort: Hypericum perforatum

Lovely (Blue Mountain) Penstemon: Penstemon venustus

Douglas' Buckwheat: Eriogonum douglasii?

White-stemmed Mentzelia: Mentzelia albicaulis ?

Weak-stemmed Cryptantha: Cryptantha flaccida

Hot Rock Penstemon: Penstemon deustus

Big-pod Mariposa: Calochortus eurycarpus

Skyrocket: Gilia aggregata var. aggregata- red

Skyrocket: Gilia aggregata var. attenuata ?- White with some red speckling

Small-flowered Penstemon: Penstemon procerus var. brachyanthus

Blue Flax: Linum perenne

American Bistort: Polygonum bistortoides

Common Camas: Camassia quamash var. breviflora

Mallow Ninebark: Physocarpus malvaceus

Common Hound's Tongue: Cynoglossum officinale

Nootka Rose: Rosa nutkana

Birdsfoot-trefoil: Lotus corniculatus

Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum

Taper-tip Onion: Allium acuminatum

Scouler's Popcorn Flower: Plagiobothrys scouleri

Phlox: Phlox species

Sticky Cinquefoil: Potentilla glandulosa var.

Northern Wyethia: Wyethia amplexicaulis

Self Heal: Prunella vulgaris

Rosy Pussy-toes: Antennaria rosea

Old Man's Whiskers: Geum triflorum

Douglas' Brodiaea: Brodiaea douglasii

Bolander's Yampah: Perideridia bolanderi ?

Blue Mt. Penstemon: Penstemon pennellianus

Rydberg's Penstgemon: Penstemon rydbergii var.

Onion: Allium species

Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida

Narrow-leaved Skullcap: Scutellaria angustifolia

Bighead Clover: Trifolium macrocephalum

Cross-shaped Mitrewort: Mitella stauropetala

Raceme Pussy-toes: Antennaria racemosa

Narrow-leaf Collomia: Collomia linearis

Wormleaf Stonecrop: Sedum stenopetalum

Rocky Mt. Helianthella: Helianthella uniflora var. douglasii

Woods Strawberry: Fragaria vesca

Small-flowered Prairie Star: Lithophragma parviflora

Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia parviflora

Small-flowered Buttercup: Ranunculus uncinatus

Mountain Arnica: Arnica latifolia

Large-leaved Avens: Geum macrophyllum var. perincisum

Star-flowered False Solomon's Seal: Smilacina stellata

Clasping-leaved Twisted-stalk: Streptopus amplexifolius

Foamflower: Tiarella trifoliata var. unifoliata

Mountain Sweet-cicely: Osmoriza chilensis

Western Sweet-cicely: Osmorhiza occidentalis

Sitka Valerian: Valeriana sitchensis

Blue Elderberry: Sambucus cerulea

Slender-fruit Desert Parsley: Lomatium leptocarpum

False-bugbane: Trautvettaria caroliniensis - nearing bloom

Frasera: Frasera albicaulis

Glandular Penstemon: Penstemon glandulosus var. glandulosus

Mock Orange: Philadelphus lewisii

Ocean Spray: Holodiscus discolor

Kestrel

Red-tailed Hawk

Harrier

Vesper Sparrow

Killdeer

Black-billed Magpie

American Robins

Mountain Bluebirds

Starlings

Western Meadowlark

Lewis' Woodpecker