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Kamiak Butte is a high, east-west trending ridge that stands above the loess-soiled farmland of eastern Washington and western Idaho. It is located east of Colfax, Washington and slightly southwest of Palouse, Washington. Its rocky high point is3641 feet which is about 1000 feet higher than the surrounding farmlands. It is an old mountain consisting of quartzite which was largely covered by Columbia basalts. During the Ice Age, fine soils were deposited at the fronts of the glaciers or deposited downstream along the Columbia and Snake Rivers. These fine soils or loess were lifted by the frequent winds and deposited over much of eastern Oregon and Washington and western Idaho. The depositions of loess are as much as 200 feet thick in eastern Washington, an area known as the Palouse.
The County Park allows camping, hiking and picnicking. There is no charge for day use, although a donation is requested. The gate closes at dusk so campers are restricted to the park overnight. There is a 3.5 mile loop trail which starts at the day use area on the forested north side of the park, with the eastern loop following an old access road while the well-maintained western loop climbs more steadily to the ridge top. The summit is more open with a mix of open forest and rocky meadows. The trail roughly follows the summit ridgeline and offers access to most of the wildflowers one will see. At the west end, there is a mix of private and county property so follow the directions of the numerous signs to limit wanderings onto private property. Elevation gain is about 900 feet. Allow 3-4 hours for a leisurely walk along this moderate hike.
Weather: Temps 70s. Mostly sunny with a light wind.
Complete plant list for Kamiack Butte. - To be placed online by mid-summer.
Coniferous and Deciduous Trees:
Grand Fir: Abies grandis
Western Larch: Larix occidentalis
Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa ssp. scopulorum
Douglas Fir: Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca
Douglas' Maple: Acer glabrum var. douglasii - Fruits forming.
* Redstem Ceanothus: Ceanothus sanguineus
Lewis' Mock Orange: Philadelphus lewisii
Quaking Aspen: Populus tremuloides
Black Cottonwood: Populus trichocarpa
* Scouler's Willow: Salix scouleriana ?
Lichens:
Wolfsbane Lichen: Letharia vulpina
Blistered Rock Tripe: Umbilicaria hyperborea ?
Navel Lichen: Umbilicaria phaea
Beard Lichen: Usnea sp.
Brown-eyed Sunshine Lichen: Vulpicida canadensis
Mosses:
Homalothecium Moss: Homalothecium sp.
Electrified Cat's Tail Moss: Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus
Ferns:
Lacelip Fern: Cheilanthes gracillima
Fragile Fern: Cystopteris fragilis
Polypody Fern: Polypodium hesperium
Western Sword Fern: Polystichum munitum ?
Bracken Fern: Pteridium aquilinum ssp. pubescens
Oregon Cliff Fern: Woodsia oregana ssp. oregana
Sedges and Grasses:
Elk Sedge: Carex geyeri
* Rattlesnake Brome: Bromus briziformis
* Meadow Brome: Bromus commutatus ?
* Soft Brome: Bromus hordeaceus
* Cheatgrass: Bromus tectorum
* Orchard Grass: Dactylis glomerata
* Idaho Fescue: Festuca idahoensis var. idahoensis
Bulbous Bluegrass: Poa bulbosa
Nevada Bluegrass: Poa secunda ssp. juncifolia
* Bluebunch Wheatgrass: Pseudoroegnaria spicata
Wildflowers:
* Tapertip Onion: Allium accuminatum
Sagebrush Mariposa: Calochortus macrocarpus ssp. macrocarpus
Glacier Lily: Erythronium grandiflorum var. grandiflorum
Yellow Bells: Fritillaria pudica - Pods well-formed.
False Solomon's Seal: Maianthemum racemosum var. amplexicaule - Fading out of bloom.
Star-flowered False Solomon's Seal: Maianthemum stellatum - Fruits forming.
Sierra Fairybells: Prosartes trachycarpum
* Panicled Death Camas: Toxicoscordion paniculatum ? - Fading out of bloom.
* Bluedicks: Triteleia grandiflora ssp. grandiflora - Fading out of bloom.
California False Hellebore: Veratrum californicum
Grass Widows: Olsynium douglasii var. inflatum
Elegant Rein Orchid: Piperia (elegans or unalascensis ?)
* Parsnip-flowered Buckwheat: Eriogonum heracleoides (var. heracleoides ?)
* Sheep Sorrel: Rumex acetosella
* Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia perfoliata ssp. intermontana
* Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata
Ballhead Sandwort: Eremogone congesta var. cephaloidea
Bigleaf Sandwort: Moehringia macrophylla - Past bloom.
* Douglas' Catchfly: Silene douglasii var. douglasii
* Common Chickweed: Stellaria media
Piper's Anemone: Anemone piperi
* Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum var. nuttallianum - Fading out of bloom.
* Little Buttercup: Ranunculus uncinatus
Western Meadowrue: Thalictrum occidentale - Fruits forming.
Creeping Oregon Grape: Berberis repens
* Wormleaf Stonecrop: Sedum stenopetalum
American Wintercress: Barbarea orthoceras
* Lava Alumroot: Heuchera cylindrica var. glabella
Cusick's Serviceberry: Amelanchier alnifolia var. cusickii
Douglas' Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii
* Broadpetal Strawberry: Fragaria virginiana ssp. platypetala
* Large-leaf Avens: Geum macrophyllum var. macrophyllum
* Large-leaved Avens: Geum macrophyllum var. perincisum
* Old Man's Whiskers: Geum triflorum var. ciliatum
Creambush Oceanspray: Holodiscus discolor - In bud.
* Mallow Ninebark: Physocarpus malvaceus
* Tall Cinquefoil: Potentilla arguta var. convallaria
* Graceful Cinquefoil: Potentilla gracilis var. flabelliformis
Bitter Cherry: Prunus emarginata var. emarginata - Fruits forming
Chokecherry: Prunus virginiana var. melanocarpa - Fruits forming.
* Little Wild Rose: Rosa gymnocarpa
* Nootka Rose: Rosa nutkana var. hispida
* Pearhip Rose: Rosa woodsii var. ultramontana
* Thimbleberry: Rubus parviflorus
* Birchleaf Spiraea: Spiraea betulifolia var. lucida - Beginning to bloom.
* Silky Lupine: Lupinus sericeus var. sericeus
Canada Milkvetch: Astragalus canadensis var. mortonii
White Clover: Trifolium repens ?
Purple Clover: Trifolium pratense
* Hairy Vetch: Vicia villosa
* Sticky Geranium: Geranium viscosissimum var. viscosissimum
* Spreading Dogbane: Apocynum androsaemifolium (var. ?)
Klamathweed: Hypericum perforatum
Fireweed: Chamerion angustifolium
* Enchanter's Nightshade: Circaea alpina
* Elkhorns Clarkia: Clarkia pulchella
Tall Annual Willowherb: Epilobium brachycarpum
* Cow Parsnip: Heracleum lanatum
Fernleaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium dissectum var. multifidum
Pungent Desert Parsley: Lomatium grayi
Large-fruited Desert Parsley: Lomatium macrocarpum - Cream-flowered variety.
* Nineleaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium simplex
* Common Sweet-cicely: Osmorhiza berteroi - Fading out of bloom.
Kinnikinnick: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
* Clustered Frasera: Frasera fastigiata
Cusick's Shooting Star: Dodecatheon cusickii - Fruits forming.
* Skyrocket: Ipomopsis aggregata
Large-flowered Collomia: Collomia grandiflora
* Linearleaf Collomia: Collomia linearis
Ballhead Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum capitatum var. capitatum
* Common Hound's Tongue: Cynoglossum officinale
* Puccoon: Lithospermum ruderale
* Harsh Paintbrush: Castilleja hispida var. acuta
* Stiff Yellow Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja lutescens ?
* Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia parviflora - Fading out of bloom.
Foxglove: Digitalis purpurea
* Sulphur Penstemon: Penstemon attenuatus var. attenuatus - Yellow form.
Mountain Kittentails: Synthyris missurica ssp. major - Fruits forming.
* Cleavers: Galium aparine
Fragrant Bedstraw: Galium triflorum
Common Plantain: Plantago major
Blue Elderberry: Sambucus cerulea
* Common Snowberry: Symphoricarpos albus (var. laevigatus ?)
* Yarrow: Achillea millefolium
Pathfinder: Adenocaulon bicolor - In bud.
* Annual Agoseris: Agoseris heterophylla var. heterophylla
* Field Pussytoes: Antennaria howellii ssp. howellii
* Field Pussytoes: Antennaria howellii (ssp. neodioica ?)
* Woodrush Pussytoes: Antennaria luzuloides.
* Raceme Pussytoes: Antennaria racemosa
Burdock: Arctium minus
* Heart-leaf Arnica: Arnica cordifolia - Fading out of bloom.
* Arrowleaf Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza sagittata - Fading out of bloom.
Bull Thistle: Cirsium vulgare
* Slender Hawksbeard: Crepis atrabarba
Showy Aster: Eurybia conspicuua ?
* Rocky Mountain Sunflower: Helianthella uniflora var. douglasii
* Least Tarweed: Hemizonella minima
White-flowered Hawkweed: Hieracium albiflorum - In bud.
Western Hawkweed: Hieracium scouleri var. albertinum - In bud.
* Small Tarweed: Madia exigua
* Nodding Microseris: Microseris nutans
Large-flowered Goldenweed: Pyrrocoma carthamoides var. carthamoides - In bud.
* Western Groundsel: Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus - Fading out of bloom.
Butterweed Groundsel: Senecio serra var. serra
* Common Dandelion: Taraxacum officinale
Salsify: Tragopogon dubius - Past bloom.
* Northern Mule's Ears: Wyethia amplexicaulis
Least Chipmunk
Red-tailed Hawk
Black-billed Magpies
Common Nighthawks
California Quail ?
Mourning Doves
Western Meadowlark
Brewers Blackbird
Spotted Towhees
Black-headed Grosbeaks
Cedar Waxwings
American Robins
Mountain Bluebirds
Swainson's Thrush ? - heard
Olive-sided Flycatchers
Western Wood Peewees
Dark-eyed Juncos
Pine Siskins
Red-breasted Nuthatches
Yellow Warbler
House Wrens
Rock Wren
Winter Wren ?
Anise Swallowtails
Pale Swallowtails
Western Swallowtails
Lorquin's Admiral
Ochre Ringlets
Anglewing
Boisduval's Blues