[Wildflower Bloom Reports for the Columbia River Gorge: 2010] - [Wildflower Destinations in the Columbia River Gorge]
This trail climbs steadily up Swale Canyon along an old railroad bed which is now a road for local residents. It is perhaps best done as a group bike ride by leaving a car at the lower trailhead at Wahkiacus and departing from the upper trailhead at Harms Road. The old railroad bed is quite rough in places so having bikes with front shocks would be very helpful. Stay on the road! Some of the local residents are not friendly!
Wolf Lichen: Letharia vulpina
Scouring-rush Horsetail: Equisetum hyemale
Sword Fern: Polystichum munitum ?
Bracken Fern: Pteridium aquilinum ssp. pubescens
Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa
Douglas Fir: Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii
Big-leaf Maple: Acer macrophyllum
Alder: Alnus sp.
Creek Dogwood: Cornus sericea
Black Cottonwood: Populus trichocarpa
Oregon White Oak: Quercus garryana var. garryana
Willow: Salix sp. - Young twigs yellowish-orange
Elk Sedge: Carex geyeri ?
Common Rush: Juncus effusus (ssp. ?)
Cheatgrass: Bromus tectorum
Medusa Head: Taeniatherum caput-medusae
Cat-tail: Typha latifolia
Heart-leaf Buckwheat: Eriogonum compositum var. compositum
Willow-leaf Dock: Rumex salicifolius
Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum
Western Buttercup: Ranunculus occidentalis var. occidentalis
Shining Oregon Grape: Berberis aquifolium
Leiberg's Stonecrop: Sedum leibergii
Rough Wallflower: Erysimum capitatum
Praire Star: Lithophragma sp.
Peak Saxifrage: Micranthes fragosa
Mock Orange: Philadelphus lewisii
Serviceberry: Amelanchier alnifolia (var. ?)
Douglas' Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii
Oceanspray: Holodiscus discolor
Sulphur Cinquefoil: Potentilla recta
Rose: Rosa sp. (not R. gymnocarpa nor R. nutkana)
Evergreen Blackberry: Rubus laciniatus
Blackcap: Rubus leucodermis
Pacific Trailing Blackberry: Rubus ursinus
Douglas' Spiraea: Spiraea douglasii (var. ?)
Klamath Weed: Hypericum perforatum
Deerbrush: Ceanothus integerrimus
Mahala Mat: Ceanothus prostratus
Blazing Star: Mentzelia laevicaulis
Fireweed: Chamaenerion angustifolium
Wild Carrot: Daucus carota
Fernleaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium dissectum var. dissectum
Klickitat Desert Parsley: Lomatium klickitatense -
Biscuitroot: Lomatium macrocarpum
Pinedrops: Pterospora andromedea
Buckbean: Menyanthes trifoliata
Ball-head Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum capitatum var. thompsonii
Dalmatian Toadflax: Linaria dalmatica
Common Monkey Flower: Erythranthe guttata
Cutleaf Penstemon: Penstemon richardsonii v. richardsonii
Moth Mullein: Verbascum blattaria
Common Mullein: Verbascum thapsus
Bedstraw, Cleavers: Galium aparine
Elderberry: Sambucus sp.
Fuller's Teasel: Dipsacus sylvestris
Yarrow: Achillea millefolium
Carey's Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza careyana or Balsamorhiza careyana X deltoidea ? - A few with leaves beginning to emerge from the ground.
Knapweed: Centaurea sp.
* Gold Stars: Crocidium multicaule - Seen on open hillside on the east side of the creek.
Columbia River Goldenweed: Grindelia (columbiana?)
Hairy False Goldenaster: Heterotheca villosa?
Common Dandylion: Taraxacum officinale
Mule Deer (numerous tracks along the trail)
Coyote (spoor on trail)
California Ground Squirrels - very numerous
Western Gray Squirrel
Kingfisher
Black-capped Chickadees