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Use the links to previous bloom year data directly above to search for bloom reports at a particular location to better fit a recent flower visit. NOTE: As of March 1, 2017, flower bloom in the eastern Columbia River Gorge is about 2-3 weeks later than at this point in 2016, and about 4 weeks earlier than in 2015. The timing of the 2017 wildflower bloom is probably comparable to that of the 1980s and 1990s. Also of note, snow lingers low on the Oregon side of the Gorge on north-facing slopes, so it will still be a couple weeks before we get much bloom there.......
I am currently spending time hiking and making plant lists for those trails and cross country routes that aren't well represented in the Columbia River and Klickitat River Gorges this season, so if you don't see your favorite hike here, please check the lists from previous years above to see what you'd see along those hikes. Comprehensive plant lists for a number of hikes in the Columbia River Gorge (Look under the state and county they are found in.) can be found at http://science.halleyhosting.com/nature/bloomtime/lists/plantlists.html
June 17, 2017: East Simcoe Mountains Unit, Klickitat Wildlife Area
May 28, 2017: East Simcoe Mountains Unit, Klickitat Wildlife Area
May 17, 2017: Loop Trails for East Canyon Creek Access, Klickitat Wildlife Area
May 7, 2017: East Simcoe Mountains Unit, Klickitat Wildlife Area
April 21, 2017: Memaloose Loop Trail (from eastbound Interstate 84 rest area south to Castilleja Hill and east to near Dell Road and return to the rest area via routes to the east of Marsh Hill). If you don't know the eastern part of the loop, you will get lost!
April 19, 2017: Catherine Creek (from the parking area north past the arch, the arch trail up to the arch, and east to Minor Creek.
April 11, 2017: Simcoe Mountains Unit, Klickitat Wildlife Area
April 2, 2017: Klickitat Breaks Road to Bluffs Above Soda Springs, Klickitat Wildlife Area
March 31, 2017: Trails Along the East Bank of the Deschutes River, Including Ferry Springs, Deschutes River State Recreation Area
March 24, 2017: Columbia Hills Natural Area Preserve
March 23, 2017: Catherine Creek East to Minor Creek (between Highway 8 and the power lines)
March 19, 2017: Hard Stone Trail, Cottonwood Canyon State Park (a hike along the John Day River).
March 16, 2017: Cherry Orchard Trail from SR14
March 8 & 11, 2017: Columbia Hills State Park (from both the Crawford Oaks and Dalles Mountain Ranch Trailheads)
March 2, 2017: East Sevenmile Hill (USFS property)
February 25, 2017: Cherry Orchard Trailhead on SR14 - Numerous Columbia desert parsley (Lomatium columbianum) are beginning to bloom on the cut bank along SR14 just east of the trailhead parking area. They are still small and hard to see until you get your desert parsley eyes on. Take care along the highway shoulder as traffic is fast there, and beware of falling rocks!
February 25, 2017: Catherine Creek - This is a second hand report. Douglas' grasswidows (Olsynium douglasii var. douglasii) are beginning to bloom along the paved trails and also slightly uphill from the parking area. They are sporadicallly in bloom, so you have to hunt to find them. I'd also guess that there are also Gorman's salt and peppers (Lomatium gormanii) in bloom there.
February 25, 2017: Columbia Hills State Park - From the Crawford Oaks trailhead up to the creek crossing and atop the low balds west of Eightmile Creek. Note: High water makes crossing Eightmile Creek above the waterfalls difficult at this time. Gorman's salt and peppers (Lomatium gormanii) are blooming everywhere at low elevation in the park. Douglas' grasswidows (Olsynium douglasii var. douglasii) are beginning to bloom. Gold stars (Crocidium multicaule) are also beginning to bloom. A few brittle-leaved saxifrages (Micranthes fragosa) are beginning to bloom, as are a few pungent desert parsleys (Lomatium grayi). A number of obscure buttercups (Ranunculus triternatus) were also observed in bloom in Columbia Hills State Park.
February 18, 2017: Columbia Hills State Park - Explorations on the scablands at the northern base of Horsethief Butte. The following wildflower species were found in bloom, although only a few of each could be found. Numerous snow patches on the ground. Gorman's salt and peppers (Lomatium gormanii), Douglas' grasswidows (Olsynium douglasii var. douglasii) and a few smooth prairie stars (Lithophragma glabrum).
January 2, 2017-mid February, 2017: Up to a foot or more of snow lay on the ground during this entire time!......from Troutdale east to US 97.
January 1, 2017: Catherine Creek - A few Douglas' grasswidows (Olsynium douglasii var. douglasii) were observed in bloom amidst increasing snow showers.
December 31, 2016: Columbia Hills State Park - From the Crawford Oaks trailhead up to the top of the waterfall, then a loop on user trails east to above Devils Gap and then north along the bike trail to the old military road and return. The following species were observed in bloom: Gorman's salt and peppers (Lomatium gormanii), numerous; Douglas' grasswidows (Olsynium douglasii var. douglasii), several dozen; brittle-leaved saxifrages (Micranthes fragosa), probably less than a dozen; columbia gumweed (Grindelia nana var. discoidea), a handful of summer of 2016 blooming plants still haning on.