[Wildflower Bloom in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington: 2025]

Wildflowers of Cottonwood Canyon State Park and Adjacent BLM Lands

Hardstone Trail

West Bank of the John Day River

Sherman County, Oregon

February 21, 2025

View upstream along the John Day River from the Hardstone Trail, Cottonwood Canyon State Park......February 21, 2025.

View upstream along the John Day River from the Hardstone Trail, Cottonwood Canyon State Park......February 21, 2025.

Additional Information for those planning to hike Cottonwood Canyon State Park:

Cottonwood Canyon Info: includes map showing BLM vs. Oregon State Park land. Even better maps are available from the BLM. http://oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=main.loadFile&load=_siteFiles/publications/Cottonwood101301.pdf

Cottonwood Planned Trail Development: (scroll down for planned trails) http://www.oregon.gov/oprd/PLANS/docs/masterplans/cottonwood/cottonwood-plan-maps-ch10.pdf


* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

Western Juniper: Juniperus occidentalis

White Alder: Alnus rhombifolia

Western Hackberry: Celtis reticulata

Creek Dogwood: Cornus sericea

Coyote Willow: Salix exigua var. exigua

Scouring Rush: Equisteum hyemale

Ripgut Brome: Bromus diandrus

Cheat Grass: Bromus tectorum

Bottlebrush Squirreltail: Elymus elymoides (var. ?)

Basin Wildrye: Leymus cinereus

Reed Canarygrass: Phalaris arundinacea

Bulbous Bluegrass: Poa bulbosa

Bluebunch Wheatgrass: Pseudoroegneria spicata

Western Clematis: Clematis ligusticifolia

Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum - Leaves

Tall Tumblemustard: Sisymbrium altissimum

Leiberg's Stonecrop: Sedum leibergii

Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera cylindrica var. alpina

Smooth Prairie Star: Lithophragma glabrum - Non bulblet form. In bud.

Golden Currant: Ribes aureum

Mock Orange: Philadelphus lewisii

Woolly-pod Milkvetch: Astragalus purshii (var. glareosus ?)

Filaree: Erodium cicutarium

Western Sumac: Rhus glabra

Poison Ivy: Toxicodendron rydbergii

* Salt and Pepper: Lomatium gormanii

* Butterfly-loving Desert Parsley: Lomatium papilioniferum - Beginning to bloom.

* Long-leaf Phlox: Phlox longifolia

Fiddleneck: Amsinckia sp. - Basal leaves.

Cutleaf Penstemon: Penstemon richardsonii var. dentatus

Big Sagebrush: Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata

Showy Rubber Rabbitbrush: Ericameria nauseosa (var. speciosa ?)

Cushion Fleabane: Erigeron poliospermus

Matchbrush: Gutierrezia sarothrae

Scotch Thistle: Onopordum acanthium


Animals Observed During This Hike:

Bighorn Sheep - About 30.

Mule Deer - Tracks and scat.

Canada Geese - Active along the banks of the John Day River.

Common Mergansers

Mallards

Pheasants

Ravens

Bewick's Wren

Rock Wrens - Calling on the cliffs.


Paul Slichter