Wildflower Hiking the Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail, Friends of the Columbia Gorge and Washington Department of Natural Resources Properties

A panoramic early springtime view from the western, Lyle Trail portion of the Lyle Cherry Trail system. Sevenmile Hill is at left while Coyote Wall, the Labyrinth and Catherine Creek are in the distance at the right side of the page.....March 17, 2023.

Trails map for the Lyle Cherry Orchard trail system.

The Lyle Cherry Orchard trail system is a popular hiking destination in the eastern Columbia River Gorge. From mid-February until early June, it is also a very nice wildflower hiking destination. In fact in early to mid-February, it is the best place to see the first wildflowers while hiking the switchbacks up the first mile of trail. The hike is moderately strenuous with about 1340 feet of elevation gain and up to 6.5 miles of trail (if one hikes both the loop that overlooks Lyle, WA as well as the out and back trail to the cherry orchard. There are several sections of trail with some exposure due to steep side slopes, so if you have a fear of heights, this might not be the best trail for you.

Both the Cherry Orchard Trail which heads east along the top of the ridge as well as the Lyle Trail which overlooks Lyle, WA can be difficult to hike late in the winter and early spring, or after prolonged rain events because the soil becomes very greasy-muddy. The mud builds up in the tread of ones boots and thus walking can become very difficult under those conditions. I've also seen seasoned hikers slip and fall hiking downhills on the wet, muddy trails here early in season. Hiking poles are a plus for use during such trail conditions, or just wait a few days for the trails to dry out.

From the trailhead, the Discovery Trail switchbacks up through oak forest with ball-head waterleaf (Hydrophyllum capitatum var. thompsonii), great hound's tongue (Adelinia grandis), western groundsel (Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus), ookow (Dichelostemma congesta), bicolored cluster lilies (Triteleia grandiflora var. howellii) and Columbia Gorge lupine (Lupinus latifolius var. latifolius) to be found along the trail. Upon reaching an old road (the historic "convict road", turn left and hike about 80 yards to a trail heading up the hill through the forest. This is the official beginning of the Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail system on Friends of the Columbia Gorge property. Within about 100 yards, the trail switchbacks up through a broad basalt boulder field with Columbia desert parsley (Lomatium columbianum) and numerous small spring annual wildflowers. The trail continues west uphill and comes up to a broad grassy slope full of panicled deathcamas (Toxicoscordion paniculatum). Currently, the Friends of the Columbia Gorge have been holding volunteer work parties to pull weeds and plant and water native species in this large sloping meadow.

About 100 yards into this meadow, the trail sharply switchbacks again to the right and climbs again into open oak forest before switchbacking again to the left and climbing up to another grassy meadow. At this point, there is a junction (signed on a sturdy metal post). Continuing straight would take one on the Lyle Loop section of the Discovery Traill which stays fairly level around the bluff directly to the east and above the town of Lyle, WA. This is a steep cross slope with few shrubs or trees, giving a very nice view down the Columbia River over to McCall Point, Rowena, Catherine Creek and Coyote Wall-the Labyrinth. The recently finished trail is still fairly narrow in spots. It is recommended however, that hikers stay right at this trail junction and instead continue switchbacking up the south-facing slope.

The right fork climbs steeply up a rocky slope with one spot where hikers need to walk on rock bedrock with rolling gravel on the trail before the trail switchbacks left and regains soil on the trail. The trail then heads east along the ridge top with frequent views across the Columbia River to Sevenmile Hill or downriver towards McCall Point and the Rowena plateau. The trail affords views of many desert shooting stars (Dodecatheon conjugens), poet's shooting stars (Dodecatheon poeticum), glacier lilies (Erythronium grandiflorum) and grasswidows (Olsynium douglasii) in late winter/early spring. Note that the glacier lilies under the oaks are protected by a dense groundcover of poison oak!

About half way along the ridge top to the Cherry Orchard, there is a second trail junction with metal post indicating this is the Discovery Trail (Lyle loop on maps) to the left while continuing straight takes one to the Cherry Orchard via the Cherry Orchard Trail.

Continuing east on the Cherry Orchard Trail, one reaches a loop trail which leads around a large agricultural field, the site of an old homestead which had a small grove of cherry trees on its eastern periphery. There are several good spots to stop and eat a snack or eat lunch along the loop. Several old cherry trees have survived so please don't climb on them. There is one viewpoint that is often closed in spring due to a nesting pair of peregrine falcons on the rocky bluff below. Watch for any closure signs and respect the closure to protect these rare birds!

Note: Please do not be tempted to head cross country or along the power line road east of the Lyle Cherry Orchard area heading to Stacker Butte. That is private property and the owner or his hired hands regularly patrol the area. They are unfriendly and there have been ugly confrontations between trespassers and the owner/hired hands.

Back to the Lyle loop portion of the Discovery Trail. The trail wanders north and northwest through open oak forest with half a dozen large meadows with fine views for picnicing. After reaching a high point at about the mile mark, the trail descends a north-facing slope through oak forest with oak toothwort (Cardamine nuttallii) and western springbeauties (Claytonia lanceolata) and western groundsel (Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus) adding color to the forest floor. The trail then begins descending towards the west and finally switchbacking steeply, again through dark oak forest, again with nice flowers. Note that in this section that the trail stays muddy later into spring, sometimes making for treacherous footing. It's best to not hike this until 3-5 dry days after spring rains as the mud is thick and clogs up the tread on boots.

Once above the high school baseball field, the narrow trail stays most level across the steep side slope back to the trail junction where one then stays right down to the trailhead.

Eastbound: From the north end of the Hood River Bridge ($2 bridge toll), turn right onto Washington Highway SR 14 and drive east about 11 miles to Lyle, WA. Upon passing through Lyle, the highway passes through 2 tunnels (Watch for rocks on the highway around the tunnel openings after heavy rain or a thaw after freezing weather!). Immediately beyond the second tunnel (about one mile east of Lyle), pull over to the left into a broad gravel parking area which is unsigned from the highway. This is the trailhead for the Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail.

Westbound: From the junction of the US 197 and Washington SR 14 highways north of The Dalles, turn left onto SR 14 and head west about 7 miles. Before the first of two highway tunnels, turn right into a broad, gravel parking area which is unsigned from the highway. This is the trailhead for the Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail.

No parking passes are required at this trailhead. The trailhead has no water, no picnic tables and no bathroom facillities.

The photo at left shows a view northeast towards the ridge top along which the Cherry Orchard Trail traverses....April 28, 2011. The photo at center shows the historic Convict Road viewing up to the ridge top along which the Cherry Orchard Trail traverses....April 28, 2011. The photo at right shows a view west down the Columbia River across the benches from high along the Cherry Orchard Trail.....March 7, 2011.

The photo at left shows a view east upriver towards The Dallesport, WA from the actual cherry orchard at the end of the Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail....April 28, 2011.The image at right shows the Friends of the Columbia Gorge sign at the official beginning of the Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail 200 yards up the trail from the parking area.....March 11, 2022.

The image at left shows a view downriver over the town of Lyle, WA from the Lyle Trail portion of the Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail system.....March 11, 2022. The photo at right shows the Lyle Trail above Lyle, WA, part of the Lyle Cherry Orchard system...March 11, 2022. The side slope for this narrow trail is pretty steep as seen in the image.

These 3 images show the beautiful fall color one can see along the trails that make up the Lyle Cherry Trail system.....November 3, 2019. The historic Convict Road can be seen in the image at center.

The photo at left shows masses of gold stars (Crocidium multicaule) blooming above the Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail.....March 16, 2017. The photo at center shows evidence of how muddy and rutted the Lyle Cherry Orchard Trails can become with numerous people hiking the trails while they are wet.....March 17, 2023. The photo at right shows a view up the Columbia River from the lower bench along the Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail....March 17, 2023.

Wildflower Hiking the Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail System

Friends of the Columbia Gorge and Washington Department of Natural Resources Properties

Klickitat County, WA