The Larch Mt. Highway is a good spot for late spring botanizing. In driving the highway in late May to early June, one can notice the transition from early summer flowers near Crown Point to early spring wildflowers near Larch Mt's summit. Be fore-warned that the shoulders of the road are narrow and often soft along the highway, so if you spy something you want to take a closer look at, then find a safe place to pull off to park. Autos travel at high speed along the highway and stopping on the road surface can be hazardous!
The Larch Mt. Highway may be accessed from the Gorge Scenic Highway approximately 0.8 miles southwest of Crown Point at about milepost 10.6. The paved road at first winds and climbs through rural residential neighborhoods but eventually passes through fairly dense coniferous forests. A number of interesting wildflowers may be found in the forest openings along the road or along gated side roads off the main road. Note that several of the side roads are used for target practive, use caution on them!
The final several miles climb fairly steeply to a large parking area and picnic grounds. A trail at the northeast corner of the parking lot travels to a fenced view at Sherrard Point, the high point of the mountain (4075 feet). Views of the western Gorge, southern Washington Cascades, and Mt. Hood can be breathtaking. Interesting wildflowers near the top include Columbia wind flower, red columbine, tufted saxifrage, rock penstemon, and several of the violets.