Friday Flower Walk Schedule for August 2023

Last Revision 3/13/23

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Leave from the Rite Aid parking lot on Ashland Street promptly at 9:00 AM unless otherwise indicated. Bring water, lunch, hat and sun-screen. TH = trailhead; EDT = estimated drive time; RT = round trip mileage; PCT = Pacific Crest Trail; DIM = Dead Indian Memorial Highway. 100 Hikes is 100 Hikes in Southern Oregon, 3rd edition Coordinator: Liz Landreth 707-332-2699. Website: https://ashlandhiking.org

The wildflower walks focus on botany, geology and ecology. On these walks there is plenty of time for stopping and discussion as well as for taking photographs and birding so birders are encourage to bring their binocs. There are no specific walk distance or time targets because the walk lengths depend on the number of species encountered. We get our exercise running off into the underbrush.

August 4: Mt. Ashland Flower Bowl
TH: Take Mt. Ashland exit 6 off I-5; turn right on Mount Ashland Ski Road and continue past the Ski Area to where the pavement ends at the back parking lot. Take dirt FS-20 for about 1,000' to the first left and head downhill about ¼ mile to the PCT crossing which will be the TH. EDT: 35 minutes. Description: The trail takes us up across the bowl meadows and springs directly below Mt. Ashland.  With so many flowers to see, we never seem to make the 2-/12 miles to the turn to Grouse Gap. Weather forecast. RT mileage: 50 miles.

August 18: Crater Lake
Hundreds of flowers, two waterfalls, a wildflower garden, a floral wall and dozens of sooty spires -- it's quite a full day out.  Well worth the longer drive to play tourist for a day.  After the 1-1/2 mile "Wildflower Garden" loop, we head along East Rim Drive, with its narrow lanes, terrific views and dizzying dropoffs, to Vidae Falls then Plaikni Falls off the Pinnacles Road before capping the day off at the Pinnacles.
TH: Take Highway 62 to Highway 140 to Crater Lake National Park entrance.  EDT: 2 hours. Weather forecast. RT mileage: 190 miles.