Directions to the Viewpoint:
From Lakeview, OR, drive east on Oregon Highway 140 headed towards Adel, OR. Pass the Warner Ski Area and cross over the crest of Warner Pass. Continue downhill for several miles and at the first 4-way paved road junction, turn left onto paved FS Road 3615. Drive uphill north into the forest, past the Walker Trailhead, past Bull Prairie and Mud Creek Forest Camp (potable water). Continue north, passing the trailhead for Crooked Creek. Turn right (north) onto gravel FS Rd 3720 and descend gradually through forest to the trailhead (unsigned) which is 1-1.5 miles east of Can Forest Camp. You'll note red, white and blue National Recreation Trail markers on the trees where the trail crosses the road. Turn left onto a spur road for about 200 yards to large turn around, large enough for horse trailers. There is no water or vault toilet at the trailhead.
The portion of the Fremont National Recreation Trail that descends north towards Honey Creek before climbing to Vee Lake leaves from the NW corner of the turnaround.
For the south bound portion of the trail follow the spur road south and cross FS Rd 3720. The faint trail descends through riparian meadows and aspens (follow ribbons hung in 2018) before veering left and following the east side of Swale Creek for about one quarter mile. Easily cross the creek (flows year round...filter it) and the trail begins climbing the northeastern slopes of Crook Peak, passing through several old clearcuts and areas thinned several years ago. The trail generally is fairly easy to follow, but gets light use so watch for the National Recreation Trail markers or ribbons on trees, or the slight depression of the trail itself.
The trail climbs at a fairly comfortable grade and switchbacks up the northeast slopes of Crook Peak before climbing the eastern slopes which afford nice views east over the Warner Valley towards Hart Mt. At the SE corner of Crook Peak, there's a snow patch that lingers into early to mid-July and can be dangerous to cross due to steepness. We carefully hiked down around it. The trail descends the south slopes of Crook Peak (the only area we passed with weedy grasses) to a forested pass between Crook and McDowell Peaks. We then switchbacked up the NW corner of McDowell Pk, left the forest, and climbed through open meadows of flowers to the SW where we turned around. McDowell is proably the easier of the peaks along this route to climb.
Generally, the route is fairly easy to follow, but especially inexperienced hikers will want to pay attention in places the trail is hard to distinguish from the surrounding terrain or where it passes across roads or thinned forest areas. We always carry a GPS so we can retrace our steps if we lose the trail. Note: The map on our GPS showed the old route around the west side of Crook Peak, which has not been in use for many years.
Weather: Temperatures in the mid 60s with light winds in the morning gaining to very gusty winds in the afternoon and mostly clear skies, low 80s.
* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.
Brown-eyed Wolf Lichen: Letharia columbiana
California White Fir: Abies concolor x Abies grandis
Western Juniper: Juniperus occidentalis
Western White Pine: Pinus monticola
Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa
Quaking Aspen: Populus tremuloides
* Quackgrass: Agropyron repens
* Lemmon's Needlegrass: Eriocoma lemmonii var. lemmonii
* Smooth Brome: Bromus inermis
* Mountain Brome: Bromus sitchensis var. marginatus
* Cheatgrass: Bromus tectorum
* Bottlebrush Squirreltail: Elymus elymoides
Blue Wildrye: Elymus glaucus ssp. glaucus
* Idaho Fescue: Festuca idahoensis
* Bulbous Bluegrass: Poa bulbosa
Nevada Bluegrass: Poa secunda var. juncifolia
Sandberg's Bluegrass: Poa secunda var. secunda
Duckweed: Lemna sp.
* Tapertip Onion: Allium accuminatum - Beginning to bloom at Swale Trailhead.
* Sierra Onion: Allium campanulatum
Sagebrush Mariposa: Calochortus macrocarpus ssp. macrocarpus
Mission Bells: Fritillaria atropurpurea - Fruits forming.
False Solomon Seal: Maianthemum racemosum ssp. amplexicaule
Panicled Deathcamas: Toxicoscordion paniculatum - Fruits forming.
California False Hellebore: Veratrum californicum (var. californicum ?)
* Mat Buckwheat: Eriogonum cespitosum - Fading out of bloom.
* Tall Buckwheat: Eriogonum elatum
* Parsnipflower Buckwheat: Eriogonum heracleoides
* Goose Lake Wild Buckwheat: Eriogonum strictum var. anserinum
* Warner Mountains Sulphur Flower Buckwheat: Eriogonum umbellatum var. glaberrimum - Creamy-white flowers.
* Modoc Sulfur Flower Buckwheat: Eriogonum umbellatum var. modocense
* Douglas' Knotweed: Polygonum douglasii
* Prickly Sandwort: Eremogone aculeata
* Slender Mountain Sandwort: Eremogone capillaris var. americana
* Sticky Starwort: Pseudostellaria jamesiana
* Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum
Little Buttercup: Ranunculus uncinatus
Creeping Oregon Grape: Berberis repens
Brown's Peony: Paeonia brownii
* Spearleaf Stonecrop: Sedum lanceolatum var. lanceolatum
Desert Alyssum: Alyssum desertorum - Fruits forming.
Hairystem Rockcress: Boechera pauciflora ?
* Secund Rockcress: Boechera retrofracta
Sicklepod Rockcress: Boechera sparsiflora
Daggerpods: Phoenicaulis cheiranthoides - Fruits forming.
Wax Currant: Ribes cereum var. cereum
Mountain Currant: Ribes montigenum
Sticky Gooseberry: Ribes viscosissimum
Mountain Mahogany: Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus - Past bloom.
* Nevada Cinquefoil: Drymocallis lactea var. lactea
Prairie Smoke: Geum triflorum var. ciliatum - Plumed fruits forming.
* Slender Cinquefoil: Potentilla gracilis var. fastigiata - Swale Creek
Bittercherry: Prunus emarginatus var. emarginatus
Antelope Bitterbrush: Purshia tridentata
* Threadstalk Milkvetch: Astragalus filipes
Woollypod Milkvetch: Astragalus purshii var. purshii - Fruits forming.
* Lanszwert's Pea: Lathyrus lanszwertii var. lanszwertii
* Kellogg's Spurred Lupine: Lupinus argenteus var. heteranthus
* Goosefoot Violet: Viola purpurea ssp. venosa
* Snowbrush: Ceanothus velutinus var. velutinus - Fading out of bloom.
* Oregon Checkermallow: Sidalcea oregana
* Sticky Geranium: Geranium viscosissimum var. incisum
Fireweed: Chamaenerion angustifolium
* Diamond Clarkia: Clarkia rhomboidea
Tall Annual Eveningprimrose: Epilobium brachycarpum
* Spreading Groundsmoke: Gayophytum diffusum
* Nineleaf Biscuitroot: Lomatium brevifolium-triternatum
Barestem Desert Parsley: Lomatium nudicaule
Common Sweet Cicely: Osmorhiza berteroi
* Western Sweet Cicely: Osmorhiza occidentalis
* Large-flowered Collomia: Collomia grandiflora
* Narrowleaved Collomia: Collomia linearis
* Yellow-staining Collomia: Collomia tinctoria - In bloom at the Swale Trailhead.
* Scarlet Gilia: Ipomopsis aggregata ssp. aggregata -
Ballhead Gilia: Ipomopsis congesta var. palmifrons - Past bloom.
* Harkness' Flaxflower: Leptosiphon harknessii
* Granite Phlox: Linanthus pungens
* Mountain Navarretia: Navarretia divaricata
* Spreading Phlox: Phlox diffusa- Fading out of bloom except at swales where snow stayed late into eary summer. ?????????
* Moss Phlox: Phlox muscoides - Fading out of bloom.
Austin's Small-flowered Nemophila: Nemophila parviflora var. austiniae
* Purple Phacelia: Phacelia hastata var. alpina
* Cryptanth: Cryptantha affinis or C. torreyana - Small flowers. Smooth, ovate nutlets.
* Blue Stickseed: Hackelia micrantha
Puccoon: Lithospermum ruderale - Past bloom.
Toiyabe Bluebells: Mertensia cuscickii
Leafy Bluebells: Mertensia oblongifolia
* Nettleleaf Horsemint: Agastache uricifolia var. urticifolia
Western Mountain Balm: Monardella odoratissima
* Wavy-leaf Paintbrush: Castilleja applegatei var. pinetorum
* Narrow-leaved Paintbrush: Castilleja linariifolia
* Hairy Paintbrush: Castilleja pilosa var. pilosa
Yakima Birdbeak: Cordylanthus capitatus ? - In bud.
* Common Monkeyflower: Erythranthe guttata
* Copeland's Owlclover: Orthocarpus cuspidatus var. copelandii
* Hidden-flowered Owlclover: Orthocarpus cuspidatus ssp. cryptanthus
* American Brooklime: Veronica americana - Swale Creek
* Kelloggia: Kelloggia galioides
* Blue Elderberry: Sambucus mexicana ssp. cerulea
* Mountain Snowberry: Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. rotundifolius
* Yarrow: Achillea millefolium
* Orange Agoseris: Agoseris aurantiaca var. aurantiaca
* Glaucous Agoseris: Agoseris glauca var. glauca
* Annual Agoseris: Agoseris heterophylla
* Rosy Pussytoes: Antennaria rosea
* Heartleaf Arnica: Arnica cordifolia - Fading out of bloom.
Low Sagebrush: Artemisia arbuscula ssp. arbuscula
Western Wormwood: Artemisia ludoviciana (var. incompta ?)
Lemon Sagewort: Artemisia michauxiana ?
Big Sagebrush: Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata
* Arrowleaf Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza sagittata - Fading out of bloom.
* Hoary False Yarrow: Chaenactis douglasii var. douglasii
Green Rabbitbrush: Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus var. - Curled leaves. In bud.
Canada Thistle: Cirsium arvense - Near Swale Creek.
* Peregrine Thistle: Cirsium cymosum var. cymosum - Beginning to bloom at Swale Trailhead
Bull Thistle: Cirsium vulgare - Near trailhead.
* Tapertip Hawksbeard: Crepis acuminata
Modoc Hawksbeard: Crepis modocensis
Gray Rabbitbrush: Ericameria nauseosa (var. ?)
* Threadleaf Fleabane: Erigeron filifolius var. filifolius
California Rayless Daisy: Erigeron inornatus var. inornatus - In bud.
* Yellow Desert Daisy: Erigeron linearis - Fading out of bloom.
* Yarrow-leaved Oregon Sunshine: Eriophyllum lanatum var. achilleoides
Rough-leaved Aster: Eurybia radulina
* White-flowered Hawkweed: Hieracium albiflorum - Beginning to bloom.
* Scouler's Hawkweed: Hieracium scouleri
* Crag Aster: Ionactis alpina - Fading out of bloom.
* Woolly Groundsel: Packera cana
Spiny Skeletonweed: Pleiacanthus spinosus
Western Groundsel: Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus - Past bloom.
Common Dandelion: Taraxacum officinale
Salsify: Tragopogon dubius - Past bloom.
Mule Deer
Sierra Nevada Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels
Cattle - Most seem to be staying in riparian meadows around Swale Creek, but a few seem to make their way up to near the summit of Crook Peak.