Wildflowers are Abloom at Eight Dollar Mountain Botanical Area!
Wildflowers along the Wild & Scenic Illinois River from the Little Falls trail.
Written by Allee Gustafson on April 29th, 2024
Springtime is arguably one of the best times in the Klamath-Siskiyou. Springtime rains bring the low-elevation plants back to life as the mountain snowpack slowly melts and keeps the greenery watered. Across the KS, there are numerous places to go to experience wildflowers in full bloom, and one of our favorites is Eight Dollar Mountain Botanical Area.
Every year, we set out on the Little Falls trail with a small group of hikers to take in the springtime wildflower show. This year's annual wildflower hike to Eight Dollar Mountain Botanical Area did not disappoint.
The Little Falls trailhead, located off Eight Dollar Mountain Road, is an excellent location to find endemic and rare wildflowers. Endemic wildflowers grow and occur in specific locations due to very specific qualities that location provides. At the Eight Dollar Mountain Botanical Area, one of Oregon’s most astounding botanical areas representing some of the most significant endemism across the state, the serpentine soils craft a very unique environment that not just any plant can thrive in. The high mineral content of the soil creates a “toxic” environment for most plants, leaving only the hardiest to survive.
On our 1-mile walk along the Little Falls trail on a cool, cloudy day, we identified over 20 species of wildflowers! Most notably was the pitcher plant (Darlingtonia Californica), the wedge leaved violet (Viola cuneata), and the wooly sunflower (Eriophyllum lanatum). You can see the full list of wildflowers we spotted and identified below.
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Hike: Little Falls Trail Loop, 1 mile
Weather: Mild 55-degree weather, cloudy
Plant list:
Milkmaids, Cardamine californica
Field Morning Glory, Convolvulus arvensis
California Laural, Oregon Myrtle, Umbellularia californica
Phacelia
Narrow Leaved Desert Parsley, Lomatium triternatum
Pine mat ceanothis
Fawn lily (white)
Showy Phlox, Phlox speciosa
Silky balsam root
Western Gromwell, Lithospermum ruderale
Serpentine arnica, Arnica cernua
Wedge Leaved Violet, Viola cuneata
Narrowleaf Mule’s Ears, Wyethia augustifolia
Califonia Pitcher Plant, Cobra lily, Darlingtonia californica
Waldo Rock Cress, Arabis aculeolata
Western Azalea, Rhododendron occidentale
Sickle Leaved Onion, Allium falcifolium
Common Camas, Camassia quamash
Short-lobed Paintbrush, Castilleja hispida
Lupine
Common Brodiaea, Dichelostemma capitatum
Larkspur, Delphinium
Maidenhair
Identifying the western gromwell (Lithospermum ruderale)
Woolly sunflower (Eriophyllum lanatum)
Identifying the wedge-leaved violet (Viola cuneata)
Want to grow your botanizing skills?
During a wildflower hike, it's a good idea to keep a pen and journal handy and record what you see, including the weather conditions. It's also helpful to have a camera or phone to take pictures of unfamiliar plants, capturing their flowers, stems, and leaves to identify them accurately. Two great books that I recommend are "Wildflowers of Southern Oregon" by John Kemper and "Rare Plants Southwest Oregon" by Linda Mullens, Stacy Johnson, Stuart Osbrack, and Rachel Showalter.
Visit Eight Dollar Mountain Botanical Area
Eight Dollar Mountain Botanical Area is one of the sites that our Public Lands And You (PLAY) program has put consistent energy into over the past 6 years. In partnership with the US Forest Service and numerous incredible volunteers, we have built fences, installed signs, pulled invasive plants, and helped restore the critical habitat at the site. We encourage you to visit Eight Dollar Mountain and Days Gulch Botanical Areas to see the wildflower show for yourself!
To visit Eight Dollar Mountain Botanical Area from the Rogue Valley, travel west on US-199 just past Selma until you reach FS 4201. On the 8 Dollar Road, you can access the Little Falls trailhead or the Eight Dollar Mountain Botanical Wayside.