Catherine Creek

Catherine Creek on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge  is famous for its wildflower displays which can be accessed on easy, family friendly hikes. The show starts early, in March, and keeps going in waves throughout the spring.  We went back to see what new flowers were blooming. I was especially excited to see bitterroot, a unique and beautiful flower which is the state flower of Montana and the origin of the names of the Bitterroot Mountains, Bitterroot River, and Bitterroot Valley. The leaves die, and the flowers appear mysteriously alone out of the ground as if the rocks were blooming. The plant can live for up to two years without water, and the roots were eaten by Native Americans.

Bitterroot.  Photo by Jasper.

Sheep sorrel.

White-top clover.

Camas flower.

Bicolored cluster lily.

Bitterroot.

Meadow death-camas. This plant is very poisonous.

Monkeyflower.

In this very shallow stream, Jasper was excited to find tadpoles.

Tadpole.  Photo by Jasper.

We think this is a stonefly larva.  Photo by Jasper.

Tadpole.  Photo by Jasper.

Douglas's buckwheat.

Penstemon.

Sulphur flower.

Rowland lake.

Mt. Hood.

Yarrow.

Hairy balsamroot.

California poppy.

Bachelor's button with bee visitor.

Bachelor's button with seven spotted ladybug.

Hairy vetch.

Oak galls.

Ball-head cluster lily.

Bitterroot.

Wild rose.

Bachelor's button.

Barestem desert parsley.