Lower Table Rock - Bloom Update

March 28, 2018

Just a quick update on the Spring bloom here in the Rogue Valley.  Today we hiked up Lower Table Rock and there are many different types of wildflowers already in bloom.

Nice new sign at the entrance of the parking lot

As you hike the trail to the top there are literally thousands of Fawn Lilies in bloom.  Some portions along the trail are like a sea of Fawn Lilies -- the most we have ever seen on one hike!  Other wildflowers we spotted include Shooting Stars, Buttercup, Saxifrage, Desert Parsley, Hounds Tongue, Oaks Toothwort, Grass Widows and even a few Gentner's Fritillary plants with flower buds on them - just not opened yet.

Goldfield - up close and personal

At the plateau there are some patches of Goldfield (especially at the far end), a few Popcorn Flowers and Desert Parsley.  Still a few vernal pools with two that are quite large.  One even had a Canada Goose as a guest.

Canada Goose enjoying the vernal pool and view of Mt McLoughlin

View of the large vernal pool with Mt McLoughlin in the background

View of the Rogue Valley 

Great views of snow covered McLoughlin too.  The path at the top is still a little muddy but drying up quickly with the recent sunshine.  So get out and enjoy.

Trekking Together
Glenn and Carol

Lower Table Rock - It's Bloom Time!

April 21, 2017

With sunshine in the forecast and Glenn needing an excuse to take a day off work, we headed up to Lower Table Rock for a 5.3 mile hike to check out this year's wildflower bloom.......and we were not disappointed!

Time to hike and see all the wildflowers

We arrived at the parking lot around 12:30 pm and it was completely full - not one spot open.  So we parked in the bus area.  Once we started hiking it didn't take long to see the wildflowers as there were seas of Sea Blush along the lower portion of the trail.

Looking up at the plateau of Lower Table Rock with Sea Blush in the foreground

Along the way we saw many more wildflowers: Fiddleneck, Cat's Ear, Buttercup, Desert Parsley, Camas, Frittilia, Shooting Stars, Houndstongue, Larkspur, Miner's Lettuce, Balsamroot, Fawn Lilies, Saxifrage, Ookow, Monkey Flowers, Cow's Udder Clover and Woodland Star.  Those are the one's we remembered.

Fields of Sea Blush and Popcorn Flowers

The boardwalk segment of the trail on the plateau

Once we arrived at the plateau, we were treated to fields of Bi-Colored Lupine, Goldfield, Blue Eyed Mary and Popcorn flowers that ran along the entire trail to the viewpoint.

Fields of Goldfield

Fields of Bi-Color Lupine and Blue Eyed Mary

And more fields of Goldfield.

There were also still vernal pools full of water among all the wildflowers which enhanced the views.

One of the larger vernal pools with snow covered Mt McLoughlin in the background

We hiked out to the end of the plateau for a view the entire Rogue Valley area.  While taking a break there, we had a visitor who was looking for leftover food from past visitors - or maybe squirrels enjoy seeing all the wildflowers too.

Our little friend at the viewpoint on the Lower Table Rock plateau

So if you are in the mood to see lots of wildflowers and can spare a couple of hours, be sure to check out Lower Table Rock soon.  It is beautiful!

Trekking Together
Glenn and Carol