B12 The BulleTin • Friday, May 28, 2021
Wildflowers
Continued from B1
TOP PICKS
WHERE TO EXPLORE
Parks and trails in Bend
Bulletin file photo
A runner strides out along the Larkspur Trail in Bend.
Larkspur Trail — The nearly 4-mile trail through
the Larkspur neighborhood in Bend is mostly
off-street and a mix of paved and unpaved sec-
tions. Running from the Historic Canal Trail along
Reed Market Road to Pilot Butte State Park, the
trail winds past various residential areas as well
as the recently opened Larkspur Community
Center (formally known as the Bend Senior Cen-
ter) and the open canal where walkers and bik-
ers can view wildlife and native plants in all their
splendor.
Rockridge Park — The 36.6 acre neighborhood
park near Sky View Middle School offers a vari-
ety of recreation options. With mixes of nature
paths both paved and unpaved, skate park, disc
golf course, bike skills course, playground and
picnic shelter, anyone can find their moment of
outdoor fun.
Shevlin Park — It’s great to visit this nearly
100-acre park in the northwest reaches of Bend
every season to truly enjoy it for all it has to offer.
With 23 miles of hiking and biking trails winding
throughout the park, it’s easy to find your own
secluded spot. The easy loop trail along Tumalo
Creek is stunning this time of year with plants
springing back to their full verdant form after a
long winter.
— Makenzie Whittle, The Bulletin
Mountains are already steadily melting and
trails will be accessible sooner than those in
the Cascades. Lookout and Round Mountain
trails just east of Prineville offer great hikes
and bike rides through the spring blooms and
feature balsamroot, arnica, Brown’s peony, yel-
low desert daisies, smooth-leaved gilia,
fairybells and dagger pods.
Canyon Creek Meadows
— The hike is impres-
sively beautiful any time
of year as Three Fin-
ger Jack rises above
the green meadow
and subalpine for-
est below. But in
late July, wildflow-
ers peak with col-
umbine, mariposa
lily, flax, dogwood,
Oregon sunshine,
camas, paintbrush, pe-
onies, buttercups, lupine
and you may even catch a
glimpse of trillium.
Broken Top Trail/Green Lakes/Todd Lake
— Access to these trails and areas will have to
wait later next month or July but when it does
open up, the alpine trails will erupt
with colorful wildflowers includ-
ing leafy asters, bog orchids,
larkspur, paintbrushes,
monkey flowers, arnica,
St. John’s wort, yellow
violets and more. All
three trails require
Central Cascades
Wilderness Permits
for the day ($1) and
overnight ($6) use.
Get your permits
online up to seven
days in advance on
recreation.gov.
Big Summit Prairie/
North Fork Crooked River
— The vast prairie between
Prineville and Paulina is
Farther Out
mostly privately owned,
there are a few areas of
Castle Crest Wild-
public access (grab a
flower Trail, Crater
forest service map if
Lake — The entirety
you are unfamiliar
of Crater Lake Na-
with the area) and
tional Park is full
just driving past
of great wildflower
and checking out
areas, but once the
what’s growing just
lake’s Rim Drive
off the side of the
opens, the plants
road can yield great
along the short and
results as well — when
easy Castle Crest loop
you can pull over that
trail should be giving
is. Terrain painted red
off their seasonal best. If
with paintbrush and besseya
you ever envision walking
joins the yellow balsam-
along a trail where flora
root, desert shooting star, TOP: Rocky Mountain iris grows along the creeps gently along a stony
grass widow, cama, sticky
banks of the North Fork Crooked River. path with a babbling creek
geranium, desert parsley
BOTTOM: Blue stickseed grows off the like a Thomas Kinkade
and mule’s ears. Soon these side of the National Forest Service Road painting, this is that walk.
will give way to various
From paintbrush and sky-
42 in the Ochoco National Forest.
wild onions, goldenweed,
rockets to bleeding hearts,
Makenzie Whittle/Bulletin photos
lupine, hawksbeard and
elephant’s head pedicularis,
penstemon.
red columbine, Washington lily, phantom or-
Lookout Mountain/Round Mountain/
chid, monkshood and Jacob’s ladder the vari-
Ochocos — If you can’t wait to see some
ety seen here is hardly rivaled anywhere else.
mountain wildflower displays, the Ochoco
e e Reporter: 541-383-0304, mwhittle@bendbulletin.com
Ryan Brennecke/Bulletin file photo
Merri Jolma of Bend runs down a section of the
Shevlin Loop Trail while exercising in July 2020 in
Shevlin Park.
Located in Downtown Bend
Central Oregon’s
source for events,
arts & entertainment
Pick up Thursday’s Bulletin
for weekly event coverage
and calendars
is Central Oregon’s foremost wine
bar/shop. It features:
Wine by the glass,
Premium selection of wine,
Champagne, Ports and sake,
Bottles to go,
On-line ordering & shipping,
Public wine tastings,
Three wine clubs, & more!
Tues-Thurs 11-6:30
Fri/Sat 12-8
Sun/Mon Closed
141 NW Minnesota Ave 541.410.1470
LES NEWMAN’S
QUALITY OUTDOOR WEAR
On NE Franklin Avenue across from Les Schwab
541-318-4868
Lake Street
Dive
Bask in their unique and addictive
blend of soul, R&B, and indie-
pop! Streaming from Beak & Skiff
Orchards in Marietta, NY.
Streaming Tickets and info at
TowerTheatre.org • 541-317-0700