Wheldon Wagon Road, May 10, 2024
This is the first longer hike I have done this year: I had an unsuccessful back surgery in January and am still trying to resolve that, hence I can only do shorter hikes, and they are painful.
But I have to get out and hike anyway, pain and all, so Wheldon Wagon Road was the choice this day. An actual old wagon road, the trail climbs up into the hills above Husum, Washington. The trail starts in fir, pine and oak forest, ending up in this type of forest at the top of the hill, but goes through oak scrubland and hills filled at this time of year with arrowleaf balsamroot. In the open hillsides the 85 degree heat can be overbearing, so lots of water to hydrate is needed. I was looking specifically for the clustered lady slipper that was reported seen on the trail at this same time two years ago. Unfortunately I did not locate this little orchid, I did find many other wildflowers: of course arrowleaf balsamroot, barestem desert parsley, nine leaf desert parsely, lots of common cryptantha, common vetch, and a new one for me, striped coralroot. Someday I will go back to find the lady slipper.
Barestem Desert Parsley
Broad Leaf Lupine
Hillside filled with balsamroot
Howell’s Violet found near the gravel road leading to the trailhead
Common Vetch were all along the trail
Striped Coralroot, a rare saprophytic flower, in the oak duff just after the trailhead
