Gorgeous day. Did bigger mileage yesterday so did a "walk" today. Flowers nice and views great.

This is a nice hike with dramatic views that contrast the desert-like plateau with the cliffs of the Gorge and the blue of the Columbia River. My group was treated to pockets of golden balsamroot in full bloom with a spattering of purple lupine. In contrast to the beauty of spring wildflowers, the poison oak was coming out along the sides of the trail to attack the unsuspecting. I’ve done this hike several times and never grow tired of it. It’s a good hike for beginners, people with cranky knees, and anyone who wants a short adventure.

After hiking Mosier Twin Tunnels we drove to Rowena Plateau to see the flowers. To reach the TH drive I-84 to exit 69 for Mosier. Continue east on US 30 for 6.6 miles to Rowena Crest Viewpoint. We spent an hour walking in the area. The lupine and balsamroot were fading but were still pretty from a distance. Wild cucumber, Hood River Milk Vetch, Bicolored Cluster Lilies, and Bachelor's Buttons were also seen.

Portland's rainy spring weather drove us to seek sunshine up the Gorge and we were delighted to find nice weather up around Hood River and White Salmon. We decided to make a little vacation out of it and booked a night's stay at the historic Hood River Hotel right downtown. From there its a hop skip and a jump to great hikes on both sides of the River including Catherine Creek, The Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail and the Tom McCall Preserve on the OR side. The theme for our weekend getaway was Wines and Wildflowers. For wildflowers the hike on the Rowena Plateau was perfect. The lupines and balsam root were magnificent. There were others, but I'd have to be a better botanist to report on them! Amazing too was the waves of grass blown by the wind shimmering like a silk curtain. We had Lola with us in the Ergo. It is an easy trail with flat grades, but too narrow really for a jogging stroller. Look out for the poison oak around the two ponds. After the hike we went back to town to sample some wines at the Quenett tasting room, then it was a short walk to the Double Mountain Brewery for some Italian style pizza.