Bottom Line: Wonderful flower show of balsamroot, lupine and paintbrush (the balsamroot is maybe just past peek). Dense flower fields throughout the hike to McCall Point. Go soon!!
Statistics:
- Distance: 6.5 miles
- Duration: 2- 3/4 hours
- Vertical: 1360 ft
- Trail: Excellent condition, no mud, moderate/family-friendly and not particularly rocky
- Weather: Mix of sun and cloud, 70s, breezy (it's the gorge after all :))
- Takeaway: Beautiful trail up grassy, flower-filled slopes with pockets of dense wind-stunted and twisted oak trees
There are two trailheads at the Rowena Crest Viewpoint, accessed via (quaint, white fence-lined) Hwy 30 off Hwy 84, just west of The Dalles. This is an Oregon State Park with lots of parking and people coming and going to see the view of the flowers and gorge from the crest. You can see plenty of flowers from the trailhead even if you do not hike.
The two trails are the McCall Point trail, which heads up the flower-filled hillside, and then across the road, the Rowena Plateau trail. The latter was grassier and had fewer flowers (mostly dense spots of lupine), but you get close up views of the basalt cliffs and the Columbia River via a couple different available loops. McCall point on the other hand is an out-and-back, and this is where most of the vertical is. The two trails are sufficiently different to together make a great combination. Awesome day!
PS. Light was somewhat harsh for my pics... would choose near sunrise or sunset next time for warm flower lighting :)
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