We returned to the Hite’s Cove Trail yesterday. Gold was discovered in Hite’s Cove in the 1860’s. We’ve never hiked to the end of the trail but we’ve hiked far enough to see rusted relics from the gold mining era. Now Hite’s Cove is know for the abundance and variety of wild flowers.
We met fellow Google+ photographers John H. Moore and Tony Payne in the parking area when we arrived. John had posted the vehicle he’d be driving and David had seen his picture online. We introduced our selves then headed for the trail. Vincent Goetz was already at the head of the trail photographing, of course, poppies. Vince left us early for other destinations while John, Tony, David and I photographed along the trail. Though we knew G. Dan Mitchell and Michael Frye would be out photographing as well, we never saw either one of them.
Vince is on the hillside, Tony directly in front of me, John in long sleeve white shirt and David is visiting with a neighbor.
The little wildflower, Bird’s Eyes.
Poppy and Bird’s Eyes.
We parted ways with John and Tony and continued up the trail. This was the next spot on the trail with a good coverage of poppies.
Below: Redbud and blue Fiesta Flowers. There were many varieties of flowers blooming, blue dicks, miniature lupine, silver bush lupine, Caterpillar Phacelia, Chinese Houses, Shooting Stars, Goldfields, Indian Paint Brush, Popcorn Flower, I saw one Live Forever and I saw Twining Snake Lily buds so it won’t be long until they bloom as well. There were lots of other flowers I couldn’t identify.
Looking down the canyon to the trail head on our way out.
The flowers were fully open when we returned to the trail head. Poppies and Popcorn flowers carpet the hillside down to the river. This section of the trail has a steep drop off and is only a person wide on a majority of the trail. I’m simply looking down to the river from the trail. I accidentally got to toe of my boot in one picture. I don’t mind the narrow trail and steep slopes but I do wish there wasn’t so much poison oak. It’s right along the trail where it can easily be brushed.
A hillside of poppies on Highway 140 near Slate Bridge.
