Long time reader, first time poster.
My wife and I felt like looking for wildflowers but without the crowds. We've already done Hardy Ridge and Cook Hill so Grassy Knoll was next on the list. Memorial Day was beautiful. The road to the trailhead is in very good shape. I've heard rumors of car sized potholes but we saw few potholes of any size. The directions in the field guide were spot on. I was pleased to see that the navigation system in my new Highlander includes all of the Forest Service roads (plus a few roads that don't seem to exist on any map I've seen, which is a little disconcerting). There were 8 cars at the trailhead including ours when we arrived at 10:30 AM but 17 when we left. We ran into 20-25 people and multiple dogs, most of them heading up as we were returning to the car. The trail is in great shape, nothing on it that we couldn't easily step over. We were greeted with flowers from the trailhead meadow to the top of the knoll and beyond including trillium (white and multiple shades of purple), avalanche lily, balsamroot, paintbrush, phlox, and a bunch more that I don't know. I really need to breakdown and buy Ross Jolley's wildflower book. There were a few patches of snow off the trail once you went past the knoll toward Big Huckleberry. Each had little pockets of fresh avalanche lilies. There were a few flies but nothing bothersome. No signs of wildlife other than the occasional raptor soaring below us and birds hiding in the trees, including one that sounds remarkably like my GPS when the batteries need replacing which caused a brief bit of confusion. In sum, it was a gorgeous day. The only unfortunate thing was that Walking Man brewery was not open for our traditional post-hike recovery.
Grassy Knoll, 5/31/2021
Re: Grassy Knoll, 5/31/2021
Welcome (to posting) and thanks for the report.
Re: Grassy Knoll, 5/31/2021
Beautiful flower photos!
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- Posts: 81
- Joined: May 14th, 2020, 6:35 am
- Location: Portland
Re: Grassy Knoll, 5/31/2021
Great report, thank you!
Red Bluff Tap house is my go-to if Walking Man isn't open.
http://redblufftaphouse.com/
Red Bluff Tap house is my go-to if Walking Man isn't open.
http://redblufftaphouse.com/
Re: Grassy Knoll, 5/31/2021
Why buy a book when Google Lens (which I just discovered) is available?
Oh, maybe we like books.
Or maybe you have an Apple phone.
Oh, maybe we like books.
Or maybe you have an Apple phone.
Re: Grassy Knoll, 5/31/2021
Welcome, Alex!
Indeed, the road is much improved.
I've been meaning to get to Big Huckleberry before it all melts out. I'd better hurry. It might be too late already.
Indeed, the road is much improved.
I've been meaning to get to Big Huckleberry before it all melts out. I'd better hurry. It might be too late already.
Me too, just a couple days ago I was playing around with my new phone, and said "hmm, I wonder what this button does".
There's just no helping some people.
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- Posts: 17
- Joined: August 4th, 2018, 2:10 pm
Re: Grassy Knoll, 5/31/2021
We camped at the Big Huckleberry PCT camp last Tuesday and there was a nearby slope with a bit of dirty snow measuring perhaps 20 feet x 10 feet or so, but that was it. I imagine it'll be gone in the next week or two.