Butte County Wildflower Weekend! North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve & More
Friday–Sunday, April 19 – 21
Leader : Woody Elliott
Many of us have longed to visit Table Mountain in Butte County but have never done so. This will be the year! Not only is Table Mountain a hotspot widely known for its spring annual display, but this year, there may be interesting bloom in nearby areas that burned in 2017 and 2018. The North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve is an elevated 3,300-acre basalt mesa with beautiful vistas of spring wildflowers, waterfalls, lava outcrops, and a rare type of vernal pool (northern basalt flow vernal pool). Typically fissures in the basalt soak up winter rains, forming seasonal streams and waterfalls. The site is renowned for its spectacular fields of common California annuals such as sky lupine, goldfields, and purple owl’s clover, in addition to species less familiar to us such as Douglas’s violet, white meadowfoam, Kellogg’s monkeyflower, and bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva ). There will also be impressive views across the Sacramento Valley.
On Saturday, April 20, we’ll take our time exploring Table Mountain on a rugged 4-mile hike to Phantom Falls and Coal Canyon Falls.
Mt. Lassen chapter members will join us.
Bring sturdy shoes, hat, sunscreen, water, and lunch.
Directions:
Meet at the North Table Mountain Reserve parking lot on the west side of Cherokee Rd at 9:45 a.m.
Take Hwy 70 north from Oroville and exit at Grand Ave (Exit 48). Go east (right) on Grand Ave for 1 mile, left on
Table Mountain Blvd for a tenth of a mile, then right on Cherokee Road 6.3 miles north to the reserve.
On Sunday morning, April 21, we’ll visit another local site to be determined closer to the date. Then we’ll make the 3.5 – 4 hour drive home to Marin.
Important Logistics Information:
The CA Department of Fish and Wildlife requires that each visitor to Table Mountain purchase a Lands Pass for the day. Call 800-565-1458 or purchase the Pass online at www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales . Also, we’ve reserved a few rooms at the Super 8 motel in Oroville for April 19–20 ($109 per night). Please let Carolyn Longstreth (cklongstreth@gmail.com) know right away if you’re interested. Lime Saddle Campground at Lake Oroville SRA is a 20-minute drive); reservations at: www.reservecalifornia.com .
Leader : Woody Elliott 530-588-2555, woodyelliott@gmail.com.arin