Sierra’s Big Bloom

The turreted summit of 9,103-foot Castle Peak is a worthwhile destination for any crystal-clear day, when the panorama extends more than 100 miles north to Lassen Peak and west to the Diablo Range. But according to botanist Karen Wiese, the region’s diverse landscape—including “the lush meadow of Castle Valley, the dry slopes of Castle Peak, and the towering volcanic summit”—yields seriously awesome flowers by mid-July.

From I-80 just east of Soda Springs, the route follows the Pacific Crest Trail northwest through Castle Valley, which Wiese describes as “a delightful subalpine meadow with Lewis’s monkeyflower, little elephant’s head, alpine shooting star, corn lily, and monkshood.” Watch for an early-summer flower prize: the unusual steer’s head, a tiny pale pink flower whose petals resemble a steer’s horns and snout.

The ascent is moderate to Castle Pass, but the final mile to the summit will test your stamina. Use the flowers as your excuse—stop to catch your breath to admire carpets of pink star onion, spreading phlox, and sulfur buckwheat. Wiese’s summit tip: “Look just below the summit on the north side and you may discover Sierra primrose and rock fringe (both colored a showy magenta pink).”

All told, the route is about 10 miles round trip. (There is a popular dirt road that cuts off almost four miles, but you’ll miss lots of flowers.)

DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD: Take the Castle Peak/Boreal Ridge exit off I-80 at Donner Summit. The Pacific Crest Trail begins on the south side of I-80; the dirt road shortcut begins on the north side, at the end of the frontage road.

The parking lot at Carson Pass (elevation 8,574 feet) fills up fast on July weekends—and for good reason. Savvy wildflower watchers know this popular route offers classic High Sierra scenery at its best, with leashed dogs welcome and a trail that’s easy enough for children. That’s not to mention an absolutely breathtaking variety and abundance of alpine wildflowers.

The path starts at the Carson Pass Information Station on U.S. 88. (The Pacific Crest Trail can be reached about a half-mile west at the Meiss Meadow trailhead.) You’ll hike through lodgepole pines for a brief stretch, but soon the trees give way to open slopes. Take time to ooh and aahh over the purple lupine and school-bus-yellow mule’s ears. Less than a mile from the trailhead, turquoise-colored Frog Lake shows up on your left, framed by the distinct profile of Elephant’s Back, an old lava dome.

“Once you reach Frog Lake, the wildflower show really gets started,” says local botanist Karen Wiese. She suggests a side trip around Frog Lake’s east side, where you’ll find a large field of western blue flag iris. Then get back on the main trail to Winnemucca Lake, where “water from a seep provides a wonderful sub-alpine garden with little elephant heads, alpine shooting stars, mountain larkspur, large-leaf lupine, ranger’s buttons, and the Sierra rein orchid.” You won’t be in a hurry to leave this magical spot, but a half-mile farther is photogenic Winnemucca Lake, a blue-green gem set directly below Round Top Peak.

DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD: From South Lake Tahoe, take State Highway 89 south for seven miles to Meyers, then turn left to continue on Highway 89 for 11 miles to Hope Valley. At the T-junction, turn right (west) onto State Highway 88 and drive nine miles to Carson Pass summit. The trail begins by the log cabin information station on the highway’s south side (there is a day-use parking fee).

Mount Dana’s 13,057-foot summit is the second highest point in Yosemite, granting mind-boggling views with a mere three-mile climb. But don’t let the distance fool you; that short mileage comes with a butt-kicking 3,100-foot elevation gain. Fortunately, the rewards begin in the first and easiest mile. “Even before the trail starts to ascend, you’ll see a wealth of wildflowers such as large-leaf lupine, alpine paintbrush, and alpine goldenrod in the meadow,” says local botanist Karen Wiese. The last two weeks of July are typically peak blooming time.

Many hikers turn around after reaching the broad plateau about halfway up the mountain, where a five-foot-tall rock cairn marks a good spot to eat a sandwich and call it a day. But determined peak-baggers (and savvy wildflower seekers) keep on slogging to the tippy-top. You’d expect nothing could grow among this rocky scree, but instead, Mount Dana’s summit is festooned with bouquets of blue-lavender sky pilot, its blossoms brightening the gray talus. And the view? It's a knockout, spanning more than 100 miles of Yosemite backcountry, the eastern desert, and Mono Lake, the remnant of a once-massive inland sea.

DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD: The trail begins at Yosemite National Park’s Tioga Pass entrance station on State Highway 120 (12½ miles west of Lee Vining and 7 miles east of Tuolumne Meadows). Park in the Gaylor Lakes lot; the trailhead is on the north side of the road, across from the lot.

The Little Lakes Valley is a spectacular, glacier-carved canyon bursting with lakes and wildflowers. What makes it even more special is that the Mosquito Flat trailhead lies at 10,300 feet, giving easy access to the rarified High Sierra. So your car does the bulk of the climbing, instead of your feet.

According to botanist Karen Weise, it’s a great chance to look for plants that thrive at the Sierra’s highest elevations. “This trail hugs the upper threshold of the subalpine zone,” she explains. Look for limber pines and endangered whitebark pines—both species that grow only at the highest elevations. She recommends looking for various species (and colors) of heath in bloom, as well as gentian, elephant’s head, and crimson and Coville’s columbine. Peak bloom time is usually mid to late July.

Wander as far as you wish amid this lake-filled wonderland. The trail stays remarkably level as it leads past Mack Lake and shallow Marsh Lake to Heart Lake in the first 1.5 miles. Continue to discover Box Lake and Long Lake, then turn around here for a seven-mile round trip. Those with more stamina can continue to Chickenfoot Lake (3 miles) or the Gem Lakes (3½ miles). Many hikers consider the Gem Lakes to be the loveliest of the lot, but that’s a tough contest.

DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD: From U.S. 395 at Mammoth Lakes, drive south 15 miles to Tom’s Place. Turn right (west) on Rock Creek Road and drive 10.5 miles to its end at the Mosquito Flat parking lot.