Wildflowers are Blooming

Viewing wildflowers is a fine excuse to get out and take a walk around Reno / Tahoe. You don't have to go far, but you shouldn't tarry because desert wildflowers burst forth and then disappear in a remarkably short time. On a recent stroll in the Huffaker Hills of south Reno, I saw phlox, tidy tips, big-head clover, paintbrush, and Hooker's balsamroot. In the same area, yellow splashes of color from arrowleaf balsamroot are in evidence on the slopes of Rattlesnake Mountain facing McCarran Blvd.

Another nearby spot is Washoe Lake State Park, between Reno and Carson City. The hills on the east side of Washoe Lake can be quite spectacular with lupine, phlox, groundsel, and balsamroot, among others. I hiked Deadman's Creek in the park at the end of April and found abundant blooming phlox in the rocks near the gazebo overlooking Washoe Valley. To get an idea of what you might see, check out my gallery of Nevada wildflower pictures.

Wildflower season in the higher elevations typically begins in June or July, depending on when the snow melts. If you miss the desert display, your summer hikes in the Sierra Nevada around Lake Tahoe should yield some excellent wildflower viewing pleasure.

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