After yesterday's beautiful hike up Manastash Ridge, I decided to return this morning and do two different trails in the same area, making a loop. I went up the short, steep Boy Scout Trail and came down on the Chest Pains Trail for a 6 mile loop with 1,300 ft of elevation gain. On a weekday morning these were very quiet trails. I saw one bicyclist, 4 deers and 1 snake all on the Chest Pains trail. Gorgeous wildflowers and views. Not as many bitterroot in bloom as we saw up on Observatory Road yesterday.
Instead of going up the Westberg Trail, turned right before crossing the canal and followed the canal way for less than 1/2 mile.
Turned up the Boy Scout Trail (the first of the trails heading up Manastash Ridge after the Westberg Trail). There were lupine and balsamroot at this lower section.
Turning around, I could see Mount Stuart and the Enchantment Peaks across the valley to the north.
zoom of the peaks
closer zoom of Mount Stuart
A good portion of the Boy Scout Trail is in the woods, there were lots of ball head waterleaf in bloom along with water cress, grand flora triteleia, parsley, spring beauty, larkspur and other wildflowers. This large tree with balsamroot underneath was near the top of the Boy Scout Trail
From here, I followed the Clifford Trail for about 1/2 mile to the top of the Chest Pains Trail. The Enchantment Peaks were on view to the north. I would be able to see these for most of the hike down.
I was in no hurry to take this long winding trail (4 miles) back down. Between the wildflowers and the view, it was a morning to savor.
I was able to get a zoom photo of one of the deer I saw.
I was happy to find bitterroot in bloom on the Chest Pains Trail. Most were still buds.
Lots of balsamroot along the way.I love to see baslamroot and lupine in bloom together
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some of the wildflowers in bloom along the trail this morning:
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