Favorite Gorge Wildflower Hikes with Kids

As you search for wildflowers, encourage children to explore their environment with all their senses. Ask questions as you go. As the wise Mr. Rogers said, “The questions are more important than the answers.” So, enjoy being curious together! Don’t focus on the outcome—just savor the wonder of discovery. Who knows where your questions might lead?

Enjoy the wildflowers—take photos, make sketches, even sing to them! But please, please, please remember to leave them for the butterflies and bees. And keep in mind, "Wildflowers grow by the inch and die by the foot," so watch where you step!

What to Bring Along: 

- Comfortable, sturdy, closed-toe shoes
- Clothing suitable for being outdoors and all types of weather
- Food and water 
- Map and/or compass
- Journal or sketchbook
- Magnifying glass or hand lens 
- Camera or smartphone with built-in camera
- First aid kit 

Remember: Do not eat any part of a wild plant unless you are 100% certain of its identification and how to consume it safely!

Catherine Creek 

- Bloom Season: mid-February through June 
- Distance: 1.2-mile loop, paved for universal access
- Difficulty: Easy
- Elevation Gain: minimal  
- Pass & Permits: None 
- Parking: Free 
- Restrooms at trailhead
- Leashed dogs welcome 
- Watch: Poison oak, rattlesnakes 

Whether you have long legs, short legs, young legs, older legs, or need assistance, everyone can enjoy this easy 1.2-mile paved loop. Catherine Creek is known for its early bloomers, like purple Douglass grass widows and magenta Poet’s shooting stars. Visit as soon as the snow melts and return throughout spring as the hills burst with even more color—yellow bells and buttercups, pink prairie shooting stars, and golden balsamroots. By early April, you might catch bitterroot's brief but exciting bloom. It’s also a great spot to see periwinkle-colored Camas, culturally significant to Indigenous people, and the deep purple-red Columbia desert parsley, found only in the Columbia River Gorge. Catherine Creek can be quite windy, so bring warm layers. 

Umbrella Falls Trail 

- Bloom Season: May through September; peak month is June
- Accessed from Mt. Hood Meadows parking lot 
- Distance: ½ mile out and back (with options for longer routes)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Elevation Gain: 100 feet
- Pass & Permit: Northwest Forest Pass 
- Parking: Free
- No Restrooms at the trailhead; the nearest restrooms are located at Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort 
- Leashed dogs welcome 

I held a season pass at Mt. Hood Meadows for 18 years before discovering Umbrella Falls, just ¼ mile from where I’d often parked. Snow melts later at this elevation, making it a great mid- to late-season spot after lower-elevation wildflowers have peaked. 

The waterfall alone is worth the visit. However, you’ll also see a vibrant array of wildflowers—red-orange to scarlet paintbrushes, periwinkle lupines, creamy Sagebrush Mariposa lilies, and bright yellow and magenta monkeyflowers. 

It’s a perfect way to add a cherry on top of a great day on Mt. Hood or begin a longer adventure by connecting to the complete Umbrella Falls and Sahalie Falls trail. Venture further down the trail in late summer to catch the last bloomer of the year–the deep indigo Explorer’s gentian. Temperatures can be cooler at higher elevations, so dress accordingly. 

Columbia Hills State Park - Horsethief Butte 

- Bloom Season: early March through May 
- Distance: 2 miles (out and back or loop option)  
- Difficulty: Easy
- Elevation Gain: 150 feet 
- Pass & Permit: WA Discover Pass
- Restrooms at trailhead
- Leashed dogs welcome 
- Warnings: rattlesnakes, rocky terrain, minimal shade 

You don’t want to miss seeing wildflowers native to the drier eastern desert of the Pacific Northwest, so be sure to add Columbia Hills State Park to your list! A bit further east, it’s ideal for catching early spring sunshine when the western Gorge is still rainy. Early bloom season is the perfect time to visit Horsethief Butte, aligning with its limited shade. 

The gorgeous wildflowers—purple grass widows, yellow-green desert parsley, purple-blue lupine, golden balsamroots, red-orange paintbrush, and pearly-white death camas—beautifully complement the dusty brown cliffs and rolling green hills. Be prepared for varying trail conditions, a bit of rock scrambling, and minimal shade. Dress accordingly and bring plenty of water.