Pioneer Trail from Langs Crossing to Lake Spaulding

first sign of clouds

With many from the 8:30 group heading off to vacations, just two of us hiked today.  Thunderstorms were predicted so we didn't go too high and made a short hike.  Parking at Lang's Crossing, we headed up the Pioneer Trail.  We were entranced with the quality of the trail and felt like we had never been on it before.  That was only partly true as a few years ago we had started up and were turned around by the stream that was too high to cross.  This time we got to Spaulding just as the thunder started rumbling in the distance.  We ate a quick lunch and headed back down the trail.  6.5 miles with a 1400 ft. elevation gain. 

Driving home, we stopped at the Omega view point and took the 1/4 mile trail to view the diggings and the mountains beyond.  The clouds were low and dark but we could still see a great distance, to the Mendocino Mountains and the Sierra Buttes.  A large migrating geese flock was wheeling and turning as it headed up the Yuba River.  It didn't look like they were going to go high due to the storm.  I wonder where they rested. 

Harlequin lupine

On the way home we stopped at the Rock Creek Nature Trail for a lovely green one mile walk.  It sure didn't feel like California - lush green, dogwoods in bloom, birds singing.

Flowers in bloom:

dogwoods
naked star tulips
harlequin lupine
phlox
Douglas' violet
paintbrush
delphinium
pussy paws




Naked star tulip



A meadow, still green

Dogwood

Mule's ears



This is the stream which was in flood last time we tried to hike this trail

and then I had to roll under



Spaulding with storms brewing



Rock Creek Nature Trail