Wildflowers and Waterfalls

At 3,849 feet Mount Diablo looms over the east bay.It's shaded woodlands, grassy slopes and rocky outcroppings always provide for an interesting hike. The mountain's unique position as the northern most point of many plant species range and the southernmost point for many others along withe it's location on the boundary between the Bay Area and Central Valley makes for an incredible diversity of spring wildflowers. Last Saturday I joined my favorite Sierra Club leader and the rest of the group on a trek up Eagle Peak, part of the Mount Diablo Foothills.

The wildflowers were out in force last weekend. Not just one or two here or there but big bunches of milkmaids, indian paintbrush, hounds tongue and many others. The sunny slopes were covered with fields of popcorn flowers, bluedicks, lupine and fiddlenecks. Rock cress perched on the jagged boulders and every now and then a bright orange poppy showed up while indian warriors lend a dark red to a shady nook. And all around the greens of spring showed in every hue in every direction.

Waterfalls were flowing as well. A welcome sight in an area so dry for most of the year. Spring in the bay area doesn't last long - catch it while you can!