<B>Tracy Hill / Catherine Creek traverse</B>: The main varieties blooming at Catherine Creek and Tracy Hill are: grass widows <I>(Olsynium douglasii)</I>, smooth prairie star <I>(Lithophragma glabrum)</I>, salt and pepper <I>(Lomatium piperi)</I>, and Northwestern Saxifrage <I>(Saxifraga integrifolia </I>var. <I>integrifolia)</I>. There are many nice patches of gold stars <I>(Crocidium multicaule)</I>, which indicates that things are behind schedule (because they are usually finished by this time). There are also many yellow bells <I>(Fritillaria pudica)</I> in bloom.
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There are patches of Poet`s Shooting Star <I>(Dodecatheon poeticum)</I> getting ready to open next to the gravel road as it approaches the powerlines. One patch of Spinster`s Blue-eyed Mary <I>(Collinsia sparsiflora var. bruceae)</I> was blooming in the gravel road not far from the Tracy Hill gate. Many Bitterroot <I>(Lewisia redidiva)</I> rosettes were visible on rocky areas.
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The endemic Columbia desert parsley <I>(Lomatium columbianum)</I> can be best seen blooming on the rock outcrops north of the power lines. Blooming just downhill from those outcrops are small-flowered blue-eyed Mary <I>(Collinsia parviflora)</I> and Midget Phlox</I> <i>(Phlox gracilis)</I>. Western Buttercup <I>(Ranunculus occidentalis)</I> and Oaks Toothwort <I>(Cardamine nuttallii </I>var. <I>nuttallii)</I> are blooming nicely under the oaks above the powerlines and just west of the rock outcrops. Profuse Desert Parsley <I>(Lomatium papilioniferum)</I> is starting to bloom on the hillsides west of the rock outcrops and above the creek.
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