There is plenty to see at Horse Rock Ridge! Beautiful tiny Fairyslipper <I>(Calypso bulbosa)</I> begins at the fence and continues along the old road all the way to the first meadow. Other flowers blooming in the forest include: Western Trillium <I>(Trillium ovatum)</I>, Blue Windflower <I>(Anemone oregana)</I>, Evergreen Violet <I>(Viola sempervirens)</I>, with copious Oregon Wood Sorrel <I>(Oxalis oregana)</I> starting to open.<P>The meadows and hillsides are tinged yellow by <B>profuse</B> amounts of Yellow Monkeyflower <I>(Mimulus guttatus)</I>. Other bloomers include Western Buttercup <I>(Ranunculus occidentalis)</I>, Oregon Fawn Lily <I>(Erythronium oregonum)</I>, Henderson`s Shooting Star <I>(Dodecatheon hendersonii)</I>, Western Saxifrage <I>(Saxifrage occidentalis)</I>, Rosy Plectritis <I>(Plectritis congesta)</I>, and teeny tiny Slender Phlox <I>(Microsteris gracilis)</I>. Small-flowered blue-eyed Mary <I>(Collinsia parviflora)</I> covers many rocky areas with a tinge of blue. Also blooming are Spring Gold <I>(Lomatium utriculatum)</I>, Early Saxifrage <I>(Saxifraga integrifolia)</I>, Harsh Paintbrush <I>(Castilleja hispida)</I>, Cut-leaf Daisy <I>(Erigeron compositus)</I> on some rocky outcrops, and Western Serviceberry <I>(Amelanchier alnifolia)</I>. Menzies` Larkspur <I>(Delphinium menziesii)</I> is starting to open, along with lots of Checker Lily <I>(Fritillaria affinis)</I> along the trail as you descend past the first set of rock outcrops. There are Meadow Death Camas <I>(Toxicoscordion venenosum)</I> plants, but none of them have opened yet. Be careful not to step on tiny Chickweed Monkeyflower <I>(Mimulus alsinoides)</I>, which grows along the trail and in seeps. In addition to the aforementioned, look for a few scattered patches of Deltiod Balsamroot <I>(Balsamorhiza deltoidea)</I> in the higher (northwest) meadows.
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