Join botanist Gale Rankin for a walk north from Barker Pass along the Tahoe Rim/Pacific Crest Trail to see wildflowers, old-growth trees, and stellar scenery.  Our “grand finale destination”, per Julie Carville’s Tahoe’s Spectacular Wildflower trails, is “a glorious seep garden of wildflowers that cascades down a hillside into an inviting meadow”.  On the way, we will enjoy views of the Desolation Wilderness, Lake Tahoe, craggy volcanic outcrops, and a short detour to the flanks of Barker Peak.  Along with the myriad flowers of the several seeps, rocky slopes, and forests, our hope is to find explorer’s gentian and catch the Sierra primrose in full bloom.  

The maximum distance for this out and back outing is 5 miles and under 1000 feet in elevation, with the goal of being back at the cars by 1:00 pm.   The pace will be determined by the group and the trip is appropriate for all levels of wildflower enthusiasts.  Bring your snacks, water, mosquito repellent, sunscreen, hat, and hiking poles (for those that use them). 

Max 15 participants. This hike is co-sponsored by the Tahoe & Sierra Valley Chapter of the California Native Plant Society.