Marys Peak

Looking East from the summit. Note the haze.

While in the Corvallis area for a recent family gathering, I took a couple of hours afterwards to drive up to and explore nearby Marys Peak, the highest point in the Oregon coast range. It had been at least 5 years since visiting Marys Peak, the only other time I was there. It would be an opportunity to do a quick hike and see wildflowers.

The quick summary is that most of the flowers had already bloomed, although I did see many foxglove in bloom on the road up to the parking area. In the open meadows near the summit, only the yarrow and a few oxeye daisies were blooming. There was quite a bit of yarrow and because of that, many, many butterflies were in the area. I noted about four different species in my short stay.

I hiked the trail to the top (4097 ft.) and then one of the meadow trails which also goes through a Noble Fir forest. In chatting with the local U.S. Forest Service employee (Bob) who was in the parking area, I learned this area has one of the largest natural stands of Noble Firs in the state! He also told me I missed the peak wildflower bloom by about three weeks! Sigh...

The view was excellent but not five-star due to fog over the ocean and haze over the valley. I could barely see Mt. Jefferson and Hood to the east, and could not make out the ocean at all.

Here are a few photos from this brief trip (7/19/2013):

Streambank Arnica (Arnica amplexicaulis) on the road near a waterfall pull out.

Close up of the Arnica above.

Butterfly on Yarrow.

Butterfly on Yarrow.

Looking northwest.

Looking northeast.

Wooly Sunflower - Eriophyllum lanatum. Growing near summit in full sun.

Looking due west.



Spent Lupine and Noble Firs near summit. Looking northeast.

Parking area from trail to summit.

Foxglove growing on road, above 2500 feet.

Close up of Foxglove stem.