Today we made our annual trip to Brooks Memorial State Park to hopefully see blooming Mountain Lady Slippers. We were able to find some blooming ones, but many are still in the embryo stage. Balsamroot was fading and lupine was just beginning. Its fragrance filled the air in the light breeze which followed us on much of the trail. The trail begins from the TH across HWY 97 from the CG where we are camping for 3 nights. When we reach the trail sign which is in the collage in the 4th picture, we headed east (left) on the Brooks Nature Trail which is no longer signed to do a lolly-pop loop to the start of the Lady Slipper Trail which is no longer signed. This trail returns to the Brooks Nature Trail and back to the TH parking area. One spotted coral root, a few pea flowers, yellow desert parsley,a few prairie stars and Larkspur were also seen.
Trip Report
Brooks Memorial State Park — Monday, May. 26, 2025
Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA
Type of Hike
Day hikeTrail Conditions
Trail in good conditionRoad
Road suitable for all vehiclesBugs
No bugsSnow
Snow free
Comments
Muledeer on Brooks Memorial State Park
Exciting to see the lady slippers!! I've seen them only once, on the Icicle Ridge trail out of Leavenworth. Nice pics
Posted by:
Muledeer on May 27, 2025 09:40 AM
Bob and Barb on Brooks Memorial State Park
Thank you! They are one of our favorite flowers! We have been blessed to have seen them on the Ingalls Creek Trail at 3 1/2 and 4 miles 6-04-07 and 6-07-13, but we can no longer hike that far. We saw them last year when we hiked a trail at Field Springs SP.
Posted by:
Bob and Barb on Jun 01, 2025 12:00 AM
Joseph Gonzalez on Brooks Memorial State Park
Stunning
Posted by:
Joseph Gonzalez on May 30, 2025 10:16 AM
Bob and Barb on Brooks Memorial State Park
Thank you! We meandered the trail again on Thursday before heading home to see if all plants were now blooming. They were and we saw some we hadn't seen before. They are one of our favorite flowers!
Posted by:
Bob and Barb on Jun 01, 2025 12:03 AM