Columbia Hills State Park - Crawford Ranch Trail — Thursday, Apr. 27, 2023

We were pleasantly surprised at how the lupine and balsamroot bloom had improved since we checked the area out on Sunday! Most of the lupine is not in full bloom and many bouquets are only buds, but there many areas with good color. There are balsamroot, too, that have buds yet to open so by next weekend the bloom should be nearing prime for the balsamroot and the lupine will be in much fuller bloom. It was 84 today so the high temperatures the past 2 days must have helped the bloom progress! When we passed the Crawford Oaks TH on our way to Dallas Mountain Road, there were 4 school buses in the parking lot and over 100 kids having lunch! The busses had dropped the kids off at the Crawford Ranch TH and then driven to the Crawford Oaks TH where the kids had just returned from doing a through hike! We began our hike at the Crawford Ranch TH taking the 0.02 Pond Connector Trail to the start of the loop. We did the loop counter clockwise by turning right on the Eightmile Creek Trail to its junction with Military Road. Bob completed the loop by staying on Eight Mile Creek Trail to the Ranch Route and I waked down Military Road so I could get my special WTA water bottle which I had left where we had lunch in the oak grove yesterday when starting at the  Crawford Oaks TH.  The creek crossing to the Entry Road was easily done and I continued on the Entry Road for one mile to the Crawford Oaks TH to wait for Bob to pick me up. Bob's Loop was 3.4 miles and my straight through walk was only 2.7 miles. Phlox, fiddleneck, and white water Crowfoot were other flowers seen. The fragrance of the lupine in areas where it was blooming was nice. We heard beautiful meadowlark sounds, but saw none!