Voyage Into The Mountains

Three weeks ago me and the rest of the Douglas County Museum's Junior Explorer group visited the Glide Wildflower Show, and went on two waterfall hikes Fall Creek Falls and then Susan Creek Falls.

It took us about an hour and a half to get there.

We stopped at Colliding Rivers, where the Little and North Umpqua rivers collide.
Though not quite in the Cascade Range it was more montain than Maggie and almost as beautiful!
Common Wood Sorrel(above) The crik lead up to the waterfall.

Common Wood SorrelFall Creek Falls

We then hiked up to the top.It was compellingly beautiful.

Free where the wild wind blows,
where Sword Ferns stir, and tall trees grow,
where the deer are here year after year,
where the air is clean, and the trees are green
Free is where I want to be
yes free is where I want to be

Fall Creek that feeds the falls

We then hiked back down.

Calypso Orchidwater flowing

plants growing
life abundant

Oregon Bleeding Heart

After a picnic-lunch we went on the second hike.

Giant Fawn Lilies
Calypso Orchid
Susan Crik Falls was stunning.
waterfall plants
We could feel the tiny droplets hitting our faces.
mushrooms
We found a small cave by the waterfall and in it this(probably adult) Western Red-Backed Salamander. He was only about 4 and a half centameters long!
We got out of the cave(quickly) when I realized most of it was rocks held together by mud!Sword Ferns

This summer we might explore more of Land Of The Umpqua.