Summer in the Sierra Nevada of eastern California is a parade of iconic botanical masterpieces, from the many sumptuous lilies that flower at this season to sunny bogs filled with bizarre pitcher plants, myriad buckwheats, paintbrushes, phloxes, lupines and of course magnificent coniferous trees. Beginning with the misty coast redwoods, where immense fluted trunks reach skywards above a thick carpet of ferns to the stark, rocky wilds that are home to the oldest tree in North America - the bristlecone pines. Between we will see riotous displays of annuals carpeting the high country punctuated by fabulous stands of elegant columbines and much more. California has the richest flora in North America and much of it flowers now.
On arrival at Arcata airport we’ll make the short journey to see lovely Lilium kelloggii at a nearby woodland location, a first introduction and wonderful Californian flora. Overnight Arcata
Tucked away on a quiet side road this botanically rich site begins with stands of Aralia californica and then moves through diverse coniferous woodlands that hold Lilium rubescens, L. bolanderi, fiery Silene laciniata, Veratrum insolitum and in the marshes of Onion Lake an unusual mixture of Lilium pardalinum forms. Depending on the season there may be bear grass and Calochortus tolmiei too. Our return journey goes via an interesting pass where a large swathe of grassland prairie harbours abundant Chlorogalum pomeridianum, their delicate branched stems lined with white flowers that only open in the late afternoon. Verges full of Lilium columbianum will complete the day. Overnight Arcata.
the first part of the morning will be spent exploring an interesting tract of coastal dunes and littoral flora with Castilleja exserta subsp latifolia, the handsome buckwheat; Eriogonum latifolia, trailing stems of Calystegia soldanella with pink and white trumpets flowers and the sulphurous heads of Abronia latifolia. Lush fern banks carpeted in Adiantum aleuticum follow, a common component of the woodlands here and continuing north it’s hard to ignore the magnificent coast redwoods and we will make a visit to these incredible fern-choked woodlands as well as seeing more Lilium columbianum including some very large specimens. Overnight Crescent City
A second visit to a different and very impressive area of redwoods with many immense tree is followed by our first Darlingtonia californica, Lilium pardalinum subsp. vollmeri and Erythranthe grandiflora. then climbing into the serpentine hills (and depending on the season) we will see Lilium washingtonianum subsp. purpurascens with Allium amplectans, Castilleja applegatei, Lewisia cotyledon and Penstemon davisiana. To complete the day we visit a small botanical reserve with a fine colony of Darlingtonia californica and Lilium pardalinum subsp. vollmeri. Overnight Crescent City
Entering oregon we stop for a strong colony of Lilium pardalinum subsp. vollmeri growing with Rudbeckia californica, Castilleja elata and Spiraea douglasiana. Our route climbs past stands of Asclepias speciosa and its slender cousin A. fasciculata before reaching recently burned forest tracts where roadsides can have a variety of plants (depending on the season) including lovely Phlox adsurgens. A side road leads off higher where we find mats of Penstemon davisiana, Calyptridium monosperma, Castilleja minata and abundant electric blue Penstemon elata. Just below the pass we will find plenty of Lilium pardalinum subs. wigginsii in wet flushes and seeps. Overnight Mount Shasta
Before it becomes too warm we will visit a population of beautiful Calochortus macrocarpus that grows in the shadow of Mount Shasta. West of Mount Shasta, the diverse Scott Mountains rise up and we will spend the day exploring the flowery bogs and slopes of this area. Here Lilium pardalinum subsp. shastense commonly grows alongside Darlingtonia californica, although we will see bog filled with many hundreds of the latter in an extraordinary assemblage of cobra-like pitchers. Meadows that flank the bog are brimming with Helenium bigelovii and pretty pink Sidalcea oregana. Other delights include fiery Ipomopsis aggregata, golden spikes of Narthecium californicum and the slender white orchid Platanthera dilitata. With luck there will be time to visit stands of fragrant Rhododendron occidentale too. Overnight Mount Shasta.
Moving onto to Lassen National Park and seeing Lilium washingtonianum on the way, we climb onto the flanks of Lassen Peak to a geothermal area with blue pools, bubbling mud and hissing steam vents amidst barren alabaster and ochre slopes. Around are drifts of silvery leaved Lupinus albifrons, low shrubs of pretty Kalmia polifolia, red heather; Phyllodoce breweri and pretty tufts of cerise-pink Penstemon newberryi too. Marshy flushes have Lilium pardalinum subs. shastense, Veratrum californium, Aquilegia formosa, and Aconitum columbianum. If the snows were generous a few late Erythronium purpurascens could well be found, together with Claytonia lanceolata and stands of Balsamorrhiza sagittata. Fine views abound. Overnight Quincy
Fine woodlands and lakes mark the route south and we’ll divert to a big colony of Lilium pardalinum and L. parvum var. crocatum before heading onto Lake Tahoe. Here a side road takes us past colonies of Lilium parvum with the slender spikes of Platanthera dilitata and up to where rocks are plastered in lovely cerise Penstemon newberryi. Calochortus leichtlinii is common as are drifts of Aquilegia formosa, Wyethia mollis and the ever present Monardella odoratissima, often mingled with scarlet Ipomopsis aggregata. Overnight Markleeville
One of the premier flower areas in the Sierra Nevada, though quite what we see depends on the season. Expect delightful meadows of Castilleja miniata, Pedicularis attollens, hefty plates of Heracleum maximum and big spikes of blue Lupinus polyphyllus, in places mixed with Veratrum californium, Erythranthe primuloides and Aquilegia formosa, whilst pretty pink Ipomopsis tenuituba is common in drier places. Marshy flushes have Primula jeffreyi and on the upper granite rocks will be spreading mats of lovely Primula suffrutescens; two utterly contrasting primroses. The pale trunks of Pinus contorta make an interesting foreground to placid lakes and we will find Eriogonum umbellatum, E. ovalifolium var. nivale, Erigeron barbellulatus and Phlox condensata in rocky places too. Fine views all around. Overnight Markleeville
Our route south takes in rocky slopes with plenty of Argemone munita and the showy sunbursts of Mentzelia laevicaulis, before visiting higher slopes with Lilium kelleyanum, Aconitum columbianum and Sphaeralcea ambigua. Overnight Bishop
An almost indescribable place, where ancient battered trees grow defiantly in a stark and unwaveringly tough landscape in the White Mountains. The architectural trees are masterpieces of botany and to make the most of them we will leave very early to enjoy them in the early morning light, taking our breakfast there and then continuing on to see other large grove. Beneath the venerable giants are Eriogonum gracilipes, Erigeron pygmaea and Penstemon speciosum whilst the lower woodlands are dominated by cone-laden Pinyon pines. Overnight Bishop
We will visit other foothill locations with more Lilium kelleyanum, before continuing to Mono Lake where sand flats are peppered with pretty Diplacus mephiticus and Lupinus duranii. The famed tufa towers are also nearby. Afterwards we’ll ascend much higher to the Tioga Pass where there are flowery short meadows with Castilleja lemmonii, Pedicularis attollens, Lupinus lepidus and big drifts of Allium vallidum. Rocky slopes nearby have big clumps of long-spurred Aquilegia pubescens too. Overnight Lee Vining.
Our first stop is barely inside this famous national park. A small trail leads towards the summit of Mount Dana and the verdant lower slopes are swathed in dense drifts of Lupinus polyphyllus, Senecio triangularis and some impressive big clumps of Delphinium glaucum. A little higher up and among the granite boulders we find more lovely Aquilegia pubescens too. This is a large park and we drive for an hour until we reach large stands of Rudbeckia californica with Lilium parvum, Spiranthes romanzoffianum and Veratrum californicum and with luck green gentian. The it is on to the amazing Mariposa Grove and our final experience of giant trees where we see some truly immense Sequioadendron gigantea in arguably its finest setting. Overnight Mariposa.
5 - 18 July 2026
Per person: 6500 USD
Single supplement: 1200 USD
Included:
Not included:
Minimum number of participants 3; maximum 12.
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