Jimmy and I finally made it to Table Mountain north of Oroville, an hour-and-a-half's drive from us ... a favored spot for spring wildflowers in California. I've been wanting to visit since I first heard that it was a great area for flowers, but I wasn't sure how to find the exact location. A few days ago, Kial of Nevada City Scenics gave me the address, many thanks. Well, most of you know that NorCal had a banner season for rainfall -- thus, everyone knew we'd have a superb wildflower season! And it has been glorious! Time was running out to see the spectacle, however, as the days were heating up fast. I wonder how cool winter temps can morph into summer heat in less than a week! What happened to spring? Behold the wildflowers!
The drive didn't seem too long or disagreeable. Hwy 70 took us north through the almond and walnut orchards, but no wildflowers. On winding Cherokee Road we drove up and around a leg of Lake Oroville, eventually reaching Table Mountain parking lot ... where we were greeted by acres of Sky Lupines and Goldfields.
Our hike began on brittle basalt that forms the mesa that is Table Mountain, surrounded by green -- green fields, green trees, green shrubs -- a brilliant contrast to the dark rock, and interspersed with vivid swaths of blue and yellow. A tiny rivulet splashed downhill to Jimmy's left. We saw no signs at the trailhead, but the parking lot was filled with cars and we saw plenty of people on this trail, so we followed them. Unfortunately, we had no map and I'd forgotten my phone, so I couldn't access AllTrails (sigh). Ho hum, off we went, happy as people can be who don't know where they're going and don't mind it, only that they ARE going!
We had to share the Ecological Reserve with bovines. Many were close enough to touch, but I doubt anybody did. They're probably skittish if approached too closely. They don't mind leaving calling cards directly on the trail, however, fresh and juicy, to be avoided at any cost! We also had to shoo them off the trail in front of us. Hiyah - get on there!
Other tiny streams met up with each other and formed Campbell Creek.
Wherever we turned, we spied more wildflowers. Above is a cluster of Bitterroot, mixed with a white blossom I couldn't identify. We were atop the mesa, looking down into a pool formed by the drop of Hollow Falls. Below us, a group of (high school?) girls were splashing in the water. We heard them before we saw them!
They were having lots o' fun, though accompanied by several adults. They look tiny that far below. Our trail took us down-down-down, as those girls dashed up (oh to be young!). 
Top: White-tipped clover, Blue Dicks, Seep Monkey Flower
Bottom: Purple Owl's Clover, Larkspur, Bitterroot
Hollow Falls is one of the shorter falls (69') on Table Mountain that flows well but only after a lot of rain. It's a lovely cascade down a gradual slope where the waterfall has cut into the rock face. Kind of dramatic from below!
From Hollow Falls, we kept walking, meeting fewer and fewer people. The canyon was glowing with colors. The hike took longer for us as we kept stopping to take pictures, the scenery was that breathtaking.
We wandered into and through an oak savanna,
cascades of flowers flowing down the hillsides.
A wildfire ravaged parts of Table Mountain in the last couple of years, felling giants and burning vegetation. This appears to be one of the victims.
The trail converged several times, and we guessed, right or left ...? We met no more people, and really didn't know if we were on a loop or would have to return via the same path. Above is Campbell Creek and its lovely canyon. At this point, a figure appeared on top of the mesa, heading down our way. When we asked if this was a loop trail, he said no, that we'd have to go back the way we came, but if we kept going, a fantastic waterfall was ahead that we really shouldn't miss. Just follow the path up the ridge and ... keep going. In the full sun. On the first hot day we'd had since last year. OK, we decided we wanted to see the waterfall. But I was wishing for shade or clouds ....
At the fringe of the blooming season, we didn't see entire hillsides blanketed in purple owl's clover, but it was a color I'd not seen before. and it was fantastic.
Looking back toward the trees from whence we came, with hillsides ablaze in wildflowers -- the Sky Lupines and Goldfields and Purple Owl's Clover and Foothill Poppies, and lots of others, and Campbell Creek leading us toward a waterfall. We'd heard about the waterfall from folks who'd been here and knew we wanted to see it.
By gum, we'd hiked so far that we could see the valley to the west! And smoke! Someone was burning something, but it must have been controlled 'cause we heard no planes, etc. Surely we had to be close to the waterfall or we'd reach the valley! Loved that purple clover!
Much of the area on the ridge was covered in chunks of sharp basalt, which made for hazardous and slow walking. Fertile ground for poppies, though. We kept walking and after crossing one more short canyon, we heard the waterfall.
And then we saw it! Beatson Falls. It was loud and it was beautiful, with an impressive 104' drop. Perched high atop the mesa, the falls disappeared from our sight before it hit bottom. We sat and admired and rested and ate a granola bar. The sun was hot. We were feeling "done in" and still had miles to go to get back to our car, though happy to have attained our goal of experiencing another gonzo wildflower display and hiking to the waterfall. Two fellas came along as we sat, with a MAP of Table Mountain, and told us we were at Beatson Falls. Not THE falls everyone talked about (Phantom Falls). Harumph. Never mind. Time to turn tail and head for the car.
Basalt hoodoos in the canyon below the falls.
We turned around at 3pm, two hours after beginning, retracing our steps with the sun on the wane and the flowers glowing brighter than they had earlier. The hillsides were, well, you see for yourself.
We've never seen so many lupines!
As we walked along, we realized that the entire time we were on the trail, we heard a continual, a pervasive humming from above. Zillions of bees were droning in the oaks and in the flowers. We ate our apples as we made our way through the oaks.
This really is a great place to hike but be prepared. We were not. We'd started out late, didn't have a map (or a clue!), no phone, inadequate hydration, no bug spray for mosquitoes (in the wet canyon bottoms), no sunscreen, and probably one or two more "why didn't we bring?" items. When we reached the car, the temp was 88 degrees, much MUCH warmer than what we'd been used to. Heck, we'd been standing in front of our toasty fireplace till last week! One of these days we'll have it all together! Maybe. 😊
When son, Matt, read this last paragraph, he kind of laughed and said, "You guys sound like rookies!" I guess sometimes we do, although we're not and know better!
This really is a great place to hike but be prepared. We were not. We'd started out late, didn't have a map (or a clue!), no phone, inadequate hydration, no bug spray for mosquitoes (in the wet canyon bottoms), no sunscreen, and probably one or two more "why didn't we bring?" items. When we reached the car, the temp was 88 degrees, much MUCH warmer than what we'd been used to. Heck, we'd been standing in front of our toasty fireplace till last week! One of these days we'll have it all together! Maybe. 😊
When son, Matt, read this last paragraph, he kind of laughed and said, "You guys sound like rookies!" I guess sometimes we do, although we're not and know better!
THE END.
