Windy Point Trail

Dijukno that California has many beautiful, and historic hiking opportunities?

CA Explorer, Windy Point trail

Evan Jones

Windy Point trail...wildflowers and history

What better way to harken spring than to walk among multicolored flowers, with a backdrop of a wild
river and its precipitous canyon? The Windy Point trail near Colfax offers a remarkable seasonal
procession of wildflowers, and yet it remains a well kept secret. This is a pity because in mid-season,
practiced eyes have reported over 100 species of wildflowers along the first mile of trail alone. Bring a
hand lens and local flower guide! (“Wildflowers of Nevada and Placer Counties,” by Redbud Chapter,
CA Native Plant Society, is excellent)

 Near the trailhead, we enter a portal of Douglas fir, big leaf maple and black oak. Ponderosa pine,
buckeye with its new leaves and cinnamon colored nuts, and incense cedar help shade the trail. Toyon,
fragrant bay laurel, canyon live oak, gray pine, blue oak, interior live oak, redbud, and manzanita
complement the scene.

Early season blossoms include