Hiking to Westfall Meadow and to the View of Turner Ridge.
What a wonderful day and hike.... rainbow colors in the clouds....a rainbow of colors provided by the many wildflowers along the trail and in West fall Meadow....and meeting a happy fisherman even though he did not see any rainbow trout or any fish along Bridalveil Creek.
It is a most enjoyable and easy hike to Westfall Meadow.
The hike begins in a lodgepole pine and red fir forest...but soon you reach an open sandy area...habitat for some beautiful wildflowers, including white-pink pussy paws and yellow golden brodiaea. There is a view of Horse Ridge.
And on this day....the clouds were full of rainbow colors...30% chance of rain.
In about a mile you will cross Bridalveil Creek, yet another wildflower habitat. Soon you will cross the old Glacier Point Road...go straight and continue on the trail; there is an old trail sign at this junction. Going left on the old Glacier Point Road, leads to the Bridalveil Campground and going right leads to Summit Meadow.....good cross country ski trails!!!
There is a short 0.25 mile climb through the forest with plenty of flowers along the path....Indian Paint Brush painting red-orange colors along the trail, lavendar phlox, yellow senicio. Just before reaching Westfall Meadow, I heard some beautiful music of two birds... woodpeckers whistling while they were working...drilling for insects.
Westfall Meadow.....full of meadow grasses, beautiful light shining through the clouds and onto the meadow....beautiful clouds in the sky above the meadow....full of shooting stars and bistort.
Shooting stars (Dodecatheon jefferyi) whose lavendar color is like that of the clouds today. Another common name for bistort is knotweed..."snow-white globes of Knotweed (Polygonum bistortoides)...like stars among the meadow grasses," writes Dana C. Morgenson in Yosemite Wildflower Trails.
The Mountains of California by John Muir.
"The meadows are smooth, level, silky lawns, lying embedded in the upper forests......so enameled with flowers and butterflies. But, write as I may, I cannot give anything like an adequate idea of the exquisite beauty of these mountain carpets as they lie smoothly outspread in the savage wilderness......And not to mention the flowers with which they are brightened."
Continuing across the meadow which is marked with 2 tall dead branches placed upright in the meadow soil....acting as guide posts. There is a stream to cross....the crossing is easy because of this year's lack of snowfall. I loved getting my feet wet anyway.
Meadows have fertile well watered soil, providing yet, another habitat...one resulting in the lushest summer wildflowers. Bee and butterfly heaven. Wildflower species vary from the wettest parts to the driest parts of the meadow. Also, the low very wet and soggy areas; and areas along streams of meadows are yet, a diffferent wildflower habitat.....and often exclude all but specialized plants.
Reaching the other dryer side of the meadow, I found yellow flowers belonging to the Compositae family. As I sat down in the meadow to take a picture, I am thankful....and remember how much fun I had skiing across this meadow over the years...this meadow is pretty snow-covered as well.
The are plenty of fields of corn lily in the meadow....I did not see any corn lily with blossoms. Soon there is a gentle climb through the forest with its humus soil...providing yet, a different wildflower habitat white Macloskey's violet....looking like an angel with wings yellow mountain violet..looking happy strawberry...looking delicate... belonging to the rose family snow plants....looking simply red lupine...looking peaceful....it's in the pea family.
As you leave the forest...be prepared to see a beautiful view of Turner Ridge.
Turner Ridge is named for Will Turner, grandfather of Arthur L. Gallison, who was a Yosemite Park Ranger for 37 years from 1916 to 1953. Turner ran cattle in the area in the 1880's, before the creation of Yosemite National Park. The trail contours along a gravelly slope....providing, yet a different wildflower habitat...with exquisite dainty flowers...Blue-Eyed Mary, pink mustang clover, and the jovial monkey flower, this particular species I do not see very often.
Its blossom is a dark rose color with a white throat having red spots. It is Layne's monkey flower...mimulus layneae.
Mimulus means mimic...as in a mime as in a clown. The monkey flower in general is easily recognized by the shape of its flower...
- An upper lip and a lower lip.
- 5 petals of tubular shape.
- 2 petals turned up.
- 3 petals turned down.
FYI
The map shows Yosemite West proximity to the hiking trails along the Glacier Point Road.
Park at the trailhead for Dewey Point on the Glacier Point Road. The trail is directly across from the McGurk trail....on the opposite side of the Gacier Point Road.
In conclusion...I loved this little hike to Westfall Meadow and to the View of Turner Ridge. The trail goes through 7 different wildflower habitats...perfect for seeing a variety of flowering plants....seeing every color of a rainbow.
Today....I was as happy as Layne's monkey flower growing across from Turner Ridge. As I retraced my steps home I was happy noticing a few more things....a happy well dressed fisherman with a cute vest with all the little pockets a fisherman needs... a distant view of Sentinel Dome...a few more colorful wildflowers...and another symphony of rainbow clouds.
Stay in a comfortable cozy Scenic Wonder's cabin....in the beautiful mountains where all the beautiful wildflowers grow. In a half hour's time from your cabin.....you'll be hiking on one of the many wonderful trails along the Glacier Point Road. Maybe you will see a rainbow. Remember to look at the heavenly colored clouds and the earthy colored wildflowers.....and look for the rainbow trout, as well.
Another terrific day in Yosemite
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