If you’re eager to get a head start on summer, stroll through the wildflower meadows of Tire Mountain, a little-known retreat near Oakridge where the blooms of summer arrive by early June. The easy path contours 2 miles through sunny meadows with views of Cascade snowpeaks. Then the trail climbs through forest to Tire Mountain’s former lookout site. 

From Interstate . . .

. . .  The path ducks into the forest for half a mile and crosses two small meadows before emerging at the last and largest field, covered each June by a carpet of tiny pink plectritis wildflowers.  Also look here for yellow monkeyflower, sunflower-like balsamroot, and blue camas.

If you’re tired, turn back at this final meadow. Otherwise,  . . .

Tire Mountain is named for Tire Creek, where story has it that an early traveler on the old military wagon road to Oakridge left a broken wagon wheel.

This chapter is an excerpt from 100 Hikes : Central Oregon Cascades