A wildflower hike — where Mother Nature paints the trail in full bloom

Looking for inspiration for your art? My husband and I recently tackled the McCall Point Trail in the Columbia Gorge — and it did not disappoint.

At 3.4 miles with 1,000 feet of elevation gain, it's a worthy workout, but the payoff is nothing short of breathtaking. Vibrant balsamroot, lupines, buckwheat, prairie stars, sticky-stem penstemon, Columbia frasera, and Indian paintbrush blanket the hillsides, while sweeping views of Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, and the Columbia River stretch out beyond. It’s a beautiful, unique landscape designed to jumpstart your imagination.  

The most humbling part? Not a brushstroke of human effort went into creating it. All we had to do was show up — and stay on the path.