Many wildflowers continue to bloom in May along the Yahi Trail and Lower/Middle Trails in the park. And that means lilies! Lily blooms begin near Bear Hole swimming area and continue up to the fields above Salmon Hole swimming area, and they are all so lovely. At times, entire slopes are covered with these lilies! Larkspur, lupine and checkerbloom wildflowers are all lovely and can be found on this hike.

Lilies on a bluff overlooking the Salmon Hole swimming area, May 2023.

The Yahi Trail begins at Big Chico Creek and crosses the public golf course near the entrance to Upper Bidwell Park. After crossing the Park Road, the Yahi trail joins with the Lower/Middle Trail briefly. The Yahi Trail then crosses back across the Park Road (Yahi trail sign on Park Road) to the eastern side where it follows the creek up the canyon to the end of the road.

Blooming hillside: Mariposa lilies amongst the tall grass along an upper portion of the Main Park Rd.

Along with the wildflowers, the swimming holes of Upper Bidwell Park are another treasure offered. Swimming holes can be found starting just past the One Mile Recreation area and continuing up past Brown’s Hole swimming area, my favorite for its seclusion. Salmon Hole is another wonderful swimming area that takes some extra effort to reach, but it always worth it.

Purple lilies in bloom on a bluff overlooking Salmon Hole swimming area, Upper Bidwell Park, May 2023.

Seeing wildflowers blooming on the edge of the bluffs overlooking a swimming hole is rare. It only seems to happen after very wet winters. And when hiking, rarely do I spot swimmers out in Salmon Hole. If I can spot both wildflowers and people actually in Salmon Hole, very cool!

The Yahi Trail prior to reaching the Bear Hole swimming area is mostly shaded and Monkeyflower can be found within the rocks very near the water. Along the Yahi Trail when you are under the tree canopy, keep an eye out for the bright red Spice bush, so unique! One of my favorite flowers in the park, the Butte County Checkerbloom, can be found in several locations including along the Middle Trail and the Upper Yahi Trail.

The unique bloom of the Spice Bush. Look UP to spot them along trails!

A thought for all: As you head further up the Yahi Trail, the less human impact is evident, and many wildflowers can be found near the narrow trail. Be sure to counsel your hiking party from plucking flowers and petals, so they are there for others to enjoy!

Wildflowers: Checkerbloom, lilies, lupine and more!

99.9% of my wildflower images are captured while staying on the trail, as with all my hiking I hope to leave no trace. When stepping off trail in this area, I utilize rock outcroppings, so no damage was done to the surrounding flora. Prime lenses used to capture these images: the Canon f/1.2 L series and an Irix 150 mm macro lens.