Cement Bluff is a rocky prominence northwest of Mt. Eddy that can be accessed via the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). At Parks Creek Trailhead (from where most hikers choose to access the Deadfall Lakes and Mt. Eddy summit), cross the road and catch the PCT going “north” for a truly floriferous 4.5-mile hike to Cement Bluff.
This section of the PCT forms a huge “C” as it follows the contour of a basin. It is a gently undulating trail with negligible elevation gain that will take you through wet and dry meadows, rock gardens, and coniferous forest, all at ~6800-foot elevation. Once you get to Cement Bluff, you can look straight across the gorge and see your car!
The coolest time to hike this trail is late spring, just as the snow is nearly all melted. That is when hundreds of anemones are in bloom in the wet meadows—truly a sight to behold.
On this visit, we missed the anemones, but western blue flax, Pringle’s phacelia, and Nuttall’s sandwort were especially prolific. And of course, there were many other wildflowers blooming their little buds off. We counted no fewer than 70 species in bloom.
The following slideshow provides a sampling of some of the species we saw in bloom. Note the tiny pollen grains on almost every blossom. It was a good day for wind-pollinators, but not so good for allergy sufferers! Enjoy! -Laurie & Don Burk
