Photographers from around the world come here to capture this classic Columbia River Gorge landscape during the spectacular bloom season in April and early May, when yellow Balsamroot and blue Lupine blanket the wide, windswept meadows.
Much of the Rowena Crest landscape was rescued from private development in the late 1970s and 1980s as the Tom McCall Preserve by the Nature Conservancy of Oregon. The non-profit continues to own and manage the land, and generously welcomes thousands of visitors each year to explore the trails here.
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Image Description: late afternoon sunlight casts long shadows during the annual wildflower spectacle at Rowena Crest in the Columbia River Gorge. Ponderosa pine boughs sway in the breeze in this scene, as a lone, wind-sculpted Oregon white oak begins to leaf out after weathering another stormy winter in the Gorge. Blooms of bright yellow Balsamroot (part of the sunflower family) and deep blue spikes of Lupine (a member of the pea family) complete the vibrant spring scene.
Photo © WyEast Images (2026)
WyEast Images 