Tire Mountain

Area	Western Cascades (Willamette National Forest)
Best time to visit	Early to mid-June
Blooming Now	No
Elevation	3728-4329 feet
	PLANT LIST AVAILABLE
	WILDFLOWER SEARCH
	ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
Dogs	Allowed

NOTE: The blue marker indicates the trailhead.

Description

The snow melts earlier at Tire Mountain (near Oakridge) than it does in the Cascades, which makes this a terrific wildflower destination during the first half of June. On clear days you will also enjoy fine views of the Cascades from along the trail.

The trail passes through alternating sections of mist-shrouded old-growth forests and open meadows, which means that there is a good diversity of species blooming. In the meadows, you can expect to see Cliff Larkspur (Delphinium menziesii), Northwest Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza deltoidea), Rosy Plectritis (Plectritis congesta), Cardwell's Penstemon (Penstemon cardwellii), Tolmie's Cat's Ear (Calochortus tolmiei), Scalloped Onion (Allium crenulatum), Sulphur Flower Buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum var. umbellatum), Bluefield Gilia (Gilia capitata), Common Camas (Camassia quamash), Harsh Paintbrush (Castilleja hispida), Common Monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus), Oregon Sunshine (Eriophyllum lanatum var. achillaeoides), and no less than five different members of the Lomatium family.

Directions

From Eugene/Springfield, drive east on Highway 58 to the Westfir exit directly across the Middle Fork Ranger District station. Drive 0.5 mile, crossing the Middle Fork of the Willamette River, and turn left at the stop sign. In another 1.7 miles you will come to a second stop sign, with a covered bridge on your left. Proceed straight on Road 19 for approximately 4.6 miles, and turn left onto gravel Forest Road 1912, which crosses the North Fork of the Middle Fork of the Willamette. Though gravel, this road is easily navigable by all passenger vehicles.

After 6.6 miles you will come to a road junction. Proceed straight (onto Forest Road 1910) for another 0.3 mile, and then veer right at a fork in the road onto Forest Road 1911. In another 0.4 mile you will see a trailhead (marked "Alpine Trail" with no mention whatsoever of Tire Mountain!) on the left side of the road, and parking turnouts on both sides of the road. The trail starts here.

After climbing through a second-growth, then old-growth, forest for 1.2 miles, you will come to a trail junction marked by a log with the words "TIRE MTN" carved into it. Be sure to turn right at this junction, or you will eventually end up at Buckhead Mountain (or, worse yet, get mowed down by a mountain biker).

You will reach the first of the meadows shortly after that trail junction.

Trip Reports

Date	Submitted by
05/22/2024	Greg Lief
Reports from previous years
06/04/2023	Greg Lief
06/06/2018	Charlie Russell
05/26/2018	Barry
05/27/2017	Greg Lief
05/30/2016	Greg Lief
05/26/2016	Greg Lief
04/24/2016	Greg Lief
07/02/2011	Greg Lief
06/14/2010	Greg Lief
06/10/2007	Greg Lief

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'Flowers are happy things.' -- P. G. Wodehouse