All kinds of colorful wildflowers at Davis Lake

It’s that time of the year again!
The Davis Lake area, just north of Portola, California has some spectacular displays of colorful wildflowers blooming at the present time.

The wildflowers:
They can be seen along the east side of the lake, from the junction at the south end to the end of the paved road at Lightning Tree Boat Ramp.
Included in the annual display of wildflowers are scattered yellow Buttercups, a “zillion” yellow Mule Ears, all kinds of purple Lupine, rare and beautiful red Snow Plants (also known as Snow Flowers) and some kind of blue-colored ground cover (I’m not sure what it is called).

Two other locations where you can enjoy the wildflowers are:
01. On both sides of Grizzly Road as you drive north past the golf cart overpass for the Grizzly Ranch Golf Course.
As you drive on Grizzly Road, keep your eyes peeled for mule deer next to the highway and for lots of Mule Ears and Lupine.
02. Across from the fire station on Grizzly Road.
There is a large area that contains countless Mule Ears.

How to get to Davis Lake:
Davis Lake can be reached from Carson City by taking U.S. 395 north to Reno. Then from Reno, drive past Bordertown and the Nevada-California state line to a junction with California S.R. 70 at Hallelujah Junction.
At Hallelujah Junction, take S.R. 70 west toward Portola and Quincy to a junction with Grizzly Road, which is about seven miles east of Portola.
After you have driven past the airport at Beckwourth and through the tiny Town of Beckwourth, that junction is just a short distance beyond a State roadside rest area on the left and an old cemetery on the right.
Turn right onto Grizzly Road and go north for about six miles to Davis Lake.
The entire trip will be about 80 miles (one-way) from Carson City.

The spectacular Snow Plant (AKA Snow Flower):
My all-time favorite wildflower is the Snow Plant, it is gorgeous.
Your best bet for seeing Snow Plants is on the right side of Grizzly Road, as you drive north along the lake, but you’ll need sharp eyes to see them.
The Snow Plant has a bright red color that almost looks unreal and it is found near pine trees in forested areas in late spring and early summer.
It can be either a single plant or in groups.
It resembles a tightly wrapped asparagus plant in the early stages of its growth and then opens slightly into a gorgeous red, bell-shaped flower.
The Snow Plant can be anywhere in size from only several inches tall up to a foot or more in height.

Some special tips:
01. Remember that it is against the law to disturb a Snow Plant in California. Do not pick or dig up a Snow Plant, as it could cost you a lot of money if you’re caught.
02. When you park your vehicle or walk across Grizzly Road, be aware of the high-speed traffic whizzing past.
03. When you do spot some flowers, carefully park, well off the highway, and then casually wander through the forest.
04. Don’t forget your insect repellant, the bugs are out in full force, especially the gnats and mosquitoes.
05. Take a camera and enjoy Mother Nature’s beauty at this time of the year.

Finally:
When you are done, be sure to stop at “The Frosty” of the J & J Grizzly Store on the south end of Davis Lake for some food and drinks or supplies.
A very tasty and filling lunch combination at that location is a cheeseburger (no onions for me!) with French fries and a root beer float.
Try it, you’ll like it!
And, be sure to tell Jim and Jeanne that Don and Elaine said, “Hi!”

Special Notes:
01. Last Friday on our photographic walk in the forest on the east side of the lake, we saw a number of mule deer. In addition, there were all kinds of seagulls, coots, pelicans, ducks and Canada geese at Davis Lake.
02. There were many campers in the one U.S.F.S. campground that was open, plus the campground was almost completely full at the Grizzly Store.

Bet Your Favorite Pigeon
Bet your favorite pigeon that he can’t tell you what is our personal all-time record for seeing the most Snow Plants at one location.
If he grins and says, “In 2009, Elaine found a group of 13 Snow Plants at one location at Davis Lake,” he could have been with us on that outing.
This year, the most Snow Plants we saw at one location were six, but we could not photograph them as they were in the shade.

— Don Quilici is the Outdoor editor for Carson Now and www.SouthTahoeNow.com. He can be reached at donquilici@hotmail.com.