Freaky Ferns and Fungus in Forest Park

My route though Forest Park - 6.6mi

I planned to meet Aaron at the Saltzman road entrance. He got stuck in a meeting though, so I decided to start without him. I figured I'd walk slowly and take lots of pictures and he could catch up.

Fungus near the Saltzman road gate.

I went down firelane 5, but parked my truck in the direction of Saltzman. I figured Aaron would start that way, and meet up with me on Wildwood trail.

He did go down Saltzman, but walked all the way down to Leif Erikson - so we ended up hiking the loop in opposite directions.

Banana Slug

Not sure if this is the regular Pacific Banana Slug (Ariolimax columbianus) or if it's the Slender Banana Slug (Ariolimax dolichophallus)

Unidentified Mushroom

Very similar to the one I saw in Tualatin Hills nature park on Monday.

Backside of an old trillium.

Trillium ovatum starts out white but turns purple as it ages. It's very pretty

Another old trillium

The forest is just full of trilliums this time of year. They're everywhere along the path.

Unidentified fern on firelane 5

Sword Fern - Polystichum munitum

Norhern Maidenhair Fern - Adiantum pedatum

I just love these delicate ferns with their distinctive blue stems.

Here's another maidenhair starting to unfurl.

Unidentified fern on Wildwood trail.

Another unidentified fern on Wildwood trail.

This one looks very similar to the last, but with dark brown hairs.

Unidentified Mushroom

Magnificient Moss - Plagiomnium venustum

It really is magnificient!

Wildwood trail, east of Saltzman Rd.

Hiking Springville to Germantown and Back

Our path today.

Aaron and I hiked a total of about 6.6 miles today.

We started out at Old Springville Road and hiked down Hardesty to Leif Erickson. We followed Leif Erickson all the way to Germantown Road. From there we took the new Canon trail up to Wildwood and followed WW all the way back to Springville.

Stream Violet - Viola glabella

AKA - Yellow Wood Violet

Thyme-Leaved Speedwell - Veronica serpyllifolia

Indian Plum - Oemleria cerasiformis

Western Trillium - Trillium ovatum

Salmonberry - Rubus spectabilis

More Trilliums

English Ivy - Hedera helix

More Salmonberries

Indian Plum

Mud

Red Flowering Currant - Ribes sanguineum

Pileated Woodpecker - Dryocopus pileatus

Aaron saw this one first (and ID'd it).

Unfortunately I made too much noise while catching up and only had the chance to snap this one blurry picture.

Oregon Grape - Mahonia nervosa

Sword Fern - Polystichum munitum

Blue Skies

Licorice Fern - Polypodium glycyrrhiza

Trillium Trail and Beyond

Today's hike in Forest Park (2.9 miles)

Aaron and I decided the weather was finally good enough to start hiking in Forest Park again - during the winter, short days and muddy trails make things difficult.

Anyway, we parked on Old Springville Rd. and took Firelane 7 to Trillium trail.

Western Trillium - Trillium ovatum

It was a good choice, the Trilliums on this trail were just beginning to bloom.

After TT, we walked along a section of Wildwood trail and then headed down what we think is a new trail. The unknown trail (we now call it nettle and mud trail) was covered in tiny new nettles.

Spring is Springing

Green is showing up everwhere... in clumps of new leaves, and the mosses and ferns.