If you visit Columbia Hills State Park at exactly the right time (usually mid-April), you'll have the opportunity to see and/or photograph large quantities of Northwest Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza deltoidia) at the peak of bloom along with Columbia Gorge Broadleaf Lupine (Lupinus latifolia var. thompsonianus) in the open fields below Dalles Mountain Road. Timing is critical. Balsamroot starts to decline very quickly after it begins to bloom.
This photo was taken with a Canon 350D and the excellent 70-200mm f/4L lens, which foreshortens the scene and makes the flowers appear much denser than they actually are.
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