05/30/2026
Mary Minerva McCroskey State Park Field Trip
Pam Brunsfeld & Judy Ferguson
9:30 am – 4 pm PDT, Saturday June 6, 2026
Join us for a day trip to Mary McCroskey State Park to view an abundance of wildflowers and witness two special things listed below. Meet at 9:30 at the Rosauer’s parking lot (look for a green Subaru Forester with kayak racks) to arrange carpooling. In the park we will travel on a 17-mile gravel road (fine for passenger cars) and return via US 95 south of Tensed. Bring lunch, water, hat, etc. This will mainly be roadside botanizing but if walking sticks make you more comfortable for short distances, bring them. We will return mid-late afternoon. A species list will be provided. Heavy rain cancels.
First, taper-leaf Penstemon, Penstemon attenuatus, is normally blue to violet purple. At the park a population extends miles, that ranges from white to pale pink to rose, to light blue or lavender, to deep purple and blue. This is only reported to occur in one other locality in eastern Oregon. Second, INPS board members have been working with park officials developing a voucher garden that can provide native seeds for restoring disturbed areas of the Park, including areas around and near Sublime Point, a magnificent part of the park that overlooks the Palouse.
