Lyons Creek Trail

This area in El Dorado County may be covered in snow until June or July. Once the snow recedes, you get to view a lot of newly emerging wildflowers and lots of interesting insect life.

Easy to Locate? Yes
Pet Friendly? Yes. But keeps pets in your car or on a leash.
Easy to Walk? Yes.
Is there a Fee? No
Are there Restrooms? No. But there are a couple of rest stops along the way.
Is there Accessible Parking? Yes.
Other Notes: Stop, if you can, along Wrights Creek Road for more wildflowers. Don’t block traffic.

Brown-Eyed Wolf Lichen, Letharia columbiana
Northern Indian Parsnip, Cymopterus terebinthinus
Upland Larkspur, Delphinium nuttallianum
Plantainleaf Buttercup, Ranunculus alismifolius
Corn Lily, Veratrum californicum
Pine, Lodgepole Pine, Pinus contorta
Prettyface, Triteleia ixioides
Naked Mariposa Lily, Calochortus nudus
Fivespot, Nemophila maculata
Hairy Indian Paintbrush, Hairy Owl’s Clover, Castilleja tenuis
Denseflower Willowherb, Epilobium densiflorum
Crown Brodiaea, Brodiaea coronaria
Sticky Cinquefoil, Drymocallis glandulosa
Hoary Comma Butterfly, Polygonia gracilis **
Diamond Clarkia, Clarkia rhomboidei
Kellogg’s Monkeyflower
Gooseberry, Sierra Gooseberry
Jessica’s Stickseed, Hackelia micrantha
Mountain Bluebells, Mertensia ciliata
Changeable Phacelia, Phacelia mutabilis
Kellogg’s Monkeyflower
Boreal Long-Lipped Tiger Beetle, Cicindela longilabris
Mountain Pride Penstemon, Penstemon newberryi
Branching Phacelia, Phacelia ramosissima
Deerbrush Ceanothus, Ceanothus integerrimus
Big Deervetch, Hosackia crassifolia
Galls formed in reaction to the Manzanita Leafgall Aphid, Tamalia coweni
California Sister Butterfly, Adelpha californica
Greater Bee Fly, Bombylius major
2 kinds of monkeyflower: Brewer’s Monkeyflower, Erythranthe breweri and the larger Seep Monkeyflower, Erythranthe guttata
Streambank Bird’s-Foot Trefoil, Hosackia oblongifolia
Mountain Jewelflower, Streptanthus tortuosus
Pale Swallowtail Butterfly, Papilio eurymedon
Mount Hood Pussypaws, Calyptridium umbellatum
Iris, Rainbow Iris, Iris hartwegii

Along the way, we stopped at the little Bridal Veil Falls on the rights side of Highway 50 and checked out the seeps along either side of it.

The trail itself is relatively easy to walk. There is a lot to see just within the first half mile or so. Depending on the time of year, there may be water crossings over parts of the creek, so be prepared with water-proof socks or shoes.

Before you go, check out Charlie Russell’s Lyons Creek Wildflowers webpage. It gave me a heads up about the trail and what sorts of flowers we might see there. So helpful!

How to Get There

From Sacramento [90-minutes to 2 hours depending on traffic and how many stops you make]

Take Highway 50 East
Exit at Wrights Lake Road in Kyburz, CA
Turn LEFT onto Wrights Creek Road
Follow Wrights Creek Road up to the well-marked parking area at the Lyon’s Creek Trailhead.
- NOTE: Wrights Creek Road is paved but is very narrow. Drive slowly and watch for oncoming traffic.