North Table Mountain: the easiest big wildflower hike in NorCal
North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve is 3,300 acres of basalt mesa northeast of Oroville. Flat-topped, 1,100 feet above the valley floor, riddled with vernal pools that dry up by late May. For about three weeks in April, it's carpeted in yellow goldfields, orange California poppies, and purple sky lupine. You can see the whole thing in two hours.
When to go
The bloom window is short. In a typical year, peak is April 5 to April 20. After a wet winter with a warm early spring, peak can shift to late March. After a dry winter, there's no peak at all, just patches.
Go on a weekday. Saturday parking fills by 9 a.m. and the ranger turns cars away by 10. Go at sunrise or between 4 and 6 p.m. for good light.
Where it is
9 miles east of Oroville, up Cherokee Road. There's a gravel parking lot at the trailhead with pit toilets and a kiosk. From Sacramento it's about 1 hr 45 min. From the Bay Area, 3 hours.
Permit: free, but you need a CDFW Lands Pass (about $5) unless you have a valid California hunting or fishing license. Buy it online before you go. Rangers do check.
What the hike actually is
There's no designated trail. The reserve is cross-country hiking on a flat-ish plateau. Most people walk north from the parking lot toward Phantom Falls and Ravine Falls, both seasonal waterfalls that run in April. Round trip to Phantom Falls is about 3.5 miles. It's not flat: there are basalt ledges you scramble on or around.
What you'll see
- Goldfields (yellow, short, carpet-style)
- California poppy (orange, usually in pockets, not carpets)
- Sky lupine (purple, along the edges)
- Owl's clover (pink-purple, easy to miss)
- Vernal pool meadowfoam (white) around the edges of ponds
- Cows. They're just there. Leave them alone.
Practical
- No shade. Bring a hat.
- Rattlesnakes exist. Watch where you step, especially near rocks.
- Ticks in the long grass. Check yourself after.
- No water on the mesa. Bring 1.5 to 2 L per person.
- Dogs: allowed on leash.
If the bloom is past peak
Go to Point Reyes for coastal wildflowers (tail end runs through May) or save the trip for next April and come earlier. Chico's Bidwell Park isn't a flower hike but is nice if you're already up there.