Rooster Rock/Sand Island, Oregon – Northwest Wildflowers

Wildflower Destinations > Columbia River Gorge (West)

Rooster Rock/Sand Island

Multnomah County, Oregon

Rooster Rock State Park

Fees: Oregon State Parks

Activity: walking

Elevation: 10'-60'

Current status (as of 11/17/24): not blooming

Notes: At the end of summer, when most wildflowers are long since done, the Columbia River's level drops, and plants like wapato and sneezeweed spring up from the newly-exposed mudflats.

The loop on the map stays out of the clothing-optional section of the park; but, if you're OK with walking past naked people, continue east and cross the shallow (or dry) channel to Sand Island, which has some slightly different terrain.

Peak wildflower bloom at Rooster Rock/Sand Island is typically from early August through mid-September, but there may be some flowers blooming from early July until early October.*

Typical year:

Info links:

Photo albums: 2021

NWS weather forecast

Wildflowers in this area:

WildflowerSearch.org

iNaturalist observations

Consortium of PNW Herbaria

Featured plants: Coreopsis tinctoria, Helenium autumnale, Sagittaria latifolia

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* The dates given on this Web site for each location's blooming season are only estimates and can vary from year to year. Weather conditions in the winter and spring can shift these dates by up to a month, especially in the mountains. For the latest updates, check the Oregon Wildflowers or PortlandHikers Facebook groups, or browse the most recent postings to iNaturalist or Instagram.