For me the greatest joy of the Lemon Lily Festival weekend is having the opportunity to share the story of the Lemon Lily (Lilium parryi) and showcase the other local wildflowers that we so often take for granted but are seldom seen by people off “The Hill.” The Grand Finale of these walks and talks is the Sunday High Country Hike.

Once again we will be offering a hike to Tahquitz Valley to see Lemon Lilies where they still thrive. We will meet in Idyllwild at Humber Park at the base of the iconic Lily Rock at an elevation 6480 feet. We will hike the Devils Slide Trail 2.52 miles to Saddle Junction at an elevation of 8075 feet where we will stop briefly to rest and enjoy a snack or lunch while taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the forest. From there we will take one of the two trails into the valley looking for Lemon Lilies as we go.

A plant guide to the Devils Slide Trail that includes a printable guide to the locations of plants along the trail plus links to other pages that contain photos and guides to other trails can be found here: www.tchester.org/sb/plants/guides/devils_slide.html.

Space is limited so an rsvp is required. Please contact us at hikes@lemonlilyfestival.com for more information or to rsvp.