Spring is running a bit late this year. With all the cool and cloudy skies we have had lately, the flowers are only just getting started. But with all the rain, the wildflower season will only get better and better.

My daughter and two granddaughters went to Table Mountain two weeks ago and almost the only thing we saw was carpets of California goldfields. That’s mainly what we saw again today, but the lupine, bluedicks, popcorn flowers, and frying pans are beginning to show up.

The streams are rushing along, full of water, and the waterfalls are throwing themselves down the hills. Here are two girls by one of my favorite waterfalls, with more water than I have ever seen.

The section of Table Mountain set aside for hiking is officially known as North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve. A Lands Pass from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is required to visit. I have never seen anyone checking for passes, but it only costs $5.40 for a day pass and the fee goes towards upkeep and improvements.

As long as you have made the drive to Table Mountain, why not visit Oregon City while you are there? Oregon City is a tiny community with a gold rush history. It was settled by a group of Oregonians, led by future California governor Peter H. Burnett, in 1848. (Click on the link if you want to find out why Burnett was not a very good governor.)

Oregon City boasts a covered bridge and the oldest schoolhouse in Butte County. Go on a weekend during wildflower season and you will find the school open and staffed by volunteers from the Butte County Historical Society. It’s worth a visit.