Self-Guided Plant Walks

Redmond Watershed Preserve— December 2006
By Dan Paquette

Redmond Watershed Preserve is perhaps fifteen minutes away from the 520 floating bridge. Here is a mixed forest replete with ponds and streams, beaver, mountain beaver, wood peckers, native plants, and a wide array of macro-lichens and moss.

Choose a rainy day; bring your umbrella and rain gear. You may not wish to leave once you’ve done some exploring here. There are many small loops as well as longer ones for you to choose from. My suggestion would be to get to the pond at the Northwest corner, or take Siler’s Mill Trail, or do both.

The preserve is extremely well-signed with maps showing your position at every trail junction. A compass is still recommended. It’s still possible to get turned around at some of the Utility rightof- way areas.

Now, at the eve of December, one must root about to see what leaves belong to bare branches. The Wood Ferns have finished their reproduction and have gone the way of the Lady Ferns. Leaves of Trientalis are turning yellow. Along the trail, Plagiomnium mosses are now returning to life, their leaves once again moist and shiny. Dark pods of Pearly Everlasting and Self Heal lay thin shadows on the trail. Leaves of Devil’s club and Elderberry sometimes hang like sleeping bats.

Plant Lists: Fred Weimann has created a list of plants for the general area. For a moss list, contact Dan (paquette50@comcast.net).

Directions: From Seattle, go East on SR 520. Follow signs to Avondale Road going North. From Avondale Road, make a right onto Novelty Hill Road. After you’ve crossed 204th Avenue, you will be about a half mile from where you make a left turn into the Watershed Preserve. Watch for a brown sign.