Wildflower Walks

Elegant camas

Zigadenus elegans

Description: Bowl-shaped flowers three-quarters of an inch wide consists of six cream or greenish-white, petal-like segments with a greenish gland at base. Blossoms cluster atop stem 6 to 28 inches tall with 6- to 12-inch-long grass-like leaves growing from base. Grows in mountain meadows, rocky slopes and forests. Blooms June to August.

Recently seen: Dawson-Pitamakan Loop in Glacier National Park.

The walk: To reach the Dawson-Pitamakan trailhead from Glacier’s Two Medicine entrance station, drive about 4 1/2 miles west on Two Medicine Road. The parking area is located on the north end of the Two Medicine campground, where a bridge crosses the creek at the lower end of Pray Lake. Hike across the bridge and follow the trail north at the first junction, rounding the base of Rising Wolf Mountain and continuing up the Dry Fork Creek drainage. At about 1 3/4 miles, cross the creek and continue up the valley, following the trail west at the next junction. At about six miles, the trail splits before reaching Oldman Lake. Take the fork toward Dawson and Pitamakan passes, climbing two steep, switchbacking miles to Pitamakan Pass. Look for elegant camas in the dry, rocky soil along the upper switchbacks just before the pass. From Pitamakan Pass, continue a short distance uphill to just above Cut Bank Pass; at two junctions along the way, follow the path to Dawson Pass. The trail continues around the west side of Mount Morgan and Flinsch Peak, offering alpine views all around. It then switchbacks down to Dawson Pass at about 11 1/4 miles. Look for elegant camas again in this area. From Dawson Pass, the trail descends steeply almost two miles to a turnoff for No Name Lake. Continue down the trail 1 1/2 miles to a junction near the west end of Two Medicine Lake. From here, it’s a 3 1/3 mile walk back east along the north shore of the lake to the trailhead or about one mile to the boat dock at the top end of the lake, where you can ferry down the lake and return through the campground to the trailhead. Total distance is about 18 miles returning along the lake or 16 miles by boat.

Justin Grigg