Edible Plants, Ethnobotany, & Wildflowers

Upcoming Events

bright yellow balsam root blooms
April 6, 2025: All Day

Edible Plants, Ethnobotany, & Wildflowers #1

Spring on the sunny, dry side of the Columbia Gorge is amazing, with rainbows of wildflowers in bloom and bountiful spring plants. Learn to identify, as well as taste, some of the edible plants of the eastern part of the Columbia Gorge. Learn about indigenous uses of plants and trees, as well as how to identify some of the poisonous plants you would want to avoid if you’re “wild foraging”!

bright yellow balsam root blooms
April 12, 2025: All Day

Edible Plants, Ethnobotany, & Wildflowers #2

Spring on the sunny, dry side of the Columbia Gorge is amazing, with rainbows of wildflowers in bloom and bountiful spring plants. Learn to identify, as well as taste, some of the edible plants of the eastern part of the Columbia Gorge. Learn about indigenous uses of plants and trees, as well as how to identify some of the poisonous plants you would want to avoid if you’re “wild foraging”!

bright yellow balsam root blooms
April 26, 2025: All Day

Edible Plants, Ethnobotany, & Wildflowers #3

Spring on the sunny, dry side of the Columbia Gorge is amazing, with rainbows of wildflowers in bloom and bountiful spring plants. Learn to identify, as well as taste, some of the edible plants of the eastern part of the Columbia Gorge. Learn about indigenous uses of plants and trees, as well as how to identify some of the poisonous plants you would want to avoid if you’re “wild foraging”!

Spring on the sunny, dry side of the Columbia Gorge is amazing, with rainbows of wildflowers in bloom and bountiful spring plants. Learn to identify, as well as taste, some of the edible plants of the eastern part of the Columbia Gorge. Learn about indigenous uses of plants and trees, as well as how to identify some of the poisonous plants you would want to avoid if you’re “wild foraging”!

How to Register

Registration Opens:

Friday, March 8th, 2024 for 1 

Friday, April 5th, 2023, for 2

*Trip Fee: $35 / $17

*We have a limited amount of scholarships available based on financial need. If you qualify, the trip fee is cut in half thanks to scholarship funding from ASB. We accept cash, checks, credit/debit cards, and apple/samsung/google pay. 

How to Sign Up:

To register for a trip, stop by the College Outdoors office in Fowler 239. We’re open Mon - Thurs 9am-5pm, and Fridays 9am-3pm.

Registration is all first paid first serve.

Trip Type

  • Day Trip
  • Hiking
  • Environmental Ed

Physical Demands

No experience necessary! This trip is a great option for anyone who wants to see some of Oregon’s natural wonders, but may or may not have any experience in the outdoors. We’ll plan to hike short stretches of 2-4 miles, with plenty of time to take in the scenery.

Participants should be prepared to spend several hours outdoors walking on uneven terrain carrying day packs. This trip lends itself well to a wide variety of accessibility accommodations, including mobility accommodations. Contact outdoors@lclark.edu.

What to Expect

  • Sleeping indoors
  • Sleeping outdoors
  • Electricity
  • Wifi
  • Cell phone service
  • Heating
  • Beds
  • Bathrooms
  • Gender-inclusive bathrooms
  • Showers
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Food for any Dietary Restrictions

Amenities

Pre-Trip Meeting

College Outdoors trips have a Pre-Trip Meeting (PTM) prior to the trip to help you prepare, which takes place at the Sequoia warehouse on the Graduate Campus.

At this meeting you’ll meet the trip leaders and other participants, learn more about the trip activity, location, and schedule, and be given a packing list of everything you need for your trip. The trip leaders and Sequoia staff will then help you find and borrow anything on the packing list that you’d like to borrow. We have high-quality outdoor clothing and equipment, and it’s all free to use for your trip!

If you miss a Pre-Trip Meeting, check your email for important info you missed. 

CO Policies

All trip participants and leaders are expected to follow CO policies, which can be found here. This document includes info on healthy practices, water/swimming policies, environmental safety, community standards, and leader responsibilities.

Sequoia Warehouse

Sequoia is the College Outdoors warehouse, located on the Graduate Campus. Everything you’ll need is available for free when you come on a College Outdoors Trip. At Sequoia you will find:

  • Clothing needed for your trip, including any relevant outerwear and specialty items needed for the activity. Sizes range from XS - XXL and come in gendered an non-gendered designs. 
  • Gear needed for your trip, such as sleeping bags, backpacks, water bottles, and much much more.
  • Equipment such as tents, cookware, first-aid kits, and boats, which trip leaders will pack for each trip as needed.
  • Gender-neutral bathrooms, which can also be used as changing rooms.
  • Staff available to answer your questions.