Updated 3/6/25
Friday Opportunities
Plan your Friday (June 13th) well in advance to take advantage of some unique opportunities. Although not an official part of the meeting, we have arranged for APS members to tour two fascinating locations in Twin Falls on Friday before the official events begin. Although “on your own” activities, we have arranged for hosts to show you around.
1 pm Friday: Visit Native Roots, LLC, a unique native plant nursery and landscaping business with a mission to increase the presence of urban native plants and pollinator habitat. They are located at 2475 E 3600 N, Twin Falls (11 miles west then south on US Hwy 93, left on 3600 N for ¾ mile). The owner Steven Paulsen will arrange for a personal tour. Bring your wallet. He grows many penstemon species and I am sure he would love to sell you some.
3 pm Friday: Visit the Orton Botanical Garden at 867 Filer Ave West in downtown Twin Falls. This private botanical five-acre garden was created by LaMar Orton with intent to present a collection of unique and beautiful western native plants, including succulents, penstemon, buckwheats and many more species. Using creative collection techniques, LaMar managed to introduce many plants that are not considered hardy in southern Idaho. We have arranged a personal tour. We will also hold the board meeting at 3 pm at this location so the board members can participate.
Saturday/Sunday Tours
We have organized three field trips for Saturday and Sunday to explore various habitats in the Sublett Mountains, Albion Mountains, and South Hills of southern Idaho and south across the border into Utah. All three options are available on both days.
All field trips will depart from the northwest corner of the large parking lot located at the rear of the Burley Inn and the Budget Motel.
Field trips scheduled for Saturday and Sunday include very remote and isolated destinations with no access to services. Please make sure your fuel tank is full, your spare tire is good, and you are carrying plenty of water and food (pack a little toilet tissue, just in case). Roads are gravel but in good shape. High clearance vehicles, by and large, are not required. However, the field trip to City of Rocks may be an exception. We will carpool before each trip to limit the size of caravans.
Sublett Mountains/Massacre Rocks State Park/Register Rock Historical Site
Route:
Travel east from Burley on I-84. At the junction of I-84 and I-86, exit right to stay on I-84. Proceed southwest for 23 miles and leave the freeway at the Malta exit. Turn left on Sublett Road and travel 10 miles east to Sublett Reservoir. Proceed north on Heglar Canyon Road through the western edge of the Sublett Mountains, drop back into Raft River Valley, turn right on Yale Road and meet I-86 at Raft River (total of about 29 miles). Proceed east on I-86 for 8 miles and exit at Massacre Rocks State Park. Spend time exploring the park observing remnants of the Oregon and California trails. Drive 2 miles back across I-86 to visit Register Rock. Return to Burley on I-86/I-84.
Interest:
This field trip will be intriguing for anyone interested in the evolution and speciation of penstemons. The Sublett Range is extant for three species of penstemon: the ranges of Penstemon perpulcher, Penstemon cyananthus var. subglaber, and Penstemon cyaneus overlap in this locale. On this trip you will observe the resulting variation in plant and flower traits that result from species introgression.
Penstemon species:
During this trip you will mostly observe penstemons that have been classified as Penstemon cyananthus var. subglaber with visible variability that makes classification difficult. You may also see Penstemon humilis, and possibly Penstemon rydbergii.
Timetable:
8:30 am to 3:00 pm
Vehicle Requirements:
no restrictions (unless the conditions are wet; we will assess the road and make an announcement before the field trip then carpool accordingly).
Independence Pass/City of Rocks/Lynn Valley, Utah
Route:
From Burley, travel on I-84 for 9 miles to the Declo exit. Turn right and travel south on ID Hwy 77 for 27 miles, bypassing the communities of Declo, Albion, and Connor Junction to reach Elba. At Elba town center, turn right on Oakley-Elba Road and travel 21 miles over Independence Pass to the outskirts of Oakley (if we have late-spring conditions this road may not be open, in which case we will eliminate this leg of the trip and use an optional route south through Almo). At Oakley, turn south (left) into Birch Creek Road, drive 13 miles south, then turn left at the sign designating the route to City of Rocks. Go east 4 miles to the City of Rocks Trailhead. Upon leaving the trailhead, continue south and then west for 7.5 miles and rejoin Birch Creek Road. Turn left and travel south for 9 miles. Turn left on Valley Lynn Road and travel 16 miles northeast to Almo (on this route, the road designation changes from Valley Lynn Road to Lynn-Almo Road, then to South Lynn Road). From Almo, travel north 12 miles to Elba then retrace the route through Albion and Declo back to Burley.
Interest:
This field trip will appeal to anyone who has not visited City of Rocks National Preserve. We will also visit the site Penstemon perpulcher was first documented in 2023 within the state of Utah.
Penstemon species:
Roadside plantings of Penstemon pachyphyllus and Penstemon eatonii; Penstemon cyananthus var. subglaber, Penstemon perpulcher, and possibly Penstemon humilis and Penstemon rydbergii in habitat.
Timetable:
8:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Vehicle Requirements:
no restrictions (unless the road at Independence Lakes Pass is rutted and rough, in which case high clearance vehicles may be preferred. We will assess the road and make an announcement before the field trip then carpool accordingly).
South Hills/Goose Creek/Penstemon idahoensis site
Detailed route:
From Burley, travel 22 miles south on ID Hwy 27 to Oakley. Turn right at the city center stop sign and drive 1 mile to the edge of town. Turn left on S College Street (500 W). Travel 21 miles south along Goose Creek drainage and cross the border into Utah. One-half mile south of the border, hike ¼ mile into one of the prime Penstemon idahoensis sites. Return toward Oakley on the same route for 19 miles. Two miles south of Oakley, turn left into West 2200 South. In ¾ mile, turn left on Trapper Creek Road (FS Road #533). Skirt the west edge of Goose Creek Reservoir and travel southeast 22 miles (note: turn right at a junction, encountered 18 miles into this leg) up a canyon into the South Hills. Turn right onto Oakley-Rogerson Road and drive 23 miles back to Oakley. Return to Burley on ID Hwy 27.
Interest:
This field trip will feature the rare species Penstemon idahoensis. We will also see other penstemon species in the flower-covered flats along the ridges of the South Hills.
Penstemon species:
Penstemon idahoensis, Penstemon deustus, Penstemon humilis, and possibly Penstemon globosus, Penstemon radicosus, and Penstemon rydbergii.
Timetable:
8:15 am to 3:00 pm.
Vehicle Requirements:
no restrictions.
Monday Post-Meeting Field Trip
Aberdeen Research and Extension Center
Tour the native plant domestication plots managed by Dr. Stephen Love. Mid-June is prime for the bloom of the 50+ penstemon species in the plots. The plots also contain hundreds of other intermountain west native plant species. Many will be in bloom.
Timetable:
8:00 am until personal choice of departure time.
Aberdeen is about 60 miles northeast of Burley. Travel towards Pocatello west on I-84 then I-86. Exit at American Falls and continue north on ID Hwy 39. The address is 1693 S 2700 W, Aberdeen, ID
Field Trip Preparation
All Saturday and Sunday field trips involve travelling into very isolated locations with no or very limited access to fuel, food, water, or essential equipment. If you are driving, be sure to start each field trip with a full tank of gas. Make sure you have a good spare tire. Lastly, bathroom facilities in this area are sparse, at best - please come prepared for primitive conditions.
All field trip participants, please bring the following:
- Sack lunch
- Water (at least ½ gallon per person)
- Jacket
- Wide-brimmed hat
- Insect repellant
- Good hiking shoes
- And remember your camera!