Benwood Meadow is a short hike south from Highway 50, and according to Julie Carville in Lingering in Tahoe’s Wild Gardens, sporting displays of pink-flowered mountain meadow plants, including shooting stars (Primula tetrandra, P. jeffreyi) and elephant heads (Pedicularis groenlandica). We’ll also be looking for Quamash camas lilies (Camassia quamash), seep-spring monkeyflower (Erythranthe guttata) and narrow-leaved lotus (Hosackia oblongifolia). We will see yellow pond-lily in a small pond on the way to the meadow (Nuphar polysepala), and look for Alaska rein orchid (Piperia unalascensis) on a west slope trail amongst pinemat manzanita (Arctostaphylos nevadensis) and Applegate’s paintbrush (Castilleja applegatei).
Level of difficulty: Easy-moderate (Elevation about 7500 feet)
