Pend Oreille County

Featured Event

Master Gardeners Host June 13th, Field Trip to Explore Native Plants of North Pend Oreille County

The Pend Oreille County Master Gardeners invite the public to join them on a special field trip exploring the rich native plant communities of north Pend Oreille County.

The excursion, offered in partnership with the Pend Oreille County Weed Board, will take place Saturday, June 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. South County participants may meet at 8:00 a.m. in the parking lot of the WSU Pend Oreille County Extension Office to receive maps, review the day’s route, and organize carpooling.

All other attendees should plan to meet at the first stop, which will be at Sweet Creek County Park at 9:00 a.m. where Weed Board staff will lead a guided “Weed Walk” focused on identifying native plants and discussing bagged noxious weeds.

Following the park tour, Tom Pulford, from the Weed Board, will lead the caravan to explore a variety of native trees, shrubs, and understory plants unique to the intermountain West.

As time and road conditions allow, the field trip will travel through several distinct ecological zones: beginning in the Ponderosa Pine Community near the river, climbing into the mid‑elevation mixed conifer forest shaped by long winters, and potentially reaching the subalpine zone, where participants may have the chance to see the iconic Whitebark Pine.

This educational outing is free of charge and open to all.

All attendees must provide their own transportation, and 4‑wheel or all‑wheel drive vehicles are required for the upper‑elevation portions of the tour.

Bring a sack lunch, water, mosquito protection, hiking shoes, and binoculars. Carpooling will be arranged at the start of the event. For community members interested in native plants, forest ecology, or simply experiencing the natural beauty of Pend Oreille County, this field trip offers a rare opportunity to learn directly from knowledgeable guides in the landscapes they know best.