Flounce Rock and Baker Cypress

Last Friday with sunny weather, Jerry, Gary and I went scouting off Highway 62 above Lost Creek Lake. A few miles past Lewis Road we turned left onto Ulrich Road for another few miles until we reached the split to the left for Flounce Rock, The dirt road is in pretty good shape but as we climbed past 3,000′ we began to pick up snow on the road about half way up. Eventually the snow got so deep that we had to pull over and hike the rest of the way up.

On our way up to the Flounce Rock summit at 4,155′, we came to the path for the Baker Cypress Grove 1/4 mile through the forest to a large sunny clearing. The Baker Cypress is a rare tree “born of fire” and this Grove is the northernmost in the Western US. We had a look around, discovering more of the trees then stopped for lunch on some sunny logs.

After lunch we continued about a half mile up the road to Flounce Rock. This high precipice overlooks Lost Creek Lake and the surrounding mountains. Exploring the top we found a pet cemetery; and on the face of the summit there were memorials to a young marine lost in a Vietnam helicopter crash and also to his loving mother. It’s also an ideal location for many communication towers.

Earlier in the day Jerry showed me a new route through a fence opening off the dirt section of Lewis Road that takes you to the top of Blue Grotto Falls. It’s about 3 miles out and back.

So a great day exploring and finding two new sites and a new way to a popular falls.

Hike Leader: Rich Stickle

Photos By: Jerry