Wild Edible & Medicinal Plants of Shirley Canyon

One of Tahoe’s most beloved hikes, winds alongside cascading waterfalls, offering a rich living classroom of medicinal plant species.

Join Dr. Elena Roemer, L.Ac and Brian Wallace, Certified California Naturalist, as we explore the edible and medicinal plants of the Lake Tahoe basin through both Western herbal actions and Chinese medicine energetics, while weaving in local ecology, plant folklore, and seasonal rhythms. We’ll focus on learning how to truly see and relate to plants—how to identify them, understand their properties, and approach harvesting with respect and restraint. The walk includes a guided plant sit and discussion of ethical wildcrafting, as well as gaining a clear understanding of when to harvest, while inviting a grounded, embodied relationship with the living landscape.

Shirley Canyon, one of Tahoe’s most beloved hikes, winds alongside cascading waterfalls and granite outcroppings, offering a rich living classroom of medicinal riparian and montane plant species.