In the far southeastern corner of Washington, deep valleys have been cut by the Snake River. The Snake River Road, which winds along the narrow flood plain of the river, south from Asotin, provides a view of distinctive plant communities on the slopes that face different directions. The south-facing slopes receive the strongest exposure to sun and are very dry. They have meadow communities with occasional hawthorne or rose shrubs, but their communities are dominated by grasses, interspersed with herbaceous plants like arrowleaf balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata), lupines (Lupinus), paintbrush (Castilleja ), and biscuit roots (Lomatium). The north-facing slopes of the buttes receive less direct sun and expose plants to a less harsh environment. There are more shrubs on the north-facing slopes, and these can include mock orange (Philadelphus lewisii), ocean spray (Holodiscus discolor), and serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia).

The Snake River	Confluence of the Snake and the Grande Ronde
Biscuit root	Mock orange
Serviceberry