Natural History Wanderings

New reports from Trip Reports — Washington Trails Association. Here are some wildflower excerpts:

Duckabush River April 30 Olympics
The big reason to hike this trail now is wildflowers. Trilliums and salmonberries are in bloom along the bottomlands, but the big treat is along the switchbacks up Big Hump. This sunny slope is covered with a spectacular display, including calypso orchids, fawn lilies, chocolate lilies, paintbrush, serviceberry, and more…also saw Harlequin duck along ther river.

Icicle Ridge April 29 Central Cascades Leavenworth Area
The flowers are blooming! Take your time on this trail to look for the wildflowers, there are some tiny treasures. Balsamroot and Desert parsley line the trail. The usual lupine and paintbrush are starting. Little treasures were small flowered Blue eyed Mary, small flowered Forget-me-not and Western spring beauty. Other flowers ID’d, Ballhead waterleaf, Lithospermum ruderale, Foothill death camas, Slender woodland star. I was hoping to see the Lewisia tweedyi, but didn’t.

McKenzie Conservation Area — Apr 28, 2013 — Eastern Washington — Inland NW
There were Grass Widows, Shooting Stars and Spring Beauties on the way down …..a Native Plant Display Garden.

Columbia Hills State Park — Apr 28, 2013 — South Cascades — Columbia Gorge
There is about a 1/2 mile section near the ranch where the trail goes through fields of balsamroot and lupine. The fragrance of the lupine is heavenly! We returned on another flagged trail which is closer to the creek so actually made a loop back to the oak grove.Naked broomrape, phlox, yellow monkey-flowers, barestem desert-parsley, yarrow, and heart-leaved buckwheat were also seen.

See full reports and more reports at Trip Reports — Washington Trails Association.