Best Wildflower Hikes Western Washington: Year-Round Opportunities including Mount Rainier and Olympic National Parks and the North Cascades

by Peter Stekel

Overview

Best Wildflower Hikes Western Washington combines the best aspects of hiking and wildflowers into one guide. The Best Wildflower Hikes series features 40 hikes with honorable mentions throughout that focus on the best wildflowers in western Washington.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493018697
Publisher:	Falcon Guides
Publication date:	07/30/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	32 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Peter Stekel is the author of Final Flight, the Mystery of a World War II Plane Crash and the Frozen Airmen in the High Sierra (Wilderness Press), Best Hikes Near Seattle (FalconGuides), and a mystery novel, The Flower Lover.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xi

Introduction xii

Plant and Flower Structure xiii

Geographic and Botanical Scope xv

Botanical Exploration of Western Washington xvi

Weather and Climate xviii

Trail Etiquette xx

Hiking Poles xxvii

Man's Best Friend xxviii

What to Carry on Hikes xxviii

Other Sources for Trails xxxii

Restrictions and Regulations xxxiii

Permits xxxiii

How to Use This Book xxxvii

Mileage and Maps for This Book xxxix

Trail Finder xlii

Map Legend xlv

The Hikes

Puget Sound Lowlands 1

1 Theler Wetlands 2

2 Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve 8

3 Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge 14

San Juan Islands and Whidbey Island 19

4 Finlayson Ridge, American Camp, San Juan Island 20

5 Turtleback Mountain Preserve, Orcas Island 27

6 Iceberg Point, Lopez Island 33

7 Ebey's Landing Bluff Trail, Whidbey Island 39

8 Mount Erie-Sugarloaf Traverse, Whidbey Island 45

Mountain Loop Highway 50

10 Robe Canyon Historic Park-lame Kiln Trail 57

11 Robe Historic Park-Robe Canyon Ringing Gardens 62

Southwest Washington Coast 67

12 North Head Lighthouse, Cape Disappointment State Park 68

13 Martha Jordan Binding Trail, Leadbetter Point State Park 74

South Cascades and Columbia River Gorge 78

14 Dog Mountain 79

15 Hamilton (Mountain 84

16 Gillette Lake 90

17 Catherine Creek 95

Alpine Lakes Wilderness 100

18 Ira Spring Trail Wildflower Garden 101

19 Ollalie Meadow-Twin Lakes Loop 107

20 Kendall Katwalk 115

21 Tonga Ridge 120

22 Gold Creek Pond 123

23 Ingalls Lake 130

Olympic Peninsula 136

24 Mount Townsend 137

25 Mount Ellinor 144

26 Elk Mountain-Badger Valley Loop 150

27 Elwah Valley Restoration 155

28 Hurricane Hill 160

29 Tubal Cain Rhododendrons 164

Mount Rainier National Park 169

30 Berkeley Park Camp 170

31 Grand Park 175

32 Panorama Point 179

33 Trail of the Shadows 184

34 Grove of the Patriarchs 188

35 Naches Loop 192

36 Spray Park 197

Mount Baker and the North Cascades 202

37 Artist Ridge 203

38 Barley Lakes Loop 207

39 Galena Chain Lakes 212

40 Yellow Aster Butte Fern Garden 218

Appendix A Resources 225

Appendix B Land Management Agencies 231

Appendix C Further Reading 237

Hike Index 239

About the Author 241

Editorial Reviews

"Step out and smell the roses…the Rosa nutkana or Nootka roses, that is! In Peter Stekel’s Best Wildflower Hikes Western Washington, you’ll find trails that will lead you to the Rosa nutkana, a wild rose native to Western North America, as well as many other wildflowers. The book shares 40+ hikes in 9 Western Washington regions that showcase the diverse blooms found throughout the year. A handy Trail Finder lists the best wildflower hikes with views, lakes, waterfalls, in addition to those for parents with children, history lovers, and budding geologists. Each hike has a map, quick summary, and logistics like distance, difficulty, time, trail surface, best season to view the wildflowers, permits required, and available services nearby. A detailed description of the hike follows with photos and other nearby hiking options. The Best Wildflower Hikes Western Washington is your guide to exploring the blossom beauty of the Evergreen State." —Trailblazergirl.com

"Best Wildflower Hikes Western Washington by Peter Stekel is a good choice for the Seattle area native plant fancier. It provides a list of favorite hikes, many in or near our three national parks. Others are for easy, lowland hiking, including trails on the San Juan Islands. Each will take you past areas where wildflowers are prominent in season, or to especially good stands of native trees. A thorough introduction provides guidance on essential things to bring, including equipment such as hiking poles. Other sections help you choose the best trails for children and/or dogs, and even give advice on trail etiquette. The tone here is more casual than in plant guidebooks. In a description of the hike to Panorama Point in Mount Rainier National Park, the author encourages that “a further 0.2 mile of huffing and puffing, and you’ll be rewarded with dizzying views down in the valley of the Nisqually Glacier.” Elsewhere, he is quite political: “Are you tired of all these fees? Then, do something about it!” There is enthusiasm in Stekel’s writing and he is especially keen on the Columbia River Gorge. “If your timing is right, your eyes will be overwhelmed by acres and acres of yellows, blues, reds, and greens—that, and awe-inspiring views of the mighty ‘River of the West’ making its way to the sea.” Excerpted from the Summer 2019 Arboretum Bulletin. —Brian Thompson, Arboretum Bulletin

From the Publisher