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 the
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.”
Bibliography
The Art of Hiking
I was surprised to learn that Art Kruckeberg
also co-authored “Best Wildflower Hikes:
Washington,” one of his last book publications
(2004). His contribution is primarily found in
“Art’s Notes,” extra tidbits on the floral treasures
of the 50 hikes described.
His wry comments are a highlight, includ-
ing this from a description of the Chiwaukum
Creek trail east of Stevens Pass: “The stunning
wildflower encountered early on the trail is the
showy lewisia, Lewisia tweedyi, a.k.a. ‘Tweedy’s
lewisia’—a rather redundant common name…
we thank the stars that it was not named the state
flower of Washington, for collectors might have
brought it to extinction.” m
B rian R. T hompson is the manager and curator of
the Elisabeth C. Miller Library of the University
of Washington Botanic Gardens. He is also a
member of the “Bulletin” Editorial Board.
Begley, Eva. “Plants of Northern California: A Field Guide to Plants West of the Sierra Nevada.” Guilford, CT: FalconGuides, 2018.
ISBN: 978-1-4930-3184-9, $29.95.
Fagan, Damian. “Wildflowers of Oregon: A Field Guide to Over 400 Wildflowers, Trees, and Shrubs of the Coast, Cascades, and
High Desert.” Guilford, CT: FalconGuides, 2019. ISBN: 978-1-4930-3632-5, $24.95.
Kruckeberg, Arthur R. and Linda Chalker-Scott. “Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest” (third edition). Seattle:
University of Washington Press, 2019. ISBN: 978-0-295-74415-5, $39.95.
Kruckeberg, Art, with Karen Sykes and Craig Romano, photos by Ira Spring. “Best Wildflower Hikes: Washington.” Seattle: The
Mountaineers Books, 2004. ISBN: 0-89886-964-1, $18.95.
Pettinger, April, with Brenda Costanzo. “Native Plants in the Coastal Garden” (revised and updated edition). Portland, OR: Timber
Press, 2002. ISBN: 0-88192-582-9, $19.95.
Robson, Kathleen A., Alice Richter, and Marianne Filbert. “Encyclopedia of Northwest Native Plants for Gardens and Landscapes.”
Portland, OR: Timber Press, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-88192-863-1, $49.95.
Stekel, Peter. “Best Wildflower Hikes Western Washington: Year-Round Opportunities Including Mount Rainier and Olympic
National Parks and the North Cascades.” Guilford, CT: Falcon Guides, 2016. ISBN: 978-1-4930-1868-0, $22.95.
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