Trip Report
Day Hike - Swauk Forest Discovery Trail
Naturalist trip full of flowers. A lovely 3+ mile hike with 500 feet of elevation gain with excellent opportunities to see flowers, trees and birds of the "East of the Cascades".
Danielle Graham
- Mon, Jun 14, 2021
- Day Hike - Swauk Forest Discovery Trail
- Swauk Forest Discovery Trail
- Naturalist
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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The trail is in great condition, and the restroom in the parking lot is open. Lower areas had mosquitoes.
We had 2 days of wonderful "naturalizing" at the easy-to-reach Swauk Forest Discovery Trail. This loop trail system is a few minutes drive from the summit of Blewett Pass.
We counted over 60 flower species including Tweedy's Lewisia, Hear-leafed Arnica, Bracted Lousewort, Showy Jacobs Ladder, Harsh Paintbrush, Penstemon, Sierra Pea, American Vetch, Silvercrown (Luina), Nineleaf Biscuitroot (parsley), Longspur Lupine, Death Camas, Arrowleaf Balsamroot, Wood's Rose, Lupine, Western Blue Clematis, Goosefoot Violet, Bitterbrush, Olympic onion, and Western Meadowrue.
Conifer species included Western Larch, Ponderosa Pine, Grand Fir, Western White Pine, Douglas Fir, Lodegepole Pine, and Engelmann Spruce.
Bird species included Williamson's Sapsucker, Hairy Woodpecker (and young in nest), Western Bluebird, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Cassin's Finch, and Western Tanager. Many thanks to all the wonderful trip participants and fellow leaders, Tom Bancroft and Leilani Cramer.