We hiked trails in the arid scablands of Central Washington in spring.   For two weeks, we hiked a different trail each day and camped in several Washington State Parks.    There were a variety of habitats varying from grasslands to desert-like terrain, open steppes, wetlands, and open forests.    We saw many wildflowers along the way and a few are shared here – Hooker’s balsamroot (Balsamorhiza hookeri), Large-flowered Triteleia (Triteleia grandiflora), Sharp-leaf Penstemon (Penstemon acuminatus), fiddlenecks (Amsinckia sp.), Gairdner’s beardtongue (Penstemon gairdneri), Dorr’s sage (Salvia dorii), cutleaf Thelypody (Thelypodium Laciniatum), stickystem Penstemon (Penstemon glandulosus), and western wallflower (Erysimum capitatum).

A Google Photos album is embedded here or readers can go directly to the album – Washington State Desert Lands Wildflowers

 

This was one of our favorite trips and we hope to return to the area in the post-Trump years ahead. Additional posts on flora and fauna of the area will be added at a later date.