2025 Field Trip Descriptions:
Note: A date range is given for some of the trips. The precise date will be determined by the leader based on weather and the season’s progression. Contact the trip leader to sign up and be notified of the specific trip date.
We have a bounty of trip offerings this year including 9 Field Trips, our annual Butterfly Weekend, a conservation project focusing on Washingtons SGCN (Species of Greatest Conservation Needs), a Butterfly Count at McNary National Wildlife Refuge, a joint community trip with Cowiche Canyon Conservancy, and the initiation of a month long WBA Big Butterfly Count which we hope will become an annual event.
WBA-WDFW Butterfly Conservation Project led by David James
Twenty-one of Washingtons ~150 species of butterflies are on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) list. In common with most of our butterfly species, we know very little about the biology and ecology and threats to these 21 species. This project is aimed at supporting recovery actions for five of these SGCN butterflies in Washington, four of which are state candidate species (Yuma Skipper, Juniper Hairstreak, Meadow Fritillary, Silver-bordered Fritillary) and one recently federally listed threatened species (Monarch). Nine trips are planned throughout the season.
Additional information on the project may be found on our website and in the February ‘G’num’.
Big Butterfly Month
June 21 to July 20, 2025
WBA is having a month long butterfly count this summer, the first year for this WBA citizen science project. Let’s see how many butterflies everyone sees around our state. We will be documenting butterflies from our yards, camping, hiking, at a park, or wherever you may find yourself throughout Washington. It is easy to participate. Recognition will be given for SGCN and County Records. You may post your photo observations on as many days as you like in the date range above, and upload it to iNaturalist, an increasingly respectable network for sharing biodiversity information. Our iNat project’s name is Big Butterfly Month Washington State.
Additional information on the project and a primer on using iNat may be found on our website and in the May ‘G’num’.
Douglas Creek
Saturday, May 18, 2025
This Douglas Creek site is a sort of WBA “legacy” field trip location that could provide an ideal meeting spot for WBA members from around the state to converge with cameras, nets and their sharp rise to kick off the 2025 season together. Our beloved past board member, “Sister Sue” Orlowski found years ago how rich the site could be for butterfly and bird sightings, and has passed it on to us. Mid May visitors may expect to find a puddlers’ paradise of five swallowtail species, including the Indra Swallowtail, as well as Sagebrush Checkerspots, Western Green Hairstreaks, and Common Roadside and Common Sootywing Skippers. Little hiking is required, but we strongly recommend higher clearance vehicles for safe travel on occasionally rough gravel roads. An optional side trip to another more northerly point in the canyon on Kelly Davis Road will be offered if time permits.
We should plan to meet at the intersection of State Highway 2 and H Road, 10:30am.
Difficulty: Level 1-2
John Baumann
WBA & Cowiche Canyon Conservancy joint Community Butterfly Field Day
Saturday, May 24
The Washington Butterfly Association and the Cowiche Canyon Conservancy in Yakima will be teaming up to present a Community Butterfly Field Day at Snow Mountain Ranch on the western outskirts of Yakima in late May. Targeted mostly at children, we will start with a Show and Tell session presenting an overview of butterflies and showing them some examples of butterflies and caterpillars. Then we will lead a field trip into Snow Mountain Ranch where we will show and tell everyone about butterflies in their natural habitat! This is a chance for WBA members to share their passion and knowledge about our butterflies!
Difficulty: Level 2
David James
This event if full
McNary National Wildlife Refuge Butterfly Count
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
The first McNary National Wildlife Refuge Butterfly Count will be May 28! Experienced counters and spotters are needed. Participants will meet at the refuge headquarters (64 Maple St, Burbank, WA) at 8:30am. It will be an all-day count, but any length of assistance is welcome. The count area consists of dry sagebrush steppe, marsh edges and wooded riparian zones. This is an inaugural event that we hope to do annually. We have May 29 set up in case rain or high winds are forecasted for the target date. Sign up is required.
Contact Steve Kahl at steve_kahl@fws.gov if you would like to join in or have questions.
Field Trip Location Change From Knot Head Trail To A Trail Near Horseshoe Lake
Saturday, May 31
The second WBA field trip I had planned is still going to be on May 31st. The original plan was to explore the Knot Head Trail at the Little Spokane RIver, but Washington State Parks has started paving in a new parking area at the trailhead that effectively cuts off convenient trail access to the area I’ve wanted to share with you all. Rather than trying to stick to the Knot Head site, and force our group into bushwhacking for butterflies, I want to move our destination northward a ways to the WDFW trails near Horseshoe Lake in southern Pend Oreille County, which may have many of the same butterflies (all four Washington elfin species may also be seen there, just like Knot Head!), as well as abundant swallowtails, coppers and less common skippers, such as the Pacuvius Duskywing and the Northern Cloudywing. Few of us have recently surveyed this once very productive habitat, so we can do a much needed update.
We can carpool from north Spokane suburbs at a Yoke’s grocery located at 14202 N Market, on the Newport Highway (#2)
The Horseshoe trails start from a trailhead, just south of the lake, marked here:
Difficulty: Level 2-3, some distance, moderate, gradual climb
Any questions, please ask!
John Baumann
Field Trip Location Change from Kamiak Butte County Park to Rose Creek Nature Preserve.
Saturday June 7th
Due to an unexpected closure at Kamiak Butte County Park there is a location change for this field trip to the Rose Creek Nature Preserve.
The Rose Creek Nature Preserve is a special place located only 7.5 miles northwest of Pullman, Washington, near Albion. Visitors are welcome year-round, dawn to dusk, 7 days a week.
The Rose Creek Nature Preserve is the best example of the distinct quaking aspen-black hawthorn-cow parsnip community type of its kind remaining in the endangered Palouse meadow steppe ecosystem. The 22-acre preserve is bisected by Rose Creek with a plant community of native bunchgrass species in the upland, and a lush community of species such as Fendler’s waterleaf, and purple trillium in the wet meadow.
While in the Preserve we’ll only be able to observe butterflies with cameras and binoculars, no nets.
Hailey Armstrong
Spiva Butte Preserve
June 5
This beautiful Preserve was significantly impacted by fire in September of 2020, and the Land Trust would like an update on what butterflies are currently present. It is an opportunity to observe the recovery status five years after the fire. Hopefully we will find the Silver-bordered Fritillary, a Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN). The fire burned 100% of the property and eliminated big sagebrush, the plant that provides critical cover and food for sage grouse. Replanting of sagebrush and native plants has been ongoing. This prime shrub-steppe habitat previously had a four-acre lake, three springs, a diversity of birds, plants, animals and butterflies in addition to the sage grouse lek nearby. On earlier visits prior to the fire we had documented Silver-bordered Fritillary flying in good numbers along with the Garita Skipperling, Coronis Fritillary, Northern Crescent, Arrowhead Blue, Ruddy Copper, Large Marble, Sheridan’s Hairstreak, Western Green Hairstreak, Blue Copper, and more.
Difficulty: Level 3-4, mostly off road through recovering shrub steppe and up the butte for hill topping butterflies.
The number of participants to be allowed will be determined by the Preserve soon.
Melanie Weiss
Umtanum Ridge, Yakima River Canyon
Saturday, June 14
David has never seen a Nevada Skipper, but he also doesn’t have a high clearance, 4 wheel drive vehicle to get up the sketchy road to Umtanum Ridge. So he’s going to walk the trail leading up from Umtanum Recreation Area to the ridge! Expect a 2400 foot, but leisurely taken, climb up to the ridge where the butterfly is known to be. Other possibilities are Western Green Hairstreak, scores of blues, hilltopping swallowtails, etc. Expect plenty of sweat, butterflies, and good times!
Meet at Tibbett’s Valley Park at 7:00 AM and we’ll carpool from there. Parking payment necessary at Umtanum Recreation Area – bringing cash is best.
Difficulty: Level 3-4
David Droppers
WBA Annual Butterfly Weekend, Wings Over Yakima
June 20-22
Idie Ulsh Young Naturalist Scholarships
Mt. Spokane State Park, trail to Mt. Kit Carson Summit Meadows
Saturday, July 12
Among the most ecologically rich, intact areas of eastern Washington, Spokane State Park and its surrounding foothills have provided habitat to 65 butterfly species. We will most likely hike to the Mount Kit Carson Summit by way of the Mount Kit Carson upper loop trail, and approximately 2.5 mile path that mostly follows an old logging road through higher elevation forest until reaching a steeper, single track climb with multiple switchbacks which takes a hiker the last three quarters of a mile to the Mount Kit Carson Summit. Midsummer, Meadows just beneath the summit should be awash with wildflowers. Parnassians, Swallowtails, Fritillaries, Blues, Ladies And Crescents may all be seen here in numbers on a good season.
Plan to Meet at the Upper Kit Carson Loop Trailhead parking area at 10:30 AM. State Park permits are required here.
Difficulty: 3-4, some distance and climbing involved
Sign Up with the trip leader John Baumann
Red Top Lookout
Sunday, July 13
Located south of Blewett Pass in Kittitas County, we’ll stop at several roadside spots to look for butterflies on our way up to the lookout. Butterflies are also present around the upper parking lot. Once we reach the trailhead, it will be a short, but steep, 3/4 mile walk to the lookout, with butterflies and meadows along the way.
Meet at Tibbett’s Valley Park at 7:00 AM and we’ll carpool from there.
Difficulty: 1-3
Sign Up with the trip leader David Droppers
Little Quilcene for Zerene and more
Late July or August, to be determined. Meeting Time: 10:00.
Participants will join Karen Holtrop and Tanna Knouse for a walk in the Olympic National Forest, Little Quilcene River watershed. The goal will be to count the numbers and species of butterflies, while noting nectar plants, search time, and weather conditions. Potential sightings include Zerene and Hydaspe Fritillaries, Western Branded and Woodland Skippers, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, and Clodius Parnassian. The walk will be relatively flat along an old road but may involve rocky terrain and dense vegetation.
The group will meet at the Forest Service office in Quilcene and carpool for a 40-minute drive to the site.
Difficulty: 3
Sign Up with the trip leader Karen Holtrop
Arctic Blue – This high mountain butterfly is rarely seen below 5,000 ft. elevation.
Photo by Melanie Weiss
New Field Trip Added to July’s Schedule
Bear Creek Mountain, High Cascades near Rimrock Lake
Sometime during the week of July 21-25, TBD
David James will lead us to a butterfly paradise at 6000-7000 ft in late July with 25-35 species in flowery meadows and on rocky slopes. Expect to hike up to 5 miles roundtrip from where we park. Participants won’t need to do the entire length if they choose not to. A summer home of Coronis Fritillaries along with Hydaspe, Zerene and Arctic Fritillaries. Arctic Blues and a high elevation form of Lupine Blue may be seen on the upper slopes. I will choose a specific day about a week in advance according to weather conditions.
Difficulty: 4
Sign Up with the trip leader David James
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