Dishman Hills Buttercup Hike

For more than a few Inland Northwesterners, it’s a springtime tradition to be the first in the family to spot the earliest buttercup of spring. The tiny, waxy-petaled flowers that poke out of the crunchy, pine-needled ground can sometimes be found as early as late February, but are abundant in the ponderosa woods this time of year. Long celebrated as the first sign of spring, these early wildflowers are the namesake of the Dishman Hills Conservancy’s annual Buttercup Hike, now in its 48th year. The guided hike is led by local naturalist and retired geologist Michael Hamilton.