A look at new outdoor guidebooks

"National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Trees of North America" by Bruce Kershner, Daniel Mathews, Gil Nelson and Richard Spellenberg, foreword by Craig Tufts (Sterling, $19.95). An impressive field guide to North American trees, including the Pacific Madrone (locally called madrona), Douglas fir and numerous other Pacific Northwest species. With color photographs of whole tree with inset details. Co-author Mathews lives in Portland.

"Day Hike! Central Cascades, 2nd edition" by Mike McQuaide (Sasquatch, $16.95). Sixty-nine suggested hikes, most of them accessed along the Interstate 90 and Highway 2 corridors. McQuaide, who contributes monthly outdoor stories to NWWeekend, lives in Bellingham.

"Day Hike! North Cascades, 2nd edition" by Mike McQuaide (Sasquatch, $16.95). The Bellingham writer updates his North Cascades trail guide, with tips on 59 hikes to take, most of them between the North Cascades Highway and the Canadian border.

"Day Hike! Olympic Peninsula, 2nd edition" by Seabury Blair Jr. (Sasquatch, $16.95). The outdoor columnist for the Kitsap Sun suggests 71 hikes to take along beaches, bluffs, valleys, rivers, creeks and up into "The High Country" of the Olympic Peninsula.

— Michael Upchurch, Seattle Times book critic