Top National Parks for Wildflower Viewing
It’s that wonderful time again. The snow is beginning to melt, the days are getting longer, and the flora of America’s national parks are waking up from their winter slumber. It’s wildflower season! Here are our top picks for hikers and photographers looking to get out and experience the rainbow-colored majesty of spring and summer blooms.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Peak bloom: June (8000-9000ft), July–August (above 9000ft)
Where to hike: Ute Trail or Cub Lake Loop
Where to drive: Bear Lake Road or Alpine Visitor Center
Due to its large range of elevations, Rocky Mountain National Park has a long and drawn-out wildflower season, with waves of cheerful blooms popping up between late May through early September. Black-eyed Susans, crepe-colored geraniums, wood sorrel, bluebells, and hundreds of others call this park home.
For early-season flowers, check out the 6.1-mile Cub Lake Loop. With a peak altitude of 8620ft, this is an ideal hike for sniffing out elusive favorites like bee balm and wintergreen. Be sure to scope the lake for bright yellow pond lilies! Another favorite for flower lovers is the high alpine Ute Trail, which departs just behind the Alpine Visitor Center. This trek takes visitors to a height of over 11,600ft, meandering through fields of subtle but beautiful alpine forget-me-not, sky pilot, and old-man-of-the-mountain.
Mt Rainier National Park
Peak bloom: Mid-July–mid-August
Where to hike: Alta Vista Trail or the Skyline Trail to Myrtle Falls
Where to drive: Stevens Canyon Road to Reflection Lake
Discover why naturalist John Muir referred to Mt Rainier’s foothills as “the most luxuriant and the most extravagantly beautiful of all the alpine gardens I ever beheld” by taking a wildflower-viewing trip to America’s fifth oldest national park. Huge meadows filled with purple lupines, fuchsia penstemons, scarlet paintbrushes, and delicate cascade asters dot the landscape as far as the eye can see, with the towering, glacier-streaked summit of Mt Rainier looming over the horizon.
In July and August, it’s hard to throw a rock and not hit one of the many lush alpine meadows in the area, but the densest flower fields are usually found in the Paradise and Sunrise areas of the park. From Sunrise, take the Sourdough Ridge Trail up to Dege Peak and marvel at the hillsides of red mountain heather, lupine, and paintbrush. Those trekking in the Paradise region won’t want to miss the family-friendly Alta Vista Trail. This 1.8-mile (round trip) hike is a wonderful spot for hikers of all levels to scout for asters, lupines, gentians, and bistort blooms.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Peak bloom: Late March–July
Where to hike: Little River or Kanati Fork Trail
Where to drive: Cades Cove Loop
The mild and wet climate of the Smoky Mountains makes them a truly special place for spring wildflower spotting. With over 1500 species of blooming plants found in Great Smoky Mountains, there’s sure to be a surprise for even the savviest flower-hunter. Spring ephemerals like trillium, crested dwarf iris, violets, and lady slipper orchids kick off the season, taking advantage of sunshine on the forest floor before the trees’ leaves grow back in full force. Then, as summer warms the Smokies, brilliant pops of color begin to appear all over the park’s trails. Look for red cardinal flowers, purple-fringed orchids, butterfly-weed, and wide-leaved sunflowers.
Additionally, Great Smoky Mountains is known for its 70-year-old, week-long Wildflower Pilgrimage each year, typically held at the end of April, where hundreds of flower enthusiasts from around the globe gather to learn about the park’s flora and fauna.
Sequoia National Park
Peak bloom: April–May (foothills), Late June–early August (alpine)
Where to hike: Alta Meadow or Franklin Lakes
Where to drive: Crescent Meadow
Sequoia National Park showcases a broad diversity of plant life, spanning over four different vegetation zones. This diversity is fantastic news for flower-seekers, as it means the peak bloom period is long and vibrant, depending on the area visited. The low elevation foothills, featuring hikes such as the Middle Fork Trail, are great for May blossoms, while the verdant alpine meadows found above 8000ft display colorful blooms throughout July.
The park provides an exceptional experience for backpackers looking to immerse themselves in nature. The treks to Alta Meadow (14 miles round-trip) and Franklin Lakes (12 miles round-trip) offer stunning views of electric red paintbrush, crimson columbine, and Sierra shooting star along the way. However, you don’t need to tackle strenuous trails to enjoy the wildflower magic; accessible hiking routes like the Big Trees Trail circle Round Meadow, making it perfect for spotting blooms and local wildlife.
Glacier National Park
Peak bloom: June–August
Where to hike: Highline Trail or Hidden Lake Nature Trail
Where to drive: Logan Pass to Many Glacier
What’s not to love about the acres of wildflowers that call Glacier National Park home? From puffy, white strands of beargrass to bright, periwinkle asters and purple butterwort, the mountainsides are a true wonderland of color and texture. Wildflower season at Glacier National Park begins in earnest in late June, once the snow in higher elevation areas has melted. Some of the first and most famous blossoms to bloom are the vibrant glacier lilies that paint the hillsides yellow.
A great beginner hike to view summer blooms is the Hidden Lake Overlook Trail, starting from the Logan Pass Visitor Center. This 2.7-mile, high-elevation trek traverses stunning alpine meadows known as the Hanging Gardens, where wildflowers carpet the surrounding landscape. More experienced hikers might want to check out the Highline Trail to Garden Wall, which offers panoramic views of the northern Rockies and a dazzling array of July blooms.
How to Visit Wildflower Areas Responsibly
It’s essential to practice the seven Leave No Trace Principles when exploring any wilderness area, especially when searching for delicate and ephemeral wildflowers. To avoid overwhelming these natural spaces, camp in designated campsites and remain on established trails at all times. Remember to never pick flowers or remove any plants, animals, or rocks from a national park as it is illegal.
If we can all collaborate to follow these outdoor ethics, we’ll leave our treasured wild spaces beautiful and well-preserved for generations to come.
