Discover Wildflowers

Penstemon wildflowers growing along the road to Sunrise.

NPS Photo

 

Mount Rainer's renowned wildflowers bloom for a limited amount of time every year. The "peak" bloom for wildflowers is heavily dependent on weather and precipitation patterns, so accurate predictions are difficult. In most years, many flowers will be blooming by mid-July, and by the first of August the meadows should be very impressive. Frost can occur by late August, but even after light frosts the meadows continue to be very beautiful, thanks to changing leaf colors and seed pod development that take the place of colorful blossoms.

For a better idea of what the wildflowers are doing this year, please see the Currently Blooming section below, which summarizes what's blooming where.

Explore further:

• Wildflower Guide - Unfamiliar with Mount Rainier's wildflowers? Photos and brief descriptions of some of the common wildflower species can be found in the park's online wildflower guide.
• Wildflower photo galleries - Collections of subalpine and forest wildflowers.
• Wildflower video gallery - Preview Mount Rainier's blooming wildflower meadows by watching these short videos.
• The Seasons of Mount Rainier - View short videos of different plants found in various parts of the park.
• Ecological Restoration - Watch short videos about the Ecological Restoration program's work in the park.

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Cooley’s hedge-nettle blooming in Longmire, 8/7/25.

NPS Photo

Currently Blooming

Last Updated: August 7, 2025
Subalpine meadows are at full bloom on the south and west sides of the mountain (Paradise area) or moving past peak bloom on the drier east sides of the park (Sunrise area). Crowds are also peaking in the park during this busy summer season. If looking for a quieter wildflower experience, don’t forget Mount Rainier’s forests. You won’t find fields of flowers, but there are still some gems blooming for those willing to take a closer look. One such gem is Cooley’s hedge-nettle (Stachys chamissonis var. cooleyae). Found along streams, its red-purple, deep-throated flowers can attract hummingbirds.

Please stay on the trails.

As snow continues to melt away, it may be tempting to skirt remaining patches of snow or mud that are covering trails. However, by going off trail you are walking on and damaging the wildflowers that you may be coming to see! It is better to stay on the trail even if that means crossing snow, particularly in the high-visitation meadows around Paradise and Sunrise. Also, there are plenty of opportunities for the perfect mountain + wildflower photo from the trails! No need to step off trail and crush other flowers in your quest for the perfect shot.

 

Wildflower Reports

Sunrise Area Updated 8/6

Paradise Area Updated 8/6

Pasqueflower seedhead Magenta Paintbrush Scarlet Paintbrush Pink Mountain Heather White Mountain Heather Sitka Valerian Broadleaf Lupine Small-flowered Penstemon Cliff Penstemon Cusick’s Speedwell Bracted Lousewort Beargrass (along the road up to Sunrise and a few on Sunrise Rim trail) Smooth Mtn Dandelion Gray’s Lovage Broadleaf Arnica American Bistort Sitka Mountain Ash Tall Bluebells (Sourdough Ridge between Sunrise Point and Dege Peak) Subalpine Daisy Cascade Aster (really starting to bloom) Alpine Aster (really starting to bloom) Sandwort Rosy Spirea (by Tipsoo) Rainieria (along road to sunrise) False Hellebore

Alpine Aster Alpine Yellow Fleabane (Daisy) American Bistort Arnica Arrowleaf Groundsel Avalanche Lily seedheads Broad-Leaved Lupine Cascade Aster Elephant's Head Jeffrey's Shooting Star (lower Skyline) False Hellebore (along Myrtle Falls) Gray’s Lovage Lewis' Monkeyflower Magenta Paintbrush Marsh Marigold Mountain Monkeyflower Mount Rainier Lousewort Partridgefoot Pasqueflower seedhead Pearly Everlasting Rosy Spirea Scarlet Paintbrush Showy Jacob's Ladder Sitka Valerian Spreading Phlox Subalpine Daisy Tiger Lily Western Columbine Woolly Pussytoes

Longmire Area
Updated 8/7

• Cooley's hedge-nettle (Trail of the Shadows)
• Foam flower
• Water parsley
• Pathfinder
• Pink Wintergreen
• Hooded Ladies' Tresses
• Fireweed (Nisqually Entrance-Longmire Road)
• Pearly everlasting (Nisqually Entrance-Longmire Road)

 

Red Columbine Flower

NPS Photo / Filo Merid

Wildflower Photos

The photos featured here are usually taken by park staff and volunteers from all over the park. Share your own wildflower photos in the Mount Rainier Flickr group! Higher resolution versions of wildflower photos are available on Mount Rainier's Flickr page.

Plan Your Visit

Paradise and Sunrise are two of the main visitor center areas at Mount Rainier National Park. Both areas are well known for their impressive wildflower meadows. The park also maintains dozens of trails perfect for wildflower viewing.

 

 

Meadow Preservation Enjoy wildflowers? Stay on trails