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.
Spreading stonecrop blooming along Stevens Canyon Road, 6/5/25. NPS Photo Currently Blooming Last Updated: June 6, 2025 Snow is melting away from roadsides quickly and many early season wildflowers are starting to bloom at lower elevations! You can see the difference elevation makes along Stevens Canyon Road. The higher elevation side of the road near Reflection Lakes is still snow-covered. As you descend in elevation along the road, you will start to see very early season wildflowers like avalanche lilies. As you reach areas that have been snow-free longer, look for colorful blooming paintbrush and penstemon! Stop at pullouts along the road for a closer look at cliff-loving plants like spreading stonecrop (Sedum divergens). Stonecrop has plump, reddish-green leaves and bright yellow flowers. NOTE: Always check current trail conditions before heading out! Subalpine areas like Paradise are still completely snow covered. Please stay on the trails. As snow melts away, it may be tempting to skirt remaining patches of snow 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 Wonderland Trail, Longmire-Cougar Rock (6/6) - bunchberry, vanilla leaf, coral root (early), false bugbane, salal, three-leaved anemone, beargrass (early), big-leaved sandwort Stevens Canyon Road, east to west (6/5) - columbine, trailing blackberry, thimbleberry, harsh paintbrush, lupine, cliff penstemon, smooth alumroot, Menzie's penstemon, spreading stonecrop, rock lewisia, yarrow, narrow-sepaled phacelia (early), Oregon sunshine (early), Cascade penstemon (early); above Stevens Creek: spreading phlox, trillium, avalanche lilies (early) Eastside Trail to Grove of the Patriarchs junction (6/5) - bunchberry, vanilla leaf, foamflower, largeleaf avens, piggyback plant, thimbleberry, trailing blackberry, elderberry, devil's club, starflower Nisqually Entrance to Longmire roadsides (5/29) - vanilla leaf, yellow violets, columbine, three-leaved avens, elderberry, scouler's corydalis, thimbleberry, coltsfoot seedheads Longmire to Paradise roadsides (5/28) - yellow violets, trillium, thimblerry, cliff penstemon, few patches of early spreading phlox Longmire area (5/28) - yellow violets (lots!), Alaska voilet, trillium, heart-leaf twayblade, salmonberry, holly-leaf Oregon-grape (late), Cascade Oregon-grape, kinnickinnick, wild strawberry, osoberry (early), coltsfoot seedheads, leafy mitrewort, vanilla leaf
Mountain Bog Gentian NPS Photo 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