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.
Mount Rainier and the Sunrise meadows, viewed from a pullout along the Sunrise Road, 7/28/21. NPS Photo Currently Blooming Last Updated: July 30, 2021. Wildflowers in subalpine meadows on the east side of the park are reaching peak bloom. Around Sunrise, lupine is coloring the meadows blue and purple. Most of the lupine is broadleaf lupine (Lupinus latifolius), which is common throughout the park. There are plenty of opportunities to admire lupine from roads and trails in the Sunrise Area and throughout the park. NOTE: High water flows from spring snow melt have caused some trail bridges to wash out. Always check current trail conditions before heading out! 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 Sunrise Area (around parking) (7/28) - lots of lupine!, rainiera, Sitka valerian, Cascade asters, pearly everlasting, gray's lovage, false hellebore, bear grass, bistorit, phlox, arnica, fleeceflower, pasqueflower seedhead, jacob's ladder, small-flowered penstemon, mountain sandwort, bluebell, magenta paintbrush, Cusick's speedwell Spray Park (7/24) - lots of paintbrush, avalanche lily fading, with lupine coming in. Pinnacle Peak Trail (7/24) - lupine, heather, sitka valerian, arnica, lousewort Skyline Trail (7/24) - mix of early and mid-season flowers, including avalanche lily, pasqueflower seedhead, sitka valerian, lousewort, lupine Owyhigh Lakes Trail (7/24) - columbine and tiger lily along the trail, with peak bloom near the lakes with lupine, paintbrush, aster, pasqueflower Paradise (7/23) - Sitka valerian, Jeffrey's shooting star, pink mountain heather, cinquefoil, lupine, sickletop lousewort, magenta paintbrush, lots of avalanche lilies, especially along Nisqually Vista Trail. Sunrise Area Trails (7/22) - Sunrise Sourdough Ridge to Frozen Lake: lupines, bistort, phlox, sandwort, small flowered penstemon, cinquefoil, pasqueflower seedheads, Ms. Davis’ knotweed, asters and/or daisies, bracted lousewort, false hellebore, agoseris, pink fleabane, Jacob’s ladder, partridgefoot, Sitka valerian, Cusick’s speedwell, arrowleaf groundsel, arnica, and pink mountain heather; Frozen Lake area: northern goldenrod, Ms. Davis’ knotweed, bistort, dwarf lupine, magenta paintbrush, bracted lousewort, pussytoes, and shrubby cinquefoil; Frozen Lake to Wonderland Junction West: Pussytoes, bird’s beak lousewort, dwarf lupine, magenta paintbrush, white mountain heather, pink mountain heather, northern goldenrod, phlox, bistort, yarrow, and Ms. Davis’ knotweed; Wonderland Junction West to Skyscraper Pass: White mountain heather, pink mountain heather, Cusick’s speedwell, magenta paintbrush, coiled beak lousewort, yellow daisies, bistort, agoseris, phlox, dwarf lupine, cinquefoil, pasqueflower seedheads, asters and daisies, red-leaved sandwort, Ms. Davis’ knotweed, yarrow, Gray’s lovage, and Rainier (towering) lousewort; At creek crossing: Jeffrey’s shooting star, bog laurel, rosy spirea, and marsh marigold; Skyscraper Pass to Skyscraper Mountain: Cinquefoil, cliff paintbrush, dwarf lupine, Parry’s catchfly, northern goldenrod, harebell, and pussypaws; Frozen Lake to Service Road Junction: Pink mountain heather, white mountain heather, yellow mountain heather, pussypaws, phlox, Ms. Davis’ knotweed, partridgefoot, agoseris, small flowered penstemon, sandwort, magenta paintbrush, daisies and/or asters, Cusick’s speedwell, bistort, arrowleaf groundsel, pasqueflower seedheads, lupine, and Sitka valerian: Service Road Junction to Sunrise Camp: Lupines, phlox, Cusick’s speedwell, pasqueflower seedheads, magenta paintbrush, pink fleabane, rosy spirea, cinquefoil, Ms. Davis’ knotweed, bracted lousewort, arnica, Sitka valerian, and cliff penstemon; Sunrise Camp to Sunrise (past Shadow Lake): Lupines, magenta paintbrush, bracted lousewort, Sitka valerian, false hellebore, asters and/or daisies, sickletop lousewort, and pasqueflower seedheads; Frozen Lake to Mount Fremont: Lupine, magenta paintbrush, cinquefoil, Gray’s lovage, phlox, yarrow, pink mountain heather, white mountain heather, little flowered penstemon, asters and/or daisies, sandwort, northern goldenrod, harebells, Ms. Davis’ knotweed; Sunrise Camp to Glacier Vista: Lupine, pink mountain heather, white mountain heather, Ms. Davis‘ knotweed, cinquefoil, alpine buttercup, Sitka valerian, Gray’s lovage, sickletop lousewort, bistort, bird’s beak lousewort, asters and/or daisies, Cusick’s speedwell, Rainier lousewort, and partridgefoot Tipsoo Lake (7/22) - pasqueflower seedheads, cinquefoil, magenta paintbrush, Cusick's speedwell, pink mountain heather, white mountain heather, lupine, false hellbore (early), Sitka valerian, avalanche lily (late), American bistort SR123: Ohanapecosh to Cayuse Pass (7/21) - lots of oxeye daisies (introduced), Oregon sunshine, goatsbeard, yarrow, fireweed, pearly everlasting, harsh paintbrush
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