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.
Marsh marigolds along the Sunrise Road, 6/28/22. NPS Photo Currently Blooming Last Updated: July 1, 2022 The Sunrise area in the northeast side of the park has opened for the season. Like at Paradise, the Sunrise subalpine meadows are still covered in snow. However, a few wildflowers are starting to emerge along the Sunrise Road at lower elevations. Marsh marigold (Caltha leptosepala) prefers to grow in wet meadows, bogs, and stream sides. Or along roadside ditches filled with snow meltwater. NOTE: 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 Westside Road (6/29) - vanilla leaf, bunchberry, wild strawberry, candyflower, paintbrush, tall bluebells, fringecup, cow parsnip, lupine, columbine, scouler's corydalis, buttercup Nisqually Entrance to Longmire Road (6/29) - cow parsnip, goat's beard, three-leaved anemone, columbine, vanilla leaf, foam flower, thimbleberry, lupine (around Kautz Creek) Sunrise Road (6/28) - yellow violets, wild strawberry, paintbrush, penstemon, marsh marigold, glacier lily (early) White River Road (6/28) - vanilla leaf, wild strawberry, yellow violets Twin Firs Trail (6/21) - foam flower, false lily-of-the-valley, blueberry, red current, bunchberry, vanilla leaf, three-leaved anemone, Oregon-grape, candyflower, large-leaved avens, five-leaf dwarf bramble, false Solomon's seal, salmonberry, Ohanapecosh Hot Springs Nature Trail (6/7) - yellow violets, star-flowered Solomon's seal (early), large-leaved avens, vanilla leaf, Hooker's fairybell, vine maple, large leaf maple, devil's club, Cascade Oregon-grape, trillium (late), buttercup, bunchberry (early), Calypso orchid
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