The 2025 Wildflower Weekend special event will be held Saturday May 10 - Sunday May 11.Spring wildflowers are at the heart of Shenandoah National Park's 39th annual Wildflower Weekend celebration! Guided hikes and programs will focus on the importance of not only hundreds of species of flowering plants that are protected by the park, but other seasonal changes as well. Additionally, winning artwork from Shenandoah’s annual Youth Wildflower Art Contest will be recognized during a ceremony at Byrd Visitor Center. All programs are free. No reservations are needed. Adults and children are welcome on all Wildflower Weekend programs. The program schedule for Saturday, May 10, and Sunday, May 11, and our list of Guest Naturalists and Programs Leaders is now available. Saturday, May 10Book Signing with the Simpsons | 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.Chat with naturalists and authors Ann and Rob Simpson as they autograph their publications. Ann and Rob are professional photographers, biologists, educators, and authors as well as noted national park experts. Their national park book series with "Falcon Guides" includes "Wildflowers of Shenandoah" and "Nature Guide to Shenandoah", both now in their second edition. Books are for sale in the Shenandoah National Park Association bookstore or bring your own. Meet at Dickey Ridge Visitor Center (mile 4.6). Wonders of the Mill Prong | 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.Look for trillium, jack-in-the-pulpit, and more along this 2-mile trail that never fails to delight wildflower lovers. Elevation change: about 400 ft. Meet at Milam Gap parking (mile 52.4). Kristin Zimet and Natalie Izlar, Guest Naturalists Rose River Fire Road | 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.Explore the wildflowers that grow alongside the Rose River Fire Road and discover the human histories of the area. Be prepared to hike 1.2 miles down to the river and expect an elevation change of 200ft. Meet at the start of the Rose River Fire Road. Park at Fishers Gap overlook (mi 49.4). Hannah Peters, Park Ranger. Hands-On Discovery: The Flora of Virginia App | 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.Explore the beautiful world of Virginia’s native plants with the Flora of Virginia Project. Board members and volunteer master naturalists will introduce you to the Flora of Virginia app—a fantastic tool for identifying plants and supporting conservation efforts right from your phone. Whether you're a nature enthusiast, a homeowner looking to enhance your landscape, or just curious about the plants around you, this is a great way to learn and connect. You will start with a guided tour through the Flora of Virginia app, then head on a short flora walk to identify local species together. Meet at Byrd Visitor Center (mile 51). Caitlin Cyrus and Conley McMullen, Guest Naturalists Wildflower Photography | 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.Learn wildflower photography basics surrounded by blooms! No photography background needed. Meet at Dickey Ridge Visitor Center (mile 4.6). Bring your own camera or cell phone. The first portion will include a short presentation that will take place inside Dickey Ridge Visitor Center followed by an outdoor portion to practice photographic composition skills. The outdoor portion is weather dependent. Be prepared to sit on the ground or bring a folding chair for the outdoor session. Accessible. Ann and Rob Simpson, Guest Naturalists Gravel Springs | 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.Explore the rich woods in search of wild ginger, bellflower, waterleaf and more. Mostly gentle, with some short, very steep places. ½-mile loop. Meet at Gravel Springs Gap (mile 17.6). Limited parking. Wendy Cass, Park Botanist and Jake Hughes, Park Invasive Plant and Restoration Biologist Artist in Residence | 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.Create a Wildflower Weekend souvenir and learn about the art of feltmaking. Fiber artist and Appalachian Trail thru-hiker Kris Grenier will lead participants on a short nature walk for creative inspiration. Then, using the colors and shapes of springtime in Shenandoah, participants will create a piece of wool art. No art-making experience required! Meet at Byrd Visitor Center (mile 51). Kris Grenier, Artist-in-Residence Appalachian Mountain Club Table | 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.Join the Appalachian Mountain Club to learn what wilderness stewardship entails within our public lands. Learn the importance of citizen science as you use free apps to become a park naturalist yourself! Meet at Byrd Visitor Center (mile 51). Youth Wildflower Art Contest Recognition Ceremony | 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.Join us to congratulate the winning artists in the Park’s annual youth art contest. Byrd Visitor Center Auditorium (mile 51). What’s in a Butterfly’s Pantry? | 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.Learn about butterflies and the flowers that they rely on along this easy .25-mile stroll. Meet at Upper Hawksbill Parking (mile 47). Mara Meisel, Guest Naturalist Waterfalls and Wildflowers | 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.Explore the trail to one of the park's most popular waterfalls, looking for flowers along the way. 1.4 miles. Elevation change: 440 ft. Meet at Dark Hollow Falls Parking (mile 51). Peg Barratt, Guest Naturalist Snead Farm Loop Hike | 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.See what flowers await on this hike through a former apple orchard and home site. There may be some surprises! 2.6 miles. Elevation change: about 490 ft. Meet at Dickey Ridge Picnic Grounds (mile 4.7). Richard Stromberg, Guest Naturalist Botanical Art Workshop | 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.Learn a few botany basics, pick up tips on observation, composition, and journaling, then sketch and use watercolors to paint what you see. No art or science background is necessary. Meet on the meadow side of Byrd Visitor Center (mile 51). Rain or shine. Wear walking shoes and long pants. Be prepared to sit on the ground or bring a folding chair. Participants should bring their own unlined journal. All other art supplies will be provided. Betty Gatewood, Artist and Naturalist Millers Head Hike | 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.Lyre-leaved rockcress and other uncommon plants might be seen on this hike to a view of the Shenandoah Valley. Very rocky and steep in places, with uphill return. 1.5 miles. Elevation change: about 250 ft. Turn in at south entrance of Skyland Resort (mile 42.5) and follow signs to the amphitheater at the top of the hill. Stephen Paull, Park Biological Science Technician ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sunday, May 11Book Signing with the Simpsons | 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.Chat with naturalists and authors Ann and Rob Simpson as they autograph their publications. Ann and Rob are professional photographers, biologists, educators, and authors as well as noted national park experts. Their national park book series with "Falcon Guides" includes "Wildflowers of Shenandoah" and "Nature Guide to Shenandoah", both now in their second edition. Books are for sale in the Shenandoah National Park Association bookstore or bring your own. Meet outside Byrd Visitor Center (mile 51). Spring Birds of Pocosin | 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.Listen and look for cerulean warblers, scarlet tanagers, and other migrants near the spring and surrounding woods. You might discover a few wildflowers along the way. Easy 1-mile stroll. Bring binoculars. Meet at Pocosin Cabin parking (unmarked, mile 59.5, east side of Skyline Drive). Limited parking. Alan Williams, Park Ecologist Hiking the Hightop | 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.Hike the Appalachian Trail through patches of trillium and other wildflowers to the summit of Hightop Mountain and a terrific view. 3 miles. Elevation change: about 935 ft. Meet at Hightop Mountain parking (mile 66.7). Limited Parking. Mara Meisel, Guest Naturalist Hands-On Discovery: The Flora of Virginia App | 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.Explore the beautiful world of Virginia’s native plants with the Flora of Virginia Project. Board members and volunteer master naturalists will introduce you to the Flora of Virginia app—a fantastic tool for identifying plants and supporting conservation efforts right from your phone. Whether you're a nature enthusiast, a homeowner looking to enhance your landscape, or just curious about the plants around you, this is a great way to learn and connect. You will start with a simple guided tour through the Flora of Virginia app, then head on a short flora walk to identify local species together. Meet at the Dicky Ridge Visitor Center (mile 4.6). Andrea Weeks and Sally Anderson, Guest Naturalists Superstar Butterflies and Other Tiny Celebrities: Pollinators Spread the Love in Shenandoah | 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.As you hike the trails in Shenandoah or enjoy a stroll along the lush paths of Big Meadows, around you millions of insects are hard at work. Some of the most noticeable are brilliant butterflies floating past you, pausing briefly to land on bright wildflower blooms. Native plants, including over 850 species of wildflowers in the park, use their unique talents to attract pollinators to pay them a visit. In turn, many insects depend on plants as a food source for their young. Appalachian Mountain Club Table | 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.Join the Appalachian Mountain Club to learn what wilderness stewardship entails within our public lands. Learn the importance of citizen science as you use free apps to become a park naturalist yourself! Meet at the Byrd Visitor Center (mile 51). Spring Amphibians | 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.Experience vernal pond life for the many amphibians of the park. Learn their many adaptations to thrive as they emerge from winter and breed in spring! Meet at Rapidan Road parking for an easy walk (mile 51). Jodi Davis, Guest Naturalist Meadow Springs to Marys Rock | 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.View pinxter azaleas and the site of the former Meadow Spring Shelter, as well as other spring wildflowers on this trail to the spectacular view from Marys Rock. This moderate trail is 2.9 miles roundtrip with 830 ft. of elevation gain, which can be steep at times. Meet at Meadow Spring parking (mile 33.5). Jean Stephens, Guest Naturalist Waterfalls and Wildflowers | 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.Explore the trail to one of the park's most popular waterfalls looking for flowers along the way. 1.4 miles. Elevation change: 440 ft. Meet at Dark Hollow Falls Parking (mile 51). Peg Barratt, Guest Naturalist Botanical Art Workshop | 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.Learn a few botany basics, pick up tips on observation, composition, and journaling, then sketch and use watercolors to paint what you see. No art or science background is necessary. Meet on the meadow side of Byrd Visitor Center (mile 51). Rain or shine. Wear walking shoes and long pants. Be prepared to sit on the ground or bring a folding chair. Participants should bring their own unlined journal. All other art supplies will be provided. Betty Gatewood, Artist and Naturalist Meet Our Guest Naturalists and Program LeadersSally Anderson served as President of the Virginia Native Plant Society for nine years and continues on the board while also serving on the board of the Piedmont Chapter. She has volunteered at the Nancy Larrick Crosby Native Plant Trail at Blandy Experimental Farm for many years and is a Virginia Master Naturalist. She often gives talks on the Flora of Virginia and has been instrumental in the Flora Project’s education efforts, including creation of its education modules. Artist in Residence Artist and long-distance hiker Kris Grenier explores the profound connection between identity and environment by interpreting landscapes in two-dimensional, 100% wool feltings. Under the trail name “Rainbow Dash,” Grenier has logged nearly 10,000 miles in the backcountry, including a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail that introduced her to Shenandoah National Park. Grenier earned her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and considers her role as an artist to go beyond the visual interpretation of wild lands, aspiring to kindle a conservation ethos in viewers of her work. A juried artist in the Kentucky Crafted Program, Grenier was awarded a 2022 Emerging Artist Grant by the Kentucky Arts Council, and her work has been showcased in solo exhibitions around the Ohio Valley. During her residency, Grenier will create woolen portraits of wildflowers in the Park, celebrating the small wonders all around us. Peg Barratt began hiking before she started school and now leads hiking and backpacking trips for the Potomac Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC). She has hiked in Norway, Japan, Wales, Scotland, and most recently, in February, in Taiwan. Currently she is chair of the Potomac Chapter AMC. Hiking is a great chance to take pictures of wildflowers! Caitlyn Cyrus is an environmental consultant who specializes in designing native pollinator–friendly habitats for solar facilities through the Virginia Pollinator–Smart Solar Program. She also performs rare, threatened, and endangered plant species surveys and wetland delineations. She has a B.A. in biology from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and an M.S. in biology from the College of William and Mary. She is an active member of the Virginia Native Plant Society and the Virginia Association of Wetland Professionals. Jodi Davis is a former Park Ranger and a Southeastern Master Herpetologist. In her Virginia Master Naturalist chapter, she is the Vernal Pond Project Leader. As a Park volunteer, she works at the Byrd information desk, as well as with the Native Gardens. Betty Gatewood is a retired middle school science teacher, nature journalist, watercolor artist, and Virginia Master Naturalist. She has provided cover art for the Virginia Native Plant Society’s Wildflower of the Year brochures, and has illustrated two children’s books, Salmon Matters (2018) and Milkweed Matters (2017). Her journals have been exhibited at Staunton Public Library & Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond, and her botanical paintings have been part of art exhibits at the Washington DC National Cathedral and the US Botanic Garden in Washington, DC. Natalie Izlar is a Virginia Working Landscapes’ Botany Technician. She supports the program’s annual grassland biodiversity surveys, which are primarily conducted on private working lands in the Northern Piedmont and Shenandoah Valley regions of Virginia. She promotes native plant conservation through various outreach events and plant consultations. She supports plant community data analysis and interpretation, helping to inform best land management strategies and engage the local community in plant conservation efforts. She is also a board member of the Piedmont chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society. Conley McMullen is a professor of biology at James Madison University and director of the JMU Herbarium. His classes and research focus on the systematics, pollination biology, floristics, and conservation of plants in the eastern United States and the Galápagos Islands. He has served both the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society and the Virginia Academy of Science as president, the Association of Southeastern Biologists as secretary, and the Society of Herbarium Curators as editor of The Vasculum. He is an honorary research associate of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a member of the science advisory board of Galápagos Conservancy, and an elected governing member of the Charles Darwin Foundation. He is an elected fellow of the Virginia Academy of Science and the Linnean Society of London, and he is a leader at the West Virginia Wildflower Pilgrimage. Mara Meisel retired after a 30-year career as a ranger-naturalist with the National Park Service. For many years, she was the coordinator and a hike leader for Shenandoah National Park's annual Wildflower Weekend, and she initiated the park's Youth Wildflower Art Contest. Mara is the Big Meadows section leader for the annual Shenandoah National Park-Luray Area Fourth of July Butterfly Count for the North American Butterfly Association. Lia Pikus is a cellist, composer and multidisciplinary artist whose practice centers around art's ability to cultivate experiences of connection, both within community and in dialogue with the natural world — by drawing upon and reflecting natural processes in her music. Lia seeks to help people make emotional and sensory connections with their environments. Ann and Rob Simpson are professional photographers, biologists, educators, and authors, and among the most respected naturalists in Virginia. Rob is a retired professor of natural resources and was program head of the nature and outdoor photography curriculum at Laurel Ridge Community College in Middletown, Va. Ann is currently a professor at the college and teaches anatomy & physiology and has taught biology field courses and nature photography. The Simpsons are authors of numerous books on national parks that include Wildflowers of Shenandoah National Park 2nd Ed. (2022), Nature Guide to Shenandoah National Park 2nd Ed. (2023), and Shenandoah Simply Beautiful (2007). Jean Stephens is a Virginia Master Naturalist, a member of the Virginia Native Plant Society and secretary of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club’s Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter. She is both a hike leader and trail maintainer with PATC. As a Park volunteer, she works on projects aimed at invasive plant and insect removal. Jean is an avid hiker and wildflower enthusiast. Richard Stromberg is a Virginia Master Naturalist and newsletter editor for the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. He is also newsletter editor, walk leader, and a board member of the Virginia Native Plant Society Piedmont Chapter. Andrea Weeks is a professor of botany at George Mason University and director of its Ted Bradley Herbarium, in Fairfax. At Mason she teaches undergraduate courses in plant biology and conducts research in angiosperm systematics. Since 2014 she has led a National Science Foundation–funded initiative to digitize Virginia herbaria, which has made more than a quarter million herbarium specimens discoverable through the SERNEC (SouthEast Regional Network of Expertise and Collections) Symbiota portal. She is a past president of the Society of Herbarium Curators and a member of the Virginia Botanical Associates, which operates the Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora. During 2017–2019, she served as a program officer for NSF’s systematics and biodiversity science cluster. Kristin Zimet worked as a nature guide for Clarke County Parks and Recreation. She is a docent for the State Arboretum of Virginia, a Virginia Master Naturalist, and board member of the Virginia Native Plant Society’s Piedmont Chapter. |
Last updated: May 1, 2025