One of the cherished features of spring, in addition to warming temperatures and newborn animals, is the blooming of wildflowers.
With the wide range of climate types in the United States, you can find flowers blooming somewhere in any season, but spring remains the peak time in most places.
If spring travels take you to our national parks and you love wildflowers, you should put some of the following on your to-visit list.
Haleakala, Hawaii
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Being in the tropics, Hawaii has wildflowers blooming all year long. Haleakala has a lot of elevation range, so it can be interesting to see what’s blooming in different zones at once.
Hawaii Volcanoes, Hawaii
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In Hawaii, you’ll see wildflower species that don’t grow anywhere else in the U.S. At this national park, you can also behold wildflowers improbably growing from cracks in barren-looking lava fields.
Channel Islands, California
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This national park is a short distance from Los Angeles but seems like a world away. Many plant and animal species on these islands only exist there, making them unique and exciting destinations.
Death Valley, California
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Wildflowers aren’t something you’d typically associate with one of the world’s hottest, driest places. However, after a “wet” winter or a good spring rain, the desert explodes with color, and it’s amazing to see.
Joshua Tree, California
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Joshua Tree’s average elevation is higher than most of Death Valley, so it’s a little behind the latter each spring in bloom progress. Nevertheless, it’s incredible when the cactuses and the Joshua trees themselves start blooming.
Saguaro, Arizona
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There’s something blooming all spring here, but May is the best time to come. That’s because the giant saguaros bloom then, and their large white flowers adorn the desert. At night, you might get lucky and see bats coming to pollinate them.
Grand Teton, Wyoming
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People don’t normally think of the Rockies as a place for spring wildflowers, but Grand Teton is an exception. In late spring there, lupines bloom all over the flats, painting them blue and framing the iconic mountains there.
Guadalupe Mountains, Texas
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Wildflowers start appearing in March in the low-lying areas here, but you should wait until April for the best. That’s when the cactuses hit their peak bloom period except at the highest elevations, where you’ll have to wait until May or maybe even June.
Big Bend, Texas
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Big Bend ranges from flats along the Rio Grande to the heights of the Chisos Mountains. This means that there’s a steady progression of blooming wildflowers throughout the spring. It’s one of the best national parks in the country for seeing blooming cactuses.
New River Gorge, West Virginia
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Blooms can appear as early as late winter here, but the prime time to go is in May around Memorial Day. At that time, the rhododendrons are in full bloom, as is mountain laurel.
Shenandoah, Virginia
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All spring is great for wildflowers here. Earlier on, the hollows boast trillium, red columbines, and lady slippers, and the progression continues higher up as spring does. In late May, come to see the mountain laurel blooming.
Great Smoky Mountains, North Carolina-Tennessee
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The Smokies are higher than Shenandoah is, but they’re quite a bit farther south, so their wildflower progressions are similar to Shenandoah’s. By spring, the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway is usually free of winter snow and ice, and you can use it to connect both parts on one of the best road trips in America.
Everglades, Florida
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Although not in the tropics (but very close), Southern Florida is like Hawaii in that wildflowers bloom all year there. Spring is a nice time to see them because it’s not stiflingly hot yet and the winter high season is over.
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