Spring is a welcome season for all. The winter chill is starting to fade, the days are getting a little longer, and colors are returning across much of the country with the seasonal blooms. Below are the best places in the USA to see wildflowers.
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Mount Rainier, Washington
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The Seattle area’s most famous mountain is known for hiking, snowshoeing, and wilderness trips. But did you know that the summit and surrounding valley are ablaze with color in July and August? A summer hike is a feast for the eyes, from daisies to fireweed, avalanche lilies, and more.
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Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California
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A crown jewel in California, Anza-Borrego is known for its desert landscape and otherworldly appearance. However, in the spring, usually in late February and early March, a “super bloom” occurs – often considered one of the most beautiful in the U.S. Parts of the park bloom with colorful flora and can sometimes cause traffic congestion, so plan accordingly.
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Hill Country, Texas
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Known for its wine and endless open spaces, the Hill Country of Texas is also a beautiful place to admire wildflowers. Daisies, lupines, primroses and more grace the landscape from March through May.
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Glacier National Park, Montana
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From June to July, purple asters, glacier lilies and bear grass decorate this remote park right on the Canadian border. Most of these plants can be seen on hikes around the park’s numerous lakes, notable ones being Cobalt Lake, Hidden Lake, Iceberg Lake and Upper Two Medicine Lake.
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Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
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During the early part of spring, usually in March, wild violets and geraniums bloom in the forests of Shenandoah National Park. As the season progresses, other flowers appear, such as blackcaps in April and pink azaleas in May.
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Skagit County, Washington
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A little smaller than some of the other events on this list, Skagit County, just north of Seattle, hosts a large tulip festival every year. It can happen any time in April, depending on the weather. The tulips are all planted and cared for by different private growers, and it’s worth visiting a few different locations.
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Sugar Hill, New Hampshire
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You don’t have to travel all the way to Iceland or New Zealand to see magical lupines. Sugar Hill, a small town north of the White Mountains in New Hampshire, explodes into various shades of purple every June.
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
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Tennessee may not be the first place you think of when you want to see wildflowers, but the year-round blooms of the various species in the Smoky Mountains make it worth the trip. Liverworts bloom in late winter and early spring, then mayflowers, and finally asters in the fall.
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Denali National Park, Alaska
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Alaska’s long summers are the perfect environment for blooming wildflowers, and Denali National Park boasts numerous species each year. From bluebells to forget-me-nots to fireweed, you won’t be disappointed!
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Myakka State Forest, Florida
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All the sunflower snaps you see on Instagram could very well have been taken in Florida’s Myakka State Forest. Every September and October, the yellow flowers pop up all over the state’s forests and hiking trails.
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Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Okay, we’re not in the U.S., but we can’t talk about annual blooms without mentioning Canada’s capital city. Ottawa is the site of an internationally renowned tulip festival every May. The original bulbs were a gift from the Netherlands after World War II, when Canada helped liberate the Dutch. Today, travelers from across North America flock to enjoy the beautiful blooms.
Sydney is a travel and lifestyle writer originally from Seattle. She has also lived in Australia, Quebec, Luxembourg, and France, and has visited 26 countries and counting. You can find her work in numerous publications such as Fodor’s Travel, Good Housekeeping, Matador Network, Travel + Leisure, and more. In addition to being fluent in English and French, she has also tried (and failed) to learn German, and is looking to improve her limited Spanish next. You can find her on Twitter/X @sydbakestravelson Instagram @sydbakescreates or on sydbakestravels.com.