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.

---

Pink flower with narrow, long green leaves, curly tendrils, and zig-zag stems found near Kautz Creek.

NPS / Filo Merid

Currently Blooming

Last Updated: July 17, 2025
Many wildflowers are starting to bloom in subalpine areas of the park, though you will still encounter patches of snow and snow-covered trails at higher elevations. But there are still flowers to see down below! Take the Peavine for instance. Unlike most #RainierFlowers, peavine flowers don’t grow upright — they’re climbers. Instead, of racing skyward, they elbow their way through with zig-zag stems and tendril fists that curl around taller neighbors for leverage. Their blossoms look delicate and pretty, sure. But secretly: they’re hustlers. Some peavines, like the pink one here called Lathyrus latifolius, are not native to the mountain; these scrappy peavines were introduced and slowly naturalized their way into the landscape over time. Other peavines, like the periwinkle Lathyrus pauciflorus, have been here for ages.Still, they belong to the legume family — a shorter cousin to the tall lupines. Keep an eye out for them draped along the sunny side of creeks, getting to where they want to go, even if they have to hitch a ride.

NOTE: Always check current trail conditions before heading out! Subalpine areas like Paradise are still completely snow covered.

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 Updated 7/17	Paradise Area Updated 7/17	Longmire Area Updated 7/17	Stevens Canyon Road, east to west Updated 7/12	SR123/410-Cayuse Pass Updated 7/12
Pasqueflower (only a few left as the flower) Pasqueflower seedhead Fan-leaf cinquefoil Magenta Paintbrush Scarlet Paintbrush Spreading Phlox Showy Jacob’s Ladder Pink Mountain Heather White Mountain Heather Sitka Valerian Broadleaf Lupine Elephanthead (near Shadow Lake) Small-flowered Penstemon Cliff Penstemon Cusick’s Speedwell Bracted Lousewort Beargrass (along the road up to Sunrise and a few on Rim Trail) Smooth Mountain Dandelion Gray’s Lovage Broadleaf Arnica American Bistort Sitka Mountain Ash Tall Bluebells (Sourdough Ridge between Sunrise Point and Dege Peak) Subalpine Daisy Cascade Aster Alpine Aster Sandwort Rosy Spirea (near Tipsoo)	Cinquefoil (spreading across meadows on Lower Paradise) Pasqueflower Pasqueflower seedhead (few just starting) Spreading Phlox (Deadhorse Creek Trail) Arnica (starting to spread on lower trails) Columbine (Comet Falls) Rosy Spirea (Comet Falls) Jeffrey Shooting Star (Comet Falls) Avalanche Lilies (starting to fade) Glacier Lilies (starting to fade) Sitka Valarian Gray’s Lovage Pink Mountain Heather Tiger Lily (Nisqually Vista Trail) NOTE: Expect snow cover on the upper portions of Skyline and Golden Gate trails.	Fireweed (early) Twinflower Cow parsnip Salal Forest Penstemon Coral Root Foam flower Slender Bog Orchid Tiger Lily Common Speedwell Self-heal Northern Microseris Monkeyflower (Nisqually River)	Columbine Tiger Lily Harsh paintbrush Lupine Yarrow Narrow-Sepaled Phacelia Oregon sunshine Cascade penstemon Oceanspray Goldenrod Harebell Scarlet Paintbrush Phlox Salmonberry Goat's Beard Sitka valerian Subalpine Daisy Sitka Mountain Ash Red Elderberry Rosy Spirea Avalanche Lilies	Broadleaf Lupine Magenta Paintbrush Red Paintbrush Subalpine Daisy Goat's Beard Columbine Tiger Lily Cow Parsnip Bear Grass Oregon Sunshine

 

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