Natural History Wanderings

Mt. Rainier National Park reports

Currently Blooming

Fueled by warmer temps and spring rain, forest wildflowers are emerging and beginning to bloom. However, many of these early flowers take a little more effort to spot, like the big-leaved sandwort (Moehringia macrophylla). The whole plant is just a couple inches tall, with tiny white flowers.

Please Note: 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 trail even if that means crossing snow, particularly in the high-visitation meadows around Paradise and Sunrise.

Wildflower Reports

• Nisqually Entrance to Longmire ((6/6) – vanilla leaf, cow parsnip (early), three-leaved anemone, Piper’s anemone, big-leaved avens, bunchberry, columbine, tall bluebells, lupine
• Longmire (6/6) – yellow violets, wild strawberry, Cascade oregongrape, heartleaf twayblade, mitrewort, salmonberry, slender bog orchid, bunchberry, three-leaved anemone, bear grass, alumroot, starflower, foam flower (early)
• Longmire-Paradise Road (6/3) -Paradise is still snow covered, but as snow melts away from the road’s edge some flowers are appearing: scarlet paintbrush (near Ricksecker Point), phlox, trillium, rock penstemon, yellow violets, willow
• Grove of the Patriarchs to Silver Falls (5/28)- wild strawberry, oregongrape, coral root, vanilla leaf, wood violet, twisted stalk, false Solomon’s seal, salmonberry, bleeding hearts, devil’s club, trillium, pippsissewa, twin flower, salal (early), bear grass

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.