1. Introduction
From Colorado to California, here’s where you can spot some stunning wildflowers across the U.S. in spring and summer.
2. Wildflower Beauty
For a reminder of all the beauty in the world, we need only to open our eyes to the rejuvenating spirit of spring, which arrives every year no matter how tough the preceding winter felt, expressing itself most colorfully in fields of wildflowers.
In the U.S., there are plenty of places to admire wildflowers in the spring and summer. Moreover, road tripping to see these blooms is a great way to get outdoors, so go forth and explore.
Texas
From March to May, head to Texas to enjoy wide-open spaces and massive fields blanketed in colorful spring flowers. On a drive through Texas Hill Country, there’s a good chance you’ll spot bluebonnets (the Lone Star State’s flower), Indian paintbrushes, pink evening primroses, daisies, winecups, prairie verbenas, and goldeneye phloxes.
Drive the popular 80-mile loop from Brenham to Chappell Hill, hitting Burton, Independence, and Washington along the way before heading back to Brenham. En route, you’re likely to spot thistles, purple coneflowers, verbenas, beardtongues, skullcaps, prairie parsley, yellow wild indigo, blue-eyed grasses, blanket flowers, and more.
South Dakota
In South Dakota, you’ll get the added bonus of roaming wildlife with a trip to see the wildflowers like the pasque flower, which blooms from late March through May. Plus, there are natural wonders and national monuments to explore, including Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, and the Crazy Horse Memorial.
Visit Badlands National Park in the spring, and the gorgeous natural scenery that’s there year-round will be complemented with pops of bright color from scarlet globemallows, yellow salsifies, and sego lilies. At Custer State Park, the floral highlights are upright prairie coneflowers, Woods’ roses, and Rocky Mountain blazing stars.
California
Whether or not California has a super bloom depends on the rainfall. However, if there has been a good amount of rain, you can expect to see wildflowers between February and April. Head to spots like the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, and the Carlsbad Flower Fields for the best chances of spotting beautiful blooms.
Colorado
Procrastinators can head to Colorado for their flower fix, as this state typically sees its best blooms in July and August rather than in the springtime—particularly in the Rocky Mountain region. Colorado is an ideal state for a summer hiking trip because not only is the weather glorious, but trails across the state are surrounded by wildflowers. Head to Crested Butte in July, considered to be the “Wildflower Capital of Colorado,” for the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival and great hiking opportunities, or Steamboat Springs to spot the Colorado blue columbine and red Indian paintbrush on the trails.
Montana
Both the prairie and alpine wildflowers of Glacier National Park reach their peak from late June to mid-July, so summer is a good time to visit one of the nation’s most beautiful national parks and enjoy its explosion of beautiful blooms (glacier lilies, clematis, pinesaps, and purple asters, to name a few). More than 1,000 varieties of wildflowers grow at Glacier National Park, which means summer visitors will have no shortage of eye candy.
