Wildflower Resources

If you love wildflowers (and perhaps also our story “Wildflowers in the West [2]”), check out these great viewing areas.

Tip: For updates on the blooms in several states, especially California, contact the Theodore Payne Foundation Wildflower hotline [3]. (818) 768-3533.

alaska

Denali National Park and Preserve [4]
Entrance on Highway 3 about 240 miles north of Anchorage, (907) 683-9532.

Starrigavan Recreation Area [5]
Off Halibut Point Road about 7-1/2 miles north of Sitka, (907) 747-6671.

california

Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve [6]
15101 Lancaster Rd., 15 miles west of Lancaster, (661) 946-6092.

Anza Borrego Desert State Park [7]
Eastern San Diego County, about 83 miles east of San Diego, (760) 767-5311.

Carrizo Plain National Monument [8]
Enter from Highways 58 and 166, east of San Luis Obispo and north of Santa Barbara, (805) 475-2131.

Hite Cove Trail [9]
Entrance on Highway 140, eight miles west of Yosemite National Park, (209) 742-4567.

Point Reyes National Seashore [10]
32 miles northwest of San Francisco along Highway 1, (415) 464-5100 x2.

Yosemite National Park [11]
211 miles east of San Francisco off Highway 140, (209) 372-0200.

colorado

West Elk Scenic Byway Wildflower Viewing Area [12]
32 miles northwest of Gunnison, (970) 641-0471.

idaho

Camas Prairie Centennial Marsh Wildlife Management Area [13]
About 90 miles east of Boise, (208) 764-3202.

Craters of the Moon National Monument [14]
174 miles east of Boise and 90 miles west of Idaho Falls, (208) 527-1335. An app [15] for the iPhone or iPad gives details on the wildflowers at the monument.

montana

North Hills Trails [16]
Access from the Waterworks Trailhead off West Greenough Drive in Missoula, (406) 329-3750.

Red Canyon Trail [17]
Access from Red Canyon Road off Highway 287 just northwest of West Yellowstone, (406) 823-6961.

nevada

Huffaker Hills Trails [18]
Access from Alexander Lake Road off South McCarran Road in Reno, (775) 828-6642.

Tahoe Meadows Interpretive Trail [19]
Access from Highway 431 just south of Reno, (775) 331-6444.

Valley of Fire State Park [20]
56 miles northeast of Las Vegas, (702) 397-2088.

oregon

Eight Dollar Mountain Botanical Area/Wild and Scenic Illinois River Corridor [21]
Access from Illinois River Road about 50 miles west of Medford near Selma, (541) 471 6500.

Historic Columbia River Highway/Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area [22]
Along Highway 30 in eastern Portland, (541) 308-1700.

Table Rocks [23]
Access from Highway 234 about 20 miles northwest of Medford, (541) 618-2200.

Tom McCall Preserve [24]
Access from Highway 30, 11 miles east of Hood River, (503) 802-8100.

utah

Albion Basin Experience
[25]Trailhead at the Albion Basin Campground in Salt Lake City’s Little Cottonwood Canyon, (801) 733-2660.

Arches National Park [26]
5 miles north of Moab, (435) 719-2299.

Red Canyon Botanical Area [27]
Access from Highway 12 west of Bryce Canyon National Park,
near Panguitch, (435) 676-9300.

Zion National Park [28]
40 miles northeast of St. George, (435) 772-3256.

washington

Paradise, Mt. Rainier National Park [29]
19 miles east of the park’s Nisqually Entrance, 90 miles south of Seattle, (360) 569-6575.

wyoming

Beartooth Scenic Byway [30]
Access from the northeast gate to Yellowstone National Park or from Red Lodge, Mont., (307) 777-7777.

Yellowstone National Park [31]
In the northwest corner of Wyoming, about 100 miles south of Bozeman, Mont., and about 120 miles northeast of Idaho Falls, Idaho, (307)
344-7381.

Photography courtesy of NPS/Neal Herbert

This article was first published in March 2013. Some facts may have aged gracelessly. Please call ahead to verify information.