Sunny Walter's
Washington Nature Weekends

Wildflower Viewing Locations

(All photos on this site are © Sunny Walter unless otherwise noted - click on images to see enlargements)

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"Blooming begins east of the mountains, in the driest, warmest lands. 
The wave of color spreads across Eastern Washington and along the Columbia Gorge, 
then hops the mountains and heads west. 
On the wetter west side, blooming begins early in the islands and along the coast. 
As the summer progresses, flowers appear in the foothills, revealing themselves 
higher and higher, until the last, brief season in late summer at alpine heights." 

Washington Nature Weekends
(published in August, 2001)
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April


May

June
  • Darrington Wildflower Festival
  • Celebrating Wildflowers Events
July August  ...
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Wildflower Locations Across Washington
(several from Washington Nature Weekends)
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April
Beezley Hills

(see chapter 16)
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..Rock Creek Rd
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Columbia Gorge

Wildflower peak in 
mid- to late April 
in the eastern part 
of the Columbia Gorge
  Dallas Mountain Rd

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May
San Juan Islands .. Puget Prairie
California poppies peak in early to mid-May and can be seen on the west side of San Juan Island south of Lime Kiln State Park 
(see chapter 26)		 .. Photo Prairie wildflowers and butterflies can be seen from May to July at Mima Mounds and Scatter Creek Wildlife Area south of Olympia
(see chapter 19)
Palouse

Wildflowers peak in late May or early June and can be seen on 
Kamiak and Steptoe Buttes.  Also watch for fields of bright yellow canola. 
(see chapter 22)
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June
Photo Darrington Wildflower Festival

Native plants are featured at this mid-June festival
(see chapter 25)
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July
Hurricane Ridge

Meadows covered with sub-alpine wildflowers peak in early to mid-July, but are good all month.
(see chapter 27)
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 .. Mount Baker

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Mount Rainier
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Spray Park  New 11/22!

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Wildflower peak in 
mid- to late July 
on the north and east 
sides of Mount Rainier
 
 

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 .. Berkeley Park


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August
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Mount Rainier
Paradise Area

Wildflowers at Paradise peak in early August
(see chapter 32)
Bird Creek Meadows

Wildflowers peak in mid-August
(see chapter 32)

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Lower Columbia Basin Wildflowers- by Georganne O’Connor
Rattlesnake Slope Wildlife Area

Rattlesnake Mountain is part of the 120-square-mile Fitzner/Eberhardt Arid Lands Ecology Reserve near Richland. Although public access to the land is limited because of the area's status as a research natural area, you can view Rattlesnake's wildflower display from pullouts along State Route 240.

For closer views of wildflowers, explore the Rattlesnake Slope Wildlife Area. From Richland, take SR 240 northwest 8.5 miles to SR 225 (milepost 20.5). Turn left and drive past Horn Rapids Park on the Yakima River (campground, showers). Look for horned larks along the roadside -- small brown birds with a black bib and sideburns and two small black “horns” (feather tufts) just behind the crown of the forehead. Continue driving to a signed parking lot on the right (south of milepost 8).

Follow the path, taking the left fork across a dry coulee and up a gently sloping two-lane track that leads into the hills. The native plants here look like an Impressionist painting, soft and subtle in their coloring. After about 40 minutes you can easily climb up and walk across the tops of the hills for views out across the Basin.
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Horse Heaven Hills

To explore the BLM-managed Horse Heaven Hills, continue south on SR 225 to Benton City (US Highway 12, exit 96 from Richland). Drive south through Kiona, turn right on McBee Road, and follow the gravel road 2.5 miles uphill to the gravel pit. Turn right, park on the hillside, and hike up the steep rocky road several hundred yards to the ridge. Beautiful wildflowers and views on both the north- and south-facing slopes.

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Georganne O’Connor lives in the Tri-Cities area.  You can email her at:  GeorganneO@aol.com

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URL: http://www.sunnywalter.com/WhereView-WNW-Wildflowers.html
Links checked and updated on:  November 22, 2001
Text and photos are copyright © 2000, 2001 Sunny Walter  (unless otherwise noted)
For more information, contact sunny@sunnywalter.com