72 Microseasons of the Pacific Northwest

From roughly July 7 through mid-August, the high-elevation meadows of the Cascades and Olympics reach their most extravagant floral display of the year. The leading cast includes Broadleaf Lupine (Lupinus latifolius), whose blue-purple spires rise knee-high throughout the meadow zone; Indian Paintbrush species (Castilleja spp.) in shades from pale yellow-green to vivid scarlet; and the showy magenta globes of Lewis's Monkeyflower (Erythranthe lewisii) lining every snowmelt creek. These species frequently grow in dense, interlocking masses that paint entire hillsides in bold blocks of color. At Mount Rainier National Park, the Paradise and Skyline Trail areas (elevation 5,400–6,500 ft) are among the most photographed wildflower landscapes on the continent. The last week of July is typically peak bloom at Paradise, where Avalanche Lilies (Erythronium montanum) — brilliant white with reflexed petals — emerge directly through the last patches of snowpack, sometimes within feet of a snow edge. Sharing the meadow are Sitka Valerian (Valeriana sitchensis), Western Anemone (Pulsatilla occidentalis), and the tall, yellow-flowered Arrowleaf Groundsel (Senecio triangularis). The Sunrise area at 6,400 feet typically peaks a few weeks later than Paradise. On the Olympic Peninsula, Hurricane Ridge (5,242 ft) offers some of the most accessible subalpine meadows in the country, reachable by paved road from Port Angeles. In mid-July the open ridges bloom with Olympic Aster (Aster paucicapitatus), Lupine, Paintbrush, and the distinctive globular flower heads of American Bistort (Bistorta bistortoides). The Olympics harbor several endemic wildflower species found nowhere else, including Piper's Bellflower (Campanula piperi), a tiny blue flower clinging to rock faces just above the meadows. Deer and Black Bears are commonly seen grazing at dawn and dusk in these meadows, drawn to the same flush of tender new growth.