Wildflowers Season In Yellowstone National Park

Spring and summer are the best times to see wildflowers in Yellowstone National Park. With more than 3,000 different species, the color explosions are spectacular and a treat for nature lovers!

Best Times To See Wildflowers

From the rainbow-hued hot springs and multi-hued Canyon walls, Yellowstone National Park offers a stunning display of colors year-round. Wildflowers season is a spectacular time to visit Yellowstone National Park. The colorful patchwork of flowers, from the first pasque flower in April to the last aster in September, makes this one of the most dynamic times to experience the Park. However, summer is at its most colorful when wildflowers burst forth in abundance. So, if you’re looking to see a wide range of flowers, late June through mid-July is the peak season. 

Rabbitfoot Crazyweed

Rabbitfoot crazyweed is a vibrant purple flower that typically grows in sagebrush meadows and valleys to lower montane. It is commonly seen from April to June. It is a perennial forb that arises from a three to 16 inch deep woody taproot. Its bright rose-purple, pealike flowers form dense racemes borne at the ends of leafless stalks. Its leaves are pinnately divided into paired lanceolate leaflets.

Harebell

Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) is a delicate beauty with small blue-violet bell-shaped flowers that nod from the tips of slender stems. It blooms in spurts from summer to fall. Commonly known as “bluebells,” Harebell is associated with Scotland but can be found in a variety of habitats. It is often self-seeding, especially in rocky soils and crevices.

Indian Paintbrush

The genus Castilleja, also known as Indian paintbrush or prairie-fire, is found in many colors throughout the western U.S. Often described as flowering clusters that resemble a paintbrush dipped in paint, these brightly colored flowers are best seen during June and July. These flowers grow in grasslands and dry sagebrush prairies, and also are abundant in ponderosa pine forests. You’ll likely see them in late spring through early summer, especially around the rims of Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park.

Monkey Flower

Monkey Flower Mimulus guttatus blooms in June and July near thermal areas, streambeds and Yellowstone Lake. These flowers are brightly colored and attract insect pollinators. There are many types of wildflowers that can be seen in Yellowstone National Park, but Lewis’ monkeyflower is one of the most common species in the area. It’s a monoecious plant that produces a bright yellow petal together with orange spots that attract insect pollinators.