Wildflower Hikes

Catch the best of the early season show on these routes across the U.S.

Follow this loop mixing on- and off-trail travel through vibrant wildflower displays and past snow-fed streams to a huge alpine lake with unbeatable campsite views of Mount Meeker.

This 10.5-mile out and back promises wildflower drenched meadows, stunning vistas, and two pristine alpine lakes perfect for a cold dip or sunrise photo op.

Find fields of poppies on this spring-perfect hike in the Chino Hills outside Lake Elsinore.

Scramble across the trailless desert in Joshua Tree's wild northeast corner to inner Basin Pass. BY EMELIE FROJEN

Explore the Superstition Mountains on this overnight across Red Tanks Divide. BY QUINN HARPER

This 6.6-mile loop features a coastal bluff with dazzling wildflower displays and a wild beach with exceptional views of the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

This little-used trail plunges 1,700 feet through wildflower country to a cool reward by West Clear Creek. Watch for cairns on this 6.8-mile hike to avoid involuntary bushwhacks.

Trek into history on this 7-mile out-and-back in the San Gabriel foothills. You'll visit the ruins of a luxurious hotel and cog railway that date back to the early 1900s.

Savor sunny views of Catalina Island and the Pacific Ocean, then descend to a cool creek under the pleasant shade of sycamore trees on this 8.9-mile canyon loop.

Hike 6 miles to an island of green space nestled in L.A.'s suburbs, then climb steeply to panoramic views of the nearby San Gabriel mountains and the Hollywood Hills.

Hike, run, or bike this moderate 6.2-mile out-and-back, which follows a scenic, rolling ridgeline to a boot-shaped mesa with a stunning ocean vista.

Solitude rules on this 9.4-mile out-and-back hike along Little Kachess Lake to rock gardens ablaze with wildflowers,giant green forests, and a quiet lakeside hideout.

This preserve offers plenty of big city escape. Shady forests, gentle waterfalls, and a lofty vista over the Des Plaines River are just a few stops along this 10.1-mile multi-use loop.

This 6.5-mile loop passes through sage, chaparral, and oak groves to a high plateau with panoramic views of the Santa Ana Mountains.

Satisfy your wanderlust on this 5.4-mile out-and-back, which offers stop-and-gawk panoramas of the jagged Cascades blanketed by glaciers.

This 8-mile backcountry trek serves up two mountain lakes, intimate views of Mount Rainier, and some off-trail scrambles in the Tatoosh Range.

Camp near an idyllic mountain stream on this 11-mile out-and-back into a deep, remote gorge scoured by small waterfalls in Georgia's Cohutta Wilderness.

Experience the many moods of the chaparral and wildflowers in bloom en route to an unnamed summit on this 6.8-mile hike in Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park.

This 8.3-mile lollipop loop quickly ascends 2,500 feet into the coastal hills; bring your camera to capture striking above-the-fog seascapes.

This remote, partly unmarked 10.4-mile route leads to a beautifully carved canyon with high desert views in Sycamore Canyon Wilderness.

First, check out the petroglyphs; then climb 2,500 feet to the state high point on this popular 11.6-mile out-and-back in Chattahoochee National Forest.

This 6.4-mile dayhike is a tour de force: You'll be rewarded with magnificent views, an isolated arch, and unusual plant life in Coconino National Forest.

Hike, ski, or bike a hidden pocket of sylvan wilderness just an hour from Manhattan.

Solitude. Fresh air. Big views. It all unfolds on this vigorous 5-miler along a lively mountain stream to the highest point in Hudson Highlands State Park.

This 5.2-mile desert hike is great any time, but spectacular in spring when the Antelope Buttes bloom with native grasses and fire-orange poppies, the California state flower.

This 12.1-mile loop skirts five reservoirs, cuts through forests of oak, hemlock, and birch, and gains 2,600 feet of elevation in 2,060-acre Middlesex Fells Reservation.

Get climbers'-eye views on this adventurous ramble to the peak's base--or summit--on this 3- to 5-day trip.

Enjoy soaring views from open ridges on this easy-access overnight.

Waterfalls, lush forests, and magnificent creekside views make this 5-mile out-and-back through Cliff Falls Wilderness a superb dayhike in northern Georgia.

This lovely 5.4-mile loop shaded by oaks, pines, and birches leads to the rushing headwaters of Flat Creek in Chattahoochee National Forest.

On this 6-mile loop in Blue Hills Reservation, you'll see dense hardwoods, meadows, ponds, glacial leftovers, rocky hills, and sweeping views of Boston.

This 5.8-miler loops in-and-around secluded islands of rare trees, diverse bird sanctuaries, and tranquil butterfly gardens in Hammonasset Beach State Park.

This moderate 6.5-mile loop climbs through an open oak forest, reaches nearly 3,000 feet, and pays off with expansive views of distant ridgelines.

Nestled in a quiet corner of the Cohutta Wilderness, this 10.2-mile out-and-back features giant hardwood stands, waterfalls, and a remote mountain campsite.

This 7.3-mile loop leads to photo-worthy views of the colorful Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, then enters a highland meadow to a tranquil pond.

Hike through a variety of Arizona vegetation to a Native American ruin and a classic red-rock rim on this 8.4-mile out-and-back trip in black bear country.

Gain more than 2,500 feet on this steep 7.6-mile hike though an open evergreen forest to a view-blessed peak in Wenatchee National Forest. An exceptional wildflower hike in late spring.

From river valley to alpine meadows, this 10.8-mile hike features a brilliant flower display in midsummer and stunning Olympic Range views year-round.

Escape the Windy City on this easy 5.9-mile hike through a beautiful hardwood forest into ravines carved by glaciers more than 10,000 years ago.

This 5.8-mile loop takes you through a 400-year-old forest to summit the highest Bay State peak east of the Berkshires.

This 5.2-mile trail kicks off with a short albeit aggressive climb, then rambles through meadows that explode with wildflowers in the summer. Craggy mountain vistas abound.

This gentle 4.8-mile climb strings through the thick woods of Pawtuckaway State Park to a fire tower lookout with four-star mountaintop views.

KENNEDY MEADOWS to TUOLUMNE MEADOWS: The highlight reel of this 209-mile section includes three national parks, several high passes with heavenly views, two stunning wilderness areas, and not a single road. Option: Detour up Mt. Whitney, the tallest peak in the Lower 48.

This scenic 4.2-mile hike in the Blue Hills Reservation loops under pines and passes by a rare Atlantic white cedar bog, home to 17 endangered species.

Walk 8.2 miles through blooming rhododendron patches and towering hemlock stands to a double-spouted waterfall in Chattahoochee National Forest.

Head up to a ridge overlooking the Hudson Valley and Catskills, and return through beaver and berry country.

Count five waterfalls--including one of Georgia's most scenic--on this 10.8-miler in Chattahoochee National Forest. Go midweek for more solitude.

Test your physical stamina on this 13.4-miler over rugged terrain with wild elevation challenges. The reward: vistas, hoodoos, and petroglyphs.

Trek across vibrant wildflower meadows to two alpine lakes tucked into a rocky chasm below Mt. Massive on this 5.8 miler outside Leadville.

Hop off the bus for a 12.6-miler through red-maple swamps and old-growth forest filled with deer, grouse, and turkeys.

Take the Metro to this 4.8-mile loop, then soak up sunny ocean views from the foothills of Will Rogers State Park.

Pack light: This strenuous dayhike gains 3,000 feet in less than 3 miles, and offers in-your-face mountain views in Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

This 8.6-mile out-and-back is packed with attractions: roaring waterfalls, an alpine lake, and mountain views so awesome you'll go trigger-happy with the camera.

Head to the dark hills of Black Rock Mountain State Park for a 6.3-mile loop along soothing mountain streams to lookouts with classic Appalachian views.

You won't find gold on this 3.5-mile loop, but the hilly hemlock forests, the singing swans, and the sunbathing turtles at Bull Sluice Lake are priceless.

This challenging 10.4-miler climbs past lowland scrubs, a wildfire zone, and several campsites to a tall pine forest in Los Padres National Forest.

Climb an ancient ridge for views of a dramatic unglaciated Wisconsin landscape.

Link meadows to hilltops across Westborough’s open spaces.

Explore wooded bluffs and a dramatic limestone canyon on the way to a waterfall on this 4.8-mile riverside hike in Kankakee River State Park.

Travel across lush forest, grassy meadows, and exposed alpine slopes to the rocky crown of Grays Peak on this 67-mile section of the Continental Divide Trail.

This 11.8-mile dayhike links quiet forests and wildflower-filled meadows to a broad mountaintop overlooking Lake Dillon.

Scout for waterbirds in the marshes and peer through dense tallgrass on this easygoing 5.25-mile hike through Goose Lake Prairie.

Relive summer camp on a hike full of mini-habitats, historic relics, and hilltop views.

Navigate an obstacle course of countless log steps, steep rock slabs, and giant boulders on this 2.8-mile hike to a small summit overlooking Boulder.

This 4.3-mile loop follows the Des Plaines River as it winds through stunning forestland chock-full of stately hardwoods and colorful flowers.

This 16.3-mile shuttle hike splashes through the Jacks River region (read: 40-plus creek crossings) in the Cohutta Wilderness Area.

This 10-mile trek down the East Fork of the San Gabriel River ends at the 120-foot-high Bridge to Nowhere, a popular bungee jumping destination.

Take a ridgeline walk to views of the Boston skyline.

See a different side of North Jersey from the Grand Tour Trail.

Climb over the picturesque north face of Mount Wilson, the site of a historic observatory, on this 11-mile loop in L.A.'s San Gabriel Mountains.

A classic Appalachian ridge hike, this 11-mile shuttle tackles numerous knobs and summits under heavy canopy with occasional Blue Ridge views.

Anacapa Island's oceanfront overlooks, throngs of wildlife, and a picture-perfect lighthouse highlight this classic 2.5-mile loop in Channel Islands National Park.

Travel past fragrant wildflowers and stately old-growth forest en route to a stunning backcountry lake in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

Take a break from baiting hooks and hit the trail for this 4.8-mile loop around Shabbona Lake. You're guaranteed to catch lake views, dense woodland silence, and wetland vistas.

Snow-fed cascades, vibrant wildflower meadows, and dizzying Cascade vistas highlight this 7.9-mile out-and-back in Mount Rainier National Park.

A lush, green garden of waterfalls and giant pools awaits on the dells of Matthiessen State Park; this route tacks on a bluff-top viewpoint for 5.8-miles of prime Illinois day-hiking.

Sample sylvan forests, a beachside boardwalk, and rocky island shores on this 5.6-mile dayhike in New York City's largest park, Pelham Bay.

Traipse along the Great Swamp's boardwalk to sprawling, wildflower-speckled everglades and three world-class birding spots on this easy, two-mile loop near Morristown.

Leave civilization behind on this 7.4-mile loop that connects mountaintop greenery, sweeping monoliths and low-lying swamps in southern Harriman State Park.