Everywhere you look, spring is showing off, adding pops of color to the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains and the storied Shenandoah Valley. It’s the perfect time for a scenic drive along backroads and scenic byways to appreciate native trees and wildflowers in bloom.
Shenandoah National Park is an ideal destination for wildflower hunting. Roll the windows down and enjoy the slower pace on Skyline Drive, watching closely for the stark white blooms of bloodroot on the forest floor.
Wildflowers in Shenandoah National Park
May 10-11, 2025: Wildflower Weekend in Shenandoah National Park
It takes a keen eye to spy wildflowers that many wouldn’t recognize as a flower at all, like Jack-in-the-Pulpit. Displaying variegated shades of green, it’s an easy beauty to miss, but you can find it growing in Shenandoah National Park and other parts of the Shenandoah Valley, including Shenandoah Mountain in George Washington National Forest.
Join the Friends of Shenandoah Mountain on April 26 for the Garlic Mustard Pull at Hone Quarry in Rockingham County. Not only will you help remove the invasive Garlic Mustard from overtaking the forest floor, but you’ll see the emerging native wildflowers and the Hone Quarry waterfall.
Also west of the Shenandoah Valley is Hidden Valley Recreation Area near Warm Springs. It, too, is within the National Forest. Take the Hidden Valley West Trail along the Jackson River to encounter plenty of wildlife and wildflowers. It’s an easy hike of 1.08 miles and little elevation gain.
When getting out into the wild isn’t quite your thing but you still want the wildflower experience, consider a walk through the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum in Harrisonburg. The beautifully serene gardens take center stage during Wildflower Wednesdays, offered every Wednesday in April from noon until 1 p.m.
April 12: Landscaping with Native Plants
April 25 – May 3: Spring Plant Sale
Harmony Harvest Farm
Remember that wildflower picking is not cool unless you’re specifically invited to do so, like at a pick-your-own flower farm. Thankfully, there are a few such places in the Shenandoah Valley to get your floral fix.
Header Image: Edith J. Carrier Arboretum. Photo courtesy of Virginia Tourism Corporation.
