State guide
When to catch Washingtonthrough the year
The peaks we can name in Washington each belong to a place, not the whole state. Subalpine wildflowers at Mount Rainier: late July to early August; Waterfalls in autumn: autumn.
When are you going?
Fall in Washington
- ONE SPOT · FALL FOLIAGEWashington PassLate September to early OctoberWashington
“late September to early October” · Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest ↗
- More fall foliage:Mountain Loop HighwayWind River
Also good in fall
- Hanford ReachFall chinook salmon spawn, late October to late November
- Ridgefield RefugeFall migration: ducks, geese, swans and sandhill cranes
- Washington PassLarch and huckleberry color
- Wind RiverFalls Creek Falls trail season
From each place's own sources; no peak claimed.
Next peak here after fall
“April and early May” · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗
Winter in Washington
- SEASON · WINTER WILDLIFERidgefield RefugeSeptember through DecemberWashington
“September through December” · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗
- SEASON · WILDFLOWERSNorth CascadesLate February in the low forests to early September in the alpineWashington
“late February in the low forests to early September in the alpine” · National Park Service ↗
Also good in winter
- Nisqually RefugeWintering geese and ducks, December and January
From each place's own sources; no peak claimed.
Next peak here after winter
“April and early May” · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗
Spring in Washington
- SEASON · CHERRY BLOSSOMSSeattleLate March to early AprilWashington
“late March to early April” · Wikivoyage ↗
Also good in spring
- Hanford ReachSpring wildflowers
- Mountain Loop HighwaySnoquera Falls at its best
- Nisqually RefugeAbout 5,000 western sandpipers and dunlin on the delta mudflats, late April and early May
- North CascadesWildflowers
- Ridgefield RefugeSpring bird migration, usually mid-March to mid-May
- SeattleGreen-up
From each place's own sources; no peak claimed.
Summer in Washington
- USUAL PEAK · WILDFLOWERSMount RainierLate July to early AugustWashington
“late July to early August” · National Park Service ↗
Also good in summer
- Mount RainierWildflowers
- Mountain Loop HighwaySubalpine wildflowers at Skyline Divide
- Nisqually RefugeChinook salmon moving up the Nisqually River to spawn, June to September
- North CascadesWildflowers
- Washington PassHart's Pass wildflower peak
- Wind RiverHigh-country wildflowers
From each place's own sources; no peak claimed.
Places in Washington
- Spring
- Fall
- Winter
Places on this map, as a list
- Fall
- Winter
Places on this map, as a list
- SeattleLocal timing: late March to early April
- Nisqually RefugeLocal timing: December and January
- Hanford ReachUsually: April and early May
- Turnbull RefugeUsually mid-May
Eastern Washington
Cascades
- Mount RainierWildflowers · late July to early AugustFall foliage · September
- Mountain Loop HighwayFall foliage · Oct (statewide)
- North CascadesWildflowers · Feb–Sep
Show the rest in Cascades (2) →
Puget Sound
Planning a Washington trip
Towns to stay in
- Seattle, WASeattle · 3 mi
- Yakima, WAHanford Reach · 53 mi
- Bellingham, WASequim · 55 mi
- Kennewick, WAHanford Reach · 35 mi
- Olympia, WANisqually Refuge · 9 mi
- Longview, WARidgefield Refuge · 24 mi
- Walla Walla, WAHanford Reach · 67 mi
Nearest place we follow, straight-line miles.
Fees, passes and reservations
- Mount Rainier: passes ↗
Current park alerts (NPS)
- Mount Rainier: WILDFIRE CLOSURES: Sunrise & northern trails. White River open. ↗
- Mount Rainier: Be cautious around park rivers & learn how to cross safely! ↗
- North Cascades: Campfire Ban in Portions of the Park Complex ↗
- North Cascades: Level 1 Fire Advisory for areas in Stehekin ↗
Browse by season and event
- Wildflowers · 4 places hereWildflowers, everywhere →
- Fall foliage · 4 places hereFall foliage, everywhere →
- Winter wildlife · 2 places hereWinter wildlife, everywhere →
- Cherry blossoms · 1 place hereCherry blossoms, everywhere →
Questions people ask
When is the best time to go at Hanford Reach?
Spring, while the wildflowers bloom in April and early May, and again in fall when the rabbitbrush flowers.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hanford Reach National Monument: Visit Us ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Are there marked trails at Hanford Reach?
No maintained ones. A few paths follow service roads, and some social trails exist; the main one starts at the White Bluffs Boat Launch.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hanford Reach National Monument: Trails ↗ (opens in a new tab)
When are the meadows at their best at Mount Rainier?
In most years plenty is blooming by mid-July, and the subalpine meadows usually peak from late July to early August. Frost can arrive by late August, but the meadows stay lovely as leaves change color and seed heads form.Sources: National Park Service, Discover Mount Rainier's wildflowers ↗ (opens in a new tab), National Park Service, Mount Rainier wildflower status ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Why are the high meadows so showy at Mount Rainier?
Their season is very short. Snow can stay in the meadows between about 4,500 and 6,500 feet into June or July, so the flowers bloom all at once before winter returns.Source: National Park Service, Wildflowers of Mount Rainier ↗ (opens in a new tab)
How do I avoid the entrance lines at Mount Rainier?
Enter before 10 a.m. or after 2:30 p.m., the Park Service suggests.Source: National Park Service, Mount Rainier hours ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Can I drive up to Sunrise this fall at Mount Rainier?
Not as of September 18, 2026: the Sunrise road is closed to vehicles because of the Grand Park 2 and Wonderland Complex fires, until further notice (open to walkers and cyclists only). SR 410 over Chinook Pass, the road to Naches Peak Loop and Tipsoo Lake, is open.Source: National Park Service, Mount Rainier road status ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Nearby state guides: Oregon · Montana · Idaho · Wyoming
Washington in pictures
How we know
- Sep 28Park ServiceBest visit in spring when wildflowers bloom (April and early May) and in fall for rabbitbrush; few facilitiesSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hanford Reach National Monument: Visit Us in a new tab)
- Sep 26Park ServiceIn September, meadows start to turn red, orange and yellowSource (opens National Park Service, Discover Mount Rainier's wildflowers in a new tab)
- Sep 30SightingsVolunteer observations of deciduous trees and shrubs: share with half or more of their leaves colored, per stateSource (opens USA National Phenology Network, colored leaves observations in a new tab)
- Sep 28Park ServiceSeasons of wildlife month by month: winter waterfowl, February sea ducks, spring shorebirds, salmonSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR: Species in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceFlowering from late February in low forests to early September in the alpineSource (opens National Park Service, North Cascades wildflowers in a new tab)
- Sep 28Park ServiceFall migration September–December; spring migration mid-March–mid-MaySource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ridgefield NWR: Wildlife watching in a new tab)
- National Park Service sources: no claim to original U.S. Government works.
Show all 9
- Sep 28ReferenceThe UW Quad: 29 Japanese cherry trees, usually in bloom late March–early April · Wikivoyage contributors, adapted · CC BY-SA 4.0Source (opens Wikivoyage, Seattle/University District in a new tab)
- Sep 28Park ServiceWildflowers peak in mid-May; trails, auto tour route, stay-on-trail season and visitor contact station hoursSource (opens U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge: Visit Us in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceClassic fall color hike late September to early October; scattered larch near the lake below Liberty Bell MountainSource (opens Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Blue Lake Trail in a new tab)