Pee Dee Refugewildflowers
At Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge, the timing for wildflowers comes in 3 separate phases, each its own display, none of them a peak: Early spring flowers: Virginia iris, red maple blossoms, black-eyed Susans, March to May; Summer wetland and roadside blooms: pickerelweed, arrowhead, winged sumac, devil's walking stick, June to August; and Goldenrods and asters, September to November. No official report yet this season.
Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge through the year
- Spring green-up and first flowersMar–May
- Shorebirds replace waterfowl in the drained moist-soil unitsMar–May
- Neotropical songbirds return to breed and nest in the forested wetlands (March to May)Mar–May
- Songbird chicks raised and fledgedJun–Aug
- Bald eagles, ospreys, barred and great horned owls and great blue herons abound; turtles sun on banks and logs (June to August)Jun–Aug
- Summer blooms: pickerelweed and arrowhead in wetlands, winged sumac and devil's walking stick along roadsides (June to August)Jun–Aug
- Autumn season: red maple and sweetgum colorNowSep–Nov
- Ducks and geese start arriving from the northNowSep–Nov
- Goldenrods and asters feed pollinators before frost (September to November)NowSep–Nov
- Hunting allowed by permit, September through FebruaryNowSep–Feb
- Winter waterfowlDec–Feb
- Barred owls, great horned owls and great blue herons among the cold-weather sightsDec–Feb
- March–MayEarly spring flowers: Virginia iris, red maple blossoms, black-eyed SusansMarch to May
- June–AugustSummer wetland and roadside blooms: pickerelweed, arrowhead, winged sumac, devil's walking stickJune to August
- September–NovemberGoldenrods and astersSeptember to November
This week at Pee Dee Refuge
Next 7 days
Sat, Oct 3: Showers And Thunderstorms Likely, high 85°F, low 66°F · 56% chance of rain
Sun, Oct 4: Showers And Thunderstorms Likely, high 78°F, low 61°F · 58% chance of rain
No frost, strong wind or heavy rain in the forecast.
Updated Tue, Sep 29, 1:24 PM EDT, source: National Weather Service.
Today here · Tue, Sep 29
Sun: rises 7:14 a.m., sets 7:09 p.m.; civil twilight ends 7:34 p.m.
Moon tonight: waning gibbous, 87% lit (at 10 p.m.).
Sun and moon: our calculation, flat horizon. How these work
Best spots around Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge
- Wildlife DriveA 3-mile paved drive from the main entrance on Highway 52 North, through upland old fields, the Brown Creek bottomlands, the Sullivan moist-soil impoundment and an upland pine forest, with two hiking trails, an observation blind and a fishing pier at Sullivan Pond
- Tall Pines Nature TrailA 0.73-mile trail, with a 0.26-mile boardwalk section (Tall Pines Nature Trail Boardwalk)
Nearby
- Blue Ridge Parkway136 miUsually early spring (late April to early May) · starts in ~7 monthsTuSunnyWeSunnyThSunnyFrMostly Sunny then Chance Light Rain, rain likelySaShowers And Thunderstorms, rain likelySuShowers And Thunderstorms, rain likelyMoChance Rain Showers, rain likely
- Great Smoky Mountains198 miUsually mid- to late April · starts in ~6 monthsTuSunnyWeSunnyThSunnyFrMostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, rain likelySaShowers And Thunderstorms, rain likelySuRain Showers, rain likelyMoChance Rain Showers, rain likely
- Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens318 miLocal timing: late May through SeptemberTuChance Rain Showers, rain likelyWePatchy Fog then Mostly SunnyThMostly SunnyFrMostly Sunny, rain likelySaChance Rain Showers, rain likelySuRain Showers Likely, rain likelyMoSlight Chance Rain Showers, rain likely
- Wheeler Refuge391 miUsually: April · starts in ~6 monthsTuSunnyWeSunnyThSunnyFrMostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, rain likelySaShowers And Thunderstorms, rain likelySuShowers And Thunderstorms Likely, rain likelyMoSlight Chance Rain Showers, rain likely
Questions people ask
When do wildflowers bloom at Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge?
In 3 separate phases: Early spring flowers: Virginia iris, red maple blossoms, black-eyed Susans, March to May, Summer wetland and roadside blooms: pickerelweed, arrowhead, winged sumac, devil's walking stick, June to August and Goldenrods and asters, September to November. They're separate displays, not one long season, and none of them is a peak.
Is it blooming in Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge right now?
There's no official report yet this season.
Can I pick the flowers?
No. Collecting or disturbing any plant or animal on the refuge is prohibited, so enjoy them where they grow.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pee Dee NWR visit ↗ (opens in a new tab)
How do I get there?
The refuge is on US Highway 52 North, six miles north of Wadesboro, NC. From Charlotte, take US 74 East about 50 miles to Wadesboro, then turn left on US 52 North for 6 miles.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pee Dee NWR visit ↗ (opens in a new tab)
When is the refuge open?
During daylight only, from 1 hour before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset. The office is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed on federal holidays.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pee Dee NWR visit ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Is it open to visitors when these flowers bloom?
Yes. In spring and summer the refuge is open for fishing, wildlife watching and photography; in fall, hunting is allowed by permit and the refuge stays open for wildlife watching and photography.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pee Dee NWR seasons of wildlife ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where are the best spots in Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge?
Wildlife Drive: a 3-mile paved drive from the main entrance on Highway 52 North, through upland old fields, the Brown Creek bottomlands, the Sullivan moist-soil impoundment and an upland pine forest, with two hiking trails, an observation blind and a fishing pier at Sullivan Pond; Tall Pines Nature Trail: a 0.73-mile trail, with a 0.26-mile boardwalk section (Tall Pines Nature Trail Boardwalk).
Are there closures or permits to know about in Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge?
Hunting allowed by permit, September through February (Sep–Feb).
What is Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge like through the year?
Winter waterfowl (Dec–Feb), Spring green-up and first flowers (Mar–May), Songbird chicks raised and fledged (Jun–Aug), Autumn season: red maple and sweetgum color (Sep–Nov), Barred owls, great horned owls and great blue herons among the cold-weather sights (Dec–Feb), Ducks and geese start arriving from the north (Sep–Nov), Shorebirds replace waterfowl in the drained moist-soil units (Mar–May), Hunting allowed by permit, September through February (Sep–Feb), Neotropical songbirds return to breed and nest in the forested wetlands (March to May) (Mar–May), Bald eagles, ospreys, barred and great horned owls and great blue herons abound; turtles sun on banks and logs (June to August) (Jun–Aug), Summer blooms: pickerelweed and arrowhead in wetlands, winged sumac and devil's walking stick along roadsides (June to August) (Jun–Aug) and Goldenrods and asters feed pollinators before frost (September to November) (Sep–Nov).
How we know
National Weather Service forecast and alerts (opens in a new tab) (Sep 29) · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pee Dee NWR seasons of wildlife (opens in a new tab) (Sep 28) · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pee Dee NWR visit (opens in a new tab) (Sep 28) · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pee Dee NWR: Auto Tour (opens in a new tab) (Sep 28) · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pee Dee NWR trails (opens in a new tab) (Sep 28)