Looking for a memorable and photogenic adventure? Try one of these all-time best road trips to see spring wildflowers. From Oregon to Tennessee, get ready to experience gorgeous blooms like never before.

“Everything is blooming most recklessly,” said Rainer Maria Rilke. We couldn’t have said it any better! Celebrate the rambunctious attitude of springtime with a quick road trip to see spring wildflowers. Lucky for you, no matter which part of the country you live in, you’re not far from a place to frolic with the flowers.

The timing of wildflower blooms can be unpredictable. The dates of peak blooming season are notoriously challenging to anticipate. If possible, it’s best to stay flexible about your dates. Keep an eye on the blooms tracker for your destination so you’re guaranteed a bloomin’ good time.

Ready? It’s time to put “petal” to the medal. Here are the six best road trips to see spring wildflowers.

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PNW: Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge

Stay:

Hood River Hotel

(from $54/night)

Or:

Panorama Lodge B&B

(from $80/night)

From

Portland

, take I-84 East toward The Dalles along the stunning Columbia River Gorge. Allow about three hours to drive this route—and more for hiking. En route, you will pass by small towns, orchards, and world-class natural landmarks like Rooster Rock and

Multnomah Falls

You can spot blooms dotting the hills all along the highway but the best place to see wildflowers up close is the 3.5-mile out-and-back

Mosier Plateau Trail

in Hood River. Other good options are the paved Mosier Twin Tunnels and the epic Rowena Crest.

Expect to see lupine, Columbia kittentail, Howell’s daisy, balsamroot, long-beard hawkweed, and more.

If you need a bite to eat along the way, stop in Hood River at

pFriem Family Brewers

Pro Tip Before you leave, check this
map
to find out if the flowers are blooming.

SW: California and Arizona’s desert blooms

Stay: Camp at the

Joshua Tree Ranch

in California, from $28/night

Or:

Hilton Garden Inn

in Phoenix, Arizona, from $362/night

In California, the best road trip to see spring wildflowers is to the

Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve

Start in Malibu and head north on I-5. You’ll pass through Los Padres National Forest and eventually turn off onto San Francisquito Canyon Road. Peak viewing is in mid-April, but check the

live poppy cam

before you go.

In Lancaster, you’ll find that the ground is carpeted in vibrant orange poppies along the Poppy Trail. Lupines spring up on the Tehachapi Vista Trail. Goldfields and forget-me-nots sparkle in the sun. Grab a coffee at

Sagebrush Cafe

when you’re done.

Remember to stay on the paths while taking your Instagram pictures to preserve this California treasure for future generations.

In Arizona, enjoy the Southwest’s finest desert blooms in the Sonoran Desert. Try the

Apache Wash Loop Trail

near

Phoenix

, an easy 2.8-mile loop with orange globemallow, yellow brittlebrush, marigolds, and more. Explore the archaeological sites and canyons while you’re at it!

Fuel up before your hike at

The Grotto Cafe

(open at 6 AM) or one of the other amazing

foodie destinations in Arizona

Pro Tip Desert blooms are dictated by rainfall. In a year without enough precipitation, desert wildflowers won’t germinate.

MORE:

The 7 best California road trips

Upper East Coast: New York’s wild Catskills

Stay:

Country Inn Boutique B&B

Or:

Pine Ridge Dude Ranch

Head north on I-87 out of NYC for two and a half hours, and you’ll arrive at the

Catskill Forest Preserve

This route through the Hudson Valley will charm you with small towns, stunning scenery, and

thousands of wildflower

species. In the Preserve, you can explore more than 287,000 acres. Look out for Dutchman’s breeches, trout lily, trillium, and the richly colored Eastern red columbine.

Increase your serotonin levels by stopping at the nearby

Frederick Farm Goat Sanctuary

to hug a goat—or stop by

Mill & Main Provisions

for an iced coffee after your hike.

MORE: New York State foodie road trips

Lower East Coast: Maryland and Virginia’s historic flora

Stay:

Iris Inn

in Waynesboro

Or:

Big Meadows Lodge

(opens April 22), from $119/night

What’s cooler than playing tourist at the nation’s most important monuments? Playing tourist and visiting some of the country’s oldest plants!

If you live in the DC area, you don’t even have to leave town to get a dose of springtime. Drive one hour from Mount Vernon in the south to

Great Falls Park

in the north via the historic

George Washington Memorial Parkway

along the Potomac River. This is the perfect place to surround yourself with hundreds of wildflower species, thanks to a floral show.

Of course, DC’s other major springtime attraction is the cherry blossom bloom. You’ll have to time your visit perfectly but it’s well worth the effort.

If you’re up for a longer road trip, head to Virginia’s

Blue Ridge Parkway

and drive the 105 miles of the famous

Skyline Drive

. Any overlook will give you an epic view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Most known for its fall foliage, this route is equally incredible in springtime—in fact, the park purposely does not mow the roadsides in spring to give passersby the best possible view of flowers.

Want to get up close and personal with historic flora? Pull over in

Shenandoah National Park

where you can greet a rainbow of pink azaleas, white trillium and dogwood flowers, purple violets, and more. An entire weekend is dedicated to the wildflowers every year, usually in early May.

Grab snacks in Front Royal before you drive since you won’t find many services in the mountains. Get a coffee at

Happy Creek

or a burger at

Blue Wing Frog

. MORE:

Best road trips for animal lovers in the U.S.

Midwest: South Dakota and Illinois’ prairie flowers

Stay:

Aloft Bolingbrook

outside Chicago

Or:

Clubhouse Hotel & Suites

in Pierre, from $159/night

The grasslands of the Great Plains are an American natural treasure. If you’re ready for an incredible road trip to see prairie wildflowers,

South Dakota

and

Illinois

are two great destinations!

In South Dakota, head to the

Fort Pierre National Grassland

just 30 minutes south of Pierre on US-83 S. Here you’ll discover 116,000 acres of plants like purple coneflower, bluebells, bellflowers, and Eastern red columbine. These are all flowers that Lewis and Clark would have seen while traveling through South Dakota.

Grab a bite to eat at the

Branding Iron Bistro

to fuel up after your adventure. Note that you must stay on designated roads in the grasslands—pick up a free map at the

Fort Pierre Ranger District

In Illinois, you have two great options within one hour of

Chicago

Start at

Deer Grove Forest Preserve

. Discover 2,000 quiet acres teeming with wildlife. Your best bet for wildflowers is a 7-mile trail called the Deer Grove East Red, Black, and Brown Loop.

Then, head south on 290 for one hour. Make a pit stop at

Five and Hoek

for a single-origin cup of joe and proceed to the O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve. Take the 3-mile

O’Hara Woods Loop

and you’ll be rewarded with a sea of Virginia bluebells.

Finish your adventure with a visit to the

Garfield Park Conservatory

and a drink at the plant-inspired

Moonflower

bar on Milwaukee Ave in Chicago.

MORE:

The top podcasts for road trips and long drives

South: Texas and Tennessee’s colorful hillsides

Stay:

Blue Skies Retro Resort

in Willow City, TX, from $100/night

Or:

Rivers Edge Motel

in Cherokee, NC, from $189/night

Texas bluebonnets—what more can we say?

In Texas, check out blue pastures in

Texas Hill Country

, located west of

Austin

and north of

San Antonio

. Drive Route 281 or the Wildflower Loop (off Route 16).

The

Willow City Loop

is another famous Texan route for a breathtaking brush with the colorful wildflowers of Texas. Expect to see bluebonnets, sunflowers, firewheels, coreopsis, and more.

Grab a coffee at

Java Ranch

when you’re done—or reward yourself with Texas BBQ at

Eaker Barbecue

In Tennessee, we recommend a visit to the

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

. Take the scenic Newfound Gap Road (aka

US Highway 441

). Along the way, you’ll discover hillsides glowing with greenery and seasonal blooms—not to mention rivers, small towns, and plenty of incredible hikes.

Keep your eyes peeled for the rare

Purple Catawba rhododendrons

. These flowers peak in early June and can only be found at high elevations. Visit the

Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar

in Gatlinburg and ride the iconic

SkyLift

when you’re done. If you need some shade, head to the

Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum

MORE:

The best Southern road trip for foodies

What to bring

In many of these destinations, you can see plenty of wildflowers without leaving your vehicle. But in other places, you’ll need hiking gear to experience the best blooms.

Before you leave on one of these best road trips to see spring wildflowers, make sure to pack:

Camera

Walking shoes

Field guide

Binoculars

Water bottle and snacks

Day pack

Other

road trip essentials

You may think it’s overkill but we seriously recommend bringing paper maps. Why? Cell signal can be sparse in remote areas and nothing ruins a road trip like getting lost.

You might want to bring a portable battery pack too since you’ll probably be using your phone to navigate and take pictures.

Finally, we recommend looking into roadside assistance. In most cases, you can add this coverage to your existing policy for a low monthly fee. With this add-on, you can get help with flat tires, lockout, towing, and other tricky situations. Nobody plans to get stuck in a ditch while snapping pictures of snapdragons—but life happens!

Car insurance and road trips

Road trips are the perfect setting for adventure—and misadventure. No matter how well you plan a trip, it seems like something always goes differently. Thankfully, your car insurance policy is there to catch you if something unexpected happens.

Jerry is the easiest and most effective way to find a

car insurance

policy that is customized for you. You have better things to spend money on than car insurance, like photo ops in sunflower fields and national park entrance fees. So let

Jerry

help you find a cheaper policy.

Try using Jerry before you go take your road trip to see spring wildflowers. It only takes a few seconds and you can save a ton of money!

If you’re hesitant to

switch plans or insurance providers

because you’re worried about the work involved, don’t be. Jerry does all the paperwork for you and even helps cancel your old policy! And if you have any questions along the way, just text one of our agents through the app. They will always be there to assist you.

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