Stop and Smell the Yosemite Wildflowers
Spring in Yosemite Mariposa County means two things will happen without fail. The waterfalls will rush and the Yosemite wildflowers will pop. While Yosemite and waterfalls are synonymous and need very little introduction, there’s probably a lot more to the Yosemite area’s wildflowers than you realize.
In Mariposa County, wildflowers bloom with such abundance that it could be easy to think that you’ve stepped out of your vehicle into a Bob Ross painting. And you’re not far off, but those wildflowers that add big swatches of color to the region’s meadows, foothills and canyons aren’t Bob Ross’s trademark “happy little accidents”, they’re examples of thousands of years of resilience blooming new year in and year out in the Sierra Nevada area.
Why is Wildflower Viewing Special in Yosemite Mariposa?
It would be great if there was just one answer to give to that question, but there is so much more to why this is one of the best places to see wildflowers in California. First, you need to understand that Mariposa County is a HUGE area spreading across thousands of feet of elevation changes. Ranging from low elevation pastures to alpine meadows, the county makes wildflower viewing incredibly easy since spring is almost never ending as it marches up the hill. In March, the low elevation Gold Country’s rolling green pastures are doted in oranges, purples and whites while the high country is still covered in a fresh blanket of snow. By April and May, spring has made its way to Yosemite Valley and brought with it fresh flowers to the Valley’s meadows like lupines, tufted poppies and showy milkweed. Couldn’t make it to Yosemite in spring? Not to worry, the high-country meadows along Tioga Pass boast new wildflowers in even as late in the year as July and August, since winter’s snowpack has just melted off.
What Yosemite wildflowers can you see in Mariposa County?
The multitude of elevations and climate in Mariposa County bring with them multitudes of wildflowers. But here are a few of the most common ones you may see.
California Poppy
One of the most common sights, and California’s most famous, is the state flower, the California Poppy. These brilliant specimens bloom all over the county and can be seen first in low elevation areas like Hornitos, Cathey’s Valley and Mariposa. The unmistakable little orange cups of the California Poppy bloom atop thin green stems and pop across the hills and canyons of the county so abundantly that you may have to ask, “Is that a green hill with orange flowers, or an orange hill with green flowers.” They’re everywhere. There is perhaps no better place to spot a field of California Poppy than in the Merced River Canyon along Highway 140 where the glorious orange flower coats the canyon’s walls making a beautiful drive even more breathtaking. Note: you should never pick wildflowers, but picking a California Poppy is illegal. Leave the state’s flower in the field so that more people can enjoy it later.
Lupine
Another common sight is Lupine. Most commonly seen in purple, white and blue variations of Lupine can be spotted as well and again in a multitude of elevations. This is among the most common flower found in Yosemite National Park. Lupine grow vertical and bloom a dozen or so petals up and down the stem of the flower. If you’ve walked through Yosemite’s Cook’s Meadow or Wawona Meadow during the spring, you’ve probably spotted some lupine, as well as a few others like cow’s parsnip or shooting stars.
Snow Plant
One of the rarer flowers in Yosemite, this one can be easy to find if you just know where to look. Snow plant is easy to spot as its bright red petals grow up out of areas just as the high country’s snow is melting. Like a speck of red on a white canvas, the flower rises up between six inches and a foot off of the forest floor. Fun fact, snow plant does not survive using photosynthesis like most flowers. This adaptive little plant thrives off of fungus growing in the wet soil fresh off of melted snow, so it doesn’t require any full sun. Keep an eye out for these along Glacier Point road in June. As an extra bonus, see if you can spot a hummingbird fluttering around the plant’s bell-shaped flowers.
To read more about Yosemite wildflowers, visit yosemite.com/ yosemite-mariposa-wildflowers