This Western State Erupts With Wildflowers Every Summer-and These Are the Best Places to See Them

""Wildflower bloom times are tied to elevation. Some plants live in lower elevations and start to bloom earlier, whereas some native plants make their homes in high alpine meadows that are still covered in snow when the lower-elevation plants have already finished blooming.""

""In April and May, you'll spot glacier lilies and bitterroot, while in May and June, wildflowers begin to populate in higher elevations, including foothills and lower mountain slopes. This window brings a variety of blooms like arrowleaf balsamroot and shooting stars.""

""One of the first plants to provide a showy bloom is the arrowleaf balsamroot, typically starting in May in lower elevations on sunny slopes.""

Wildflower season in Montana begins in April and can last until September, with blooms starting in low-elevation valleys and progressing to higher elevations. Custer Gallatin National Forest showcases early blooms like glacier lilies and bitterroot, while Flathead National Forest features arrowleaf balsamroot in May. The timing of wildflower blooms is influenced by elevation, with some plants blooming earlier in lower areas and others in high alpine meadows that remain snow-covered longer.

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