Wildflowers of Denali National Park

Denali's 6M acres span boreal forest, subalpine, alpine, and nunatak zones — yielding a spectacular, compressed wildflower season (June–August).

Signature Species

• Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) — Magenta spires; colonizes burns; "fire follower."
• Lupine (Lupinus arcticus, L. nootkatensis) — Blue-purple racemes; nitrogen-fixer; alpine to forest.
• Alaska Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis alpestris) — Tiny sky-blue; state flower; alpine meadows, stream banks.
• Arctic Lupine (Lupinus arcticus) — Dwarf (15 cm); high alpine; dense silvery foliage.
• Glacier Lily (Erythronium grandiflorum) — Nodding yellow; emerges at snowline; grizzly food (corms).
• Mountain Avens (Dryas octopetala) — Evergreen mat; white 8-petal flowers; alpine tundra stabilizer.
• Diapensia (Diapensia lapponica) — Cushion plant; pink bells; exposed ridges; arctic relict.
• Moss Campion (Silene acaulis) — Pink cushion; wind-swept ridges.
• Alaska Poppy (Papaver alboroseum) — White/yellow; scree slopes.
• Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium acutiflorum) — Blue bells; ladder-like leaves; streambanks.

Where & When

• Lowlands (May–June): Fireweed, lupine, rose, iris.
• Subalpine (June–July): Glacier lily, anemone, valerian, geranium.
• Alpine (July–August): Avens, diapensia, campion, poppy, saxifrages.
• Polychrome Pass, Eielson, Wonder Lake, Kantishna — prime viewing corridors.

Tips

• Bring Wildflowers of Denali (NPS guide) or iNaturalist.
• Stay on trails — tundra recovers in decades.
• Peak bloom shifts earlier with warming.

A 90-day floral explosion in a land of extremes.