Central Park’s cherry blossom trees delight visitors and locals alike. While April ushers in the bright blooms of the Yoshino cherry trees, park guests can also enjoy the more colorful Kwanzan cherry trees in early May. Find your way to some of Central Park’s top cherry blossom spots with this interactive map that the park debuted this year. Learn more about the park’s cherry blossom offerings and get a sneak peek at the beauty in the gallery below.
Tourists who plan to visit the park after it reopens next month should expect plenty of surprises as they scour the landscape in search of wildlife.
Yellowstone National Park is plowing roads in preparation for a spring season that promises a vibrant landscape teeming with wildlife.
With this in mind I’m sharing an image I captured last spring, showing a coyote striding past tourists oblivious to its presence as they observed a cinnamon-colored black bear on the opposite side of the highway.
Can you spot the smaller critter closely watching the coyote? (Answer at the bottom of the post.)
Viewers will note the coyote’s traverse across a lush meadow bursting with wildflowers alongside a highway in the northern range.
I’ve also included images showing the cinnamon-colored black bear and a momma black bear and two cubs, which I encountered on the same afternoon a bit farther east.
My visit was in mid-May and I logged sightings of 14 individual bears in three days at various locations – but only the one coyote bypassing the bear jam.
By now you’ve probably spotted and identified the ground squirrel eyeing the coyote, but the critter is circled in the image posted below.
Yellowstone’s winter season recently ended and most park roads are closed. However, plowing is underway and select roads will reopen for the spring/summer season on April 19.
–Editor’s note: A similar version of this post was published in the spring of 2023
This year, make the most of spring. As the world shakes off the last icy chills of winter, nature enthusiasts can see the land come back to life. Blossoming wildflowers, sprouting plants, and buzzing bees are just the start of the wonders this season has to offer. If you’re ready to discover all the natural beauty and hidden gems of spring, we’re here to help.
Plan a season full of outdoor activities with this guide to spring fun. Below, you’ll find a round-up of helpful resources, from lists of top-notch spring break travel destinations to features on where and when to see cherry blossoms bloom throughout the United States. So, without further ado, let’s jump in.
Winter is over, and it’s time to get back outside! For hikers, spring marks the beginning of a year full of invigorating adventures and thrilling trails. While it will take time for trails throughout the United States to defrost, there are already several places warm enough for hiking. These outdoor destinations offer plenty of fun for spring adventurers. During a spring hike, you can expect to see trees turning green again, flowers blooming, and even more natural wonders. The best seasonal trails highlight sights like these. If you’re ready to explore the country’s best spring hiking trails, pack your bags for a visit to these five stunning spots.
Photo by Peretz Partensky
John Muir Trail – California
California’s John Muir Trail is a 221-mile route. Start at Yosemite Valley’s Happy Isles Trailhead and hike toward Tuolumne Meadows to see the trail’s best sights. Keep an eye out for views of Vernal Fall, Emerald Pool, and wildflowers.
Photo by Buddha Dog
Abrams Falls Trail – Tennessee
Visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park for this gorgeous spring hiking trail. Adventurers will walk through lush forests and blooming rhododendrons on their way to the iconic Abrams Falls. While it may be tempting to swim in the falls, steer clear to avoid being swept away by strong currents.
Photo by SridharSaraf
Franconia Ridge Trail – New Hampshire
You’ll feel like you’re on top of the world when you hike Franconia Ridge Trail. Accessed via New Hampshire’s Franconia Notch State Park, this trail offers especially gorgeous views at sunrise or sunset. If you want to avoid icy paths, wait until late spring to tackle this route.
Photo by Kelly Verdeck
Black Bear Wilderness Area Trail – Florida
Watch for alligators hiding among the lily pads on this 7.3-mile loop trail. Nature photographers can expect tons of opportunities for wildlife viewing here. Hikers can even bring their (leashed) dogs with them on the trail.
Photo by Dhaval Shreyas
Maroon Bells Scenic Loop Trail – Colorado
Similar to Franconia Ridge Trail, this trail may be best enjoyed in late spring. Once the weather warms up, hikers can frolic through green meadows between the mountains. You might even see geraniums blooming.
Prepare your pockets for posies, because wildflower season is still going strong. In May, Shenandoah National Park will celebrate its 37th annual Wildflower Weekend. This year, on Saturday, May 6, and Sunday, May 7, park guests can participate in free events highlighting the region’s seasonal blooms. Here’s what visitors can expect from the festivities.
People of all ages and backgrounds can join in art, hiking, journaling, and informational workshop activities during Wildflower Week. No reservations are required, and all of the programs are free. Visitors will still need to pay the park entrance fee, which costs $30 and allows unlimited entry for seven consecutive days.
Photo by Lara Ellis, via NPS
Guests joining the park for Wildflower Week can participate in tons of free events. Hikers can join naturalists like David Stapleton and Mitzi Fox as they lead hikes along flower-filled trails. At Shenandoah National Park’s Byrd Visitor Center, visitors can show their creative side during the Botanical Art Workshop. Even animal lovers will find fun activities like the Spring Amphibians walk led by park rangers or the Spring Birds of Pocosin hike led by park ecologist Alan Williams.
The Byrd Visitor Center auditorium will also serve as a hotspot for artwork commemorating wildflower season. On May 6, a recognition ceremony will congratulate artists who won the park’s “Youth Art in the Park” contest. Artsy folks can also join the Botanical Art Workshop events hosted on the meadow side of the center. The park will provide all art supplies, and local artists and naturalists will help guide activities.
Photo via NPS
Want to enjoy Shenandoah National Park’s spring wildflowers without getting involved in group activities? Hikers who prefer solitary adventures can find the best blooms on a few specific trails. Stroll along the Passamaquoddy Trail for trillium and moss phlox. Spot wild geranium on the trails near the South River Falls picnic area.
Keep the Shenandoah Wildflower Calendar handy to guide your journey. And whether you want to avoid crowds or get involved in the fun, the Wildflower Weekend schedule will be a helpful resource for guests visiting the park on May 6-7.
It can take time for the world to defrost after months of cold winter weather. After freezing over between December and March, the land needs time to warm up and turn green again. This slow seasonal shift may annoy some impatient adventurers, but for many nature enthusiasts, this is just another time to appreciate the outdoors. As the days grow warmer, sightseers can enjoy watching the ice melt and plants grow.
Yosemite National Park is an especially gorgeous place to see this process occur. As snow melts on the Yosemite mountaintops, the park’s waterfalls prepare for a show-stopping spring season. Witness the beauty for yourself in this gallery of photos that show Yosemite National Park transitioning from winter to spring.
This April, take a minute to slow down and enjoy spring at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in Washington state. All month long, acres of tulips and daffodils will bloom in the flower fields just east of Burlington and Mount Vernon, Washington.
Celebrations last until April 30. Until then, take a scenic drive through this rural region to experience the gorgeous blooms at Garden Rosalyn and the vast RoozenGaarde Tulip Field. This helpful interactive festival map will show you all the best flower-spotting spots. Visitors can also peruse the festival website for information on unique attractions like Tea Time in the Tulips at Tulip Valley Farm. Get a sneak peek of this seasonal attraction’s charming views in the gallery of Skagit Valley Tulip Festival photos below.
In a season full of gorgeous blooms, a tree full of bright white blossoms should be another pleasant sign of spring. Instead, for many regions throughout the United States, white-flowered trees signal an oncoming wave of seasonal stink. What are these stinky trees, and why are they everywhere? This invasive species is known as the Bradford or Callery pear tree, and its problems go beyond smelling bad.
Callery pear trees are found in most U.S. states. According to this map created by the University of Georgia’s (UGA) Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health, states from New York to California contend with this pesky pear tree.
How did these foul-smelling trees become so widespread? As UGA professor of horticulture Mike Dirr told NPR, the species once seemed like the perfect plant. About 30 years ago, people across the U.S. began planting Callery pear trees for agricultural and landscaping use.
“We thought, ‘Gee, this is a panacea,'” Dirr said. “You can stick it into any planting space in an urban situation, in concrete-heavy soils, clay soils, limestoney soils, acid soils, and it’s gonna grow.”
But the Callery pear’s downsides soon revealed themselves. In addition to growing flowers with a scent reminiscent of rotting garbage or fish, the tree spread aggressively and cross-pollinated with other species to produce fruits and thorns that littered yards and sidewalks.
Photo by F. D. Richards
Today, many states consider this tree an invasive species. Some communities have even offered locals rewards for cutting down Callery pear trees. In South Carolina, Clemson University and the S.C. Forestry Commission launched the “Bradford Pear Bounty” program. The project encourages property owners to uproot up to five of their Bradford pear trees in exchange for free native replacement trees. Similar initiatives are available in Kentucky, North Carolina, and Missouri.
If a Bradford or Callery pear tree is stinking up your yard, look into local invasive plant removal programs for help getting rid of the nuisance. Regional experts can also suggest native plants to replace those problematic pear trees.
Are you ready for the best week of the year? Rhoback’s 2023 Azalea Collection is in full bloom to help you celebrate.
Congratulations, you’ve almost made it to Masters week!
The sweet smell of the magnolias, the hum of hand mowers manicuring every single blade of grass to perfection, the sights and sounds of Amen Corner and the unofficial welcoming of spring is almost here.
Kick off the start of golf’s major season with Rhoback’s Azalea Collection. Featuring polos, quarter-zips and other accessories, you can stand out from the swarm of patrons with Rhoback’s take on golf’s most iconic flower.
Not so keen on the floral pattern? We’ve got you covered with our spring essentials and spring cleaning lists that will have both you and your home ready for golf season.
As spring break approaches, families across the United States will search for the best places to spend their sacred vacation time. While many people will default to a beach getaway, there are tons of other landscapes to explore. People who enjoy winter sports can catch the tail-end of skiing season at several locations throughout the country. Hikers can trek through gorgeous national parks. Even those who don’t want to stray from the beach can find new and fun marine adventures to try. If you want to stay active and get outdoors with your loved ones, explore these seven stellar spring break destinations for families.
