Spring on Mount Hood

Spring on Mount Hood—typically late March to May, though it stretches into June at higher elevations—brings a gradual bloom of wildflowers as snowmelt reveals the mountain’s alpine meadows and forests. Unlike lower elevations where spring flowers peak earlier, Mount Hood’s high altitude (with snow often lingering above 6,000 feet into early summer) delays and diversifies the floral display. The exact timing and species depend on elevation, snowpack, and weather—after a heavy winter like 2022-2023, blooms might lag, while a milder year could see flowers emerge by May.

Below the tree line (around 5,500-6,000 feet), spring kicks off with subtle blooms in the forests. Look for trillium (Trillium ovatum), a three-petaled white flower that fades to pink, popping up in shady spots along trails like the Old Salmon River Trail near Welches (2,600 feet) by late April. Nearby, calypso orchids (Calypso bulbosa), tiny pinkish-purple fairy slippers, dot the mossy undergrowth—delicate and rare, they’re a treat to spot. At slightly higher elevations, like around Zigzag (3,000-4,000 feet), yellow violets (Viola glabella) add splashes of color by May, thriving in moist, wooded areas.

As you climb into the subalpine zone (4,000-6,000 feet), spring transitions into a riot of color by late May or June. Meadows near Timberline Lodge (6,000 feet) or the Paradise Park Loop (starting at 5,800 feet) showcase avalanche lilies (Erythronium montanum), creamy white blooms that erupt through melting snow, often in dense carpets. Bear grass (Xerophyllum tenax) joins in, its tall, feathery white plumes swaying above green tufts—a standout on trails like the McNeil Point hike (6,100 feet peak elevation). These bloom cycles vary; bear grass, for instance, has irregular years, with 2023 being modest compared to the epic 2022 show.

Above 6,000 feet, in the alpine zone, spring flower season stretches into June or even July. On trails like Gnarl Ridge or Cooper Spur (reaching 8,514 feet), lupine (Lupinus latifolius) paints slopes purple, joined by Indian paintbrush (Castilleja miniata) in vivid reds and oranges. Mountain heather (Phyllodoce empetriformis), with its pink bell-shaped flowers, thrives in rocky outcrops near the summit, hardy against lingering snow and wind. These high-altitude blooms peak later—think mid-June after a snowy year—when the sun finally coaxes life from the scree.

If El Niño fades and a wet winter persists, expect a robust snowpack delaying blooms above 5,000 feet into June. Trails like Tamanawas Falls (3,900 feet start) might see early flowers like columbine (Aquilegia formosa) by May, with its red-and-yellow spurs, while higher spots wait out the melt. 

Want to see them? Late spring hikes (May-June) are your best bet. Start low at Wildwood Recreation Site (1,200 feet) for wetland blooms like camas lilies (Camassia quamash), then ascend to Elk Meadows (5,200 feet) for subalpine variety. Dress for wet trails—snowmelt makes mud—and pack layers; daytime highs at 6,000 feet might hit 40-50°F, but windchill bites. No picking allowed on public land, so snap photos instead.