Those who enjoy floral beauty will find much of interest in Mount Rainier National Park at this time. It is still several weeks before the alpine meadows, for which Mount Rainier is most famous, will be at the height of their beauty. Yet even now, one need not go far to satisfy his desire to see and study our flowers.

The roadside and trails everywhere at the lower elevations are broughtened with the Canadian Dogwood (Cornus canadensis), Forest Anemone (Anemone deltiodea), Star Flower (Trientalis latifolia), Wild Lily of the Valley and the Pink Cordyalis (Capnoides scouleri). The Bear Grass or Indian Basket Crass (Xerophyllum tenax) seems to be on the threshold of a big year. The large, spectacular flower clusters of this plant are found in abundance -- particularly in the "Silver Forest" where conditions are most suited to their best development. Star-Flowered Solomon's Seal (Vagnera sessifolia), Queen's Cup or Clintonia (Clintonia uniflora) and Fairy Bells (Disporum trachycarpum) are found everywhere. In fact so numerous are the flowers at this season that we are of the opinion that the principle reason that "The Mountain" is more famous for its alpine flowers in mid summer is simply because that is the time when most people have the opportunity to visit this region. For our flora is equally as interesting and as varied at this time of the year.

Red Mimulus (Mimulus lewisii) and Indian Paintbrush can be found quite readily -- the latter is particularly noticeable on the new West Side Road in suitable locations while the light blue bells of the Mertensia are much in evidence in the region of the Nisqually Glacier bridge on the Paradise highway.