Fireweed along Alaska's highways

Chamerion angustifolium

Fireweed usually blooms from late June to late August along Alaska's highways, with the best color from mid-July into early August.

late June – late August Best: mid-July into early August In bloom now

The bloom is underway and past its best weeks — still worth it, but don't wait long. Reports are coming in early this year.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Based on reports from iNaturalist naturalists. 914 flowering reports from Alaska shape this curve. The shaded band marks the best weeks; the dashed line is this week.

Where to see them

Magenta spires that climb their own stalks through the summer — Alaskans say winter is six weeks out when the top flowers open. Every highway pullout south of Anchorage has a view.

  • Turnagain Arm (Seward Highway pullouts)
  • Hatcher Pass Management Area
  • Denali National Park entrance corridor

We name public reserves, parks, and roads only — never exact pins, never private land.

Updated August 14, 2026. Bloom timing varies with the year's weather — the curve shows the usual rhythm, and in-season updates sharpen it.