Mountain laurel along the Blue Ridge

Kalmia latifolia

Mountain laurel usually blooms from early May to late June along the Blue Ridge, with the best color from mid-May into early June.

early May – late June Best: mid-May into early June Out of season

The show usually starts around early May. Check back closer to the season.

Based on reports from iNaturalist naturalists. 805 flowering reports from Virginia shape this curve. The shaded band marks the best weeks; the dashed line is this week.

Where to see them

Pale pink cups by the mile along Skyline Drive in late May and June. Laurel is the dependable one — it doesn't need a special year, just a drive with the windows down.

Shenandoah National Park (Skyline Drive)
Blue Ridge Parkway overlooks

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.