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Great Smoky Mountains National Park
They don't call it "Wildflower National Park" for nothing. The Great Smoky Mountains are among the most diverse sites in America, with more than 1,660 flowering plants blanketing the park throughout the year.

Enthusiasts can participate in the 60th annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage, which takes place in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, April 21-25, 2010. Operated by the Great Smoky Mountains Association, the event highlights everything you would ever want to know about wildflowers, with more than 150 programs including guided hikes, lectures and photography workshops.

Minnesota
After a frigid Minnesota winter, spring flowers are a welcome sight to locals and visitors. Starting around May, wildflowers bloom in all types of landscape, from open prairies to the wetlands and hardwood forests.

Get in a good hike on a visit to Minnesota's first state park, Itasca State Park. Home to more than 100 lakes and the originating point of the Mississippi River, the park was designed to protect some of the largest old-growth pine trees in the country and to preserve the river source. It's also the only place you can walk across the mighty Mississippi on its 2,552-mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico! The Dr. Roberts Nature Trail is popular for snowshoeing in winter and hiking in spring and summer, with interpretive signs to showcase the unique bog wildflowers visible along the way.

Do you have a favorite spot to see wildflowers in your area? Share your best in the comment area!

Keep Reading:
A florist's tips for gorgeously unexpected flower arrangements
Grow your own! Find the plants that grow in your area
Keep these parks beautiful with a volunteer vacation

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