Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park will host its 14th annual Wildflower Weekend on May 13-14 with several guided hikes led by naturalists. Coinciding with Mother’s Day, these hikes will offer visitors the chance to see a wide variety of protected wildflowers in the park.

Ann Vonnegut will lead a hike to the summit of Hightop Mountain, highlighting patches of trillium. Hikers will be on the lookout for dwarf irises on an Appalachian Trail hike led by Mara Meisel.

Park Botanist Wendy Cass will lead a hike along South River Falls Trail, and Barb Stewart will lead a new hike from Simmons Gap to the park boundary. Diane Holsinger of the Virginia Native Plant Society will lead a combination birding/wildflower walk down the Pocosin Trail. Mathew Klozik will conduct two children’s activities.

A wildflower photography workshop will be offered by Connie Troops, a professional photojournalist whose work has appeared in “National Parks” and “Popular Photography” magazines. Connie is the author of nine nature books.

Sally Hurlburt will lead fire ecology hikes up the Riprap Trail, showing how plant life regenerates after a fire. (Sections of Shenandoah were burned during 1999 forest fires.)

For more information on these events, contact the park at (540) 999-3500 or visit the Shenandoah National Park web site.