Attention flower freaks: Fifty acres of vibrant sunflowers are currently blooming at McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area in Poolesville. The towering flora are now open in their full yellow glory, ready to be the sunny backdrop for your next #hotgirlsummer Instagram. However, time is running out. Once the flowers hit peak bloom, they only have about two weeks before they wilt. For an update on the status of the massive petals, click here.
Blooms are spread across four fields, which are planted in the spring to feed mourning doves and other roaming wildlife. As for roaming humans? Picking the flowers is not allowed, so snap a photo as a souvenir.
The field of florescence is a 45-minute drive from DC. In addition to the sunflowers, the terrain is also a home to poison ivy, ticks, and mosquitos, so visitors are advised to don long pants and hiking shoes as protection. Be sure to stop by a restroom before entering the fields—there are no facilities on the grounds.
Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Northeast DC.
