Explorer's gentian may be found in subalpine to alpine areas in the mountains, usually in moist meadows, stream banks, and swamps or on moist slopes, often below a snowbank that lies late into the season.
Explorer's gentian may be found in mountainous areas from British Columbia south to California and east to the Rocky Mts.
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A sideview of the inflorescence of explorer's gentian as seen at left on Mt. Adams, mid-October 2006. The photo at right shows a leafy stem of explorer 's gentian as observed along the Hanan Trail #142 along the upper Sycan River, Fremont-Winema National Forest......June 17, 2020.
