More than 3,200 species of wildflowers bloom in Colorado. Here is your guide to seeing them all.
Getting up close and personal with Colorado’s summer splendor means using your own two feet. There are, of course, plenty of classic wildflower hikes, such as the East Inlet Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park and the traverse from Aspen to Crested Butte (or vice versa) over West Maroon Pass. But with a goal of expanding your floral horizons, consider visiting these five areas of the state that bloom especially bright this month.
Crested Butte
Hikers don’t just encounter mule’s ear, lupine, and larkspur in Colorado’s Wildflower Capital—they wade through them. The proliferation of shale soil, a high number of pollinators, and decent moisture combine to produce flowers that can grow head-high. Michelle Bivens, executive director of the annual Crested Butte Wildflower Festival, recommends Dark Canyon Trail, a moderate 13.8-mile (one way) route through the Raggeds Wilderness north of Kebler Pass; the sunflower-lined, 4.3-mile (round trip) Brush Creek Trail; and Deer Creek Trail’s diverse array of flowers, which can be seen during a 6.9-mile (round trip) out-and-back hike.
Summit County
When the snow clears from the I-70 corridor, it reveals acres of Crayola-colored meadows. Shrine Mountain Trail (4.2 miles, round trip) takes flower chasers gradually up from Vail Pass, past pine forests and meadows abundant with wildflowers, to its namesake peak. Another worthy option is Dillon’s Herman Gulch Trail, which follows part of the Continental Divide Trail; the 6.6-mile (round trip) route gains about 1,600 feet as it winds past blossoming fields on its way to Herman Lake. Flatlanders—or those wanting to give their calves a break—will enjoy the columbines and easy ambling along Lower Cataract Loop Trail near Silverthorne, a mostly flat two-mile loop.
Eastern Plains
It’s become a Colorado axiom: To avoid the crowds, head east. That adage holds true for wildflower seekers. There, the colorful displays sit in startling contrast to peculiar rock formations. The popular Pawnee Buttes Trail leads hikers to the two 300-foot-tall buttes, which rise out of the verdure of Pawnee National Grassland, northeast of Greeley. The tranquil four-mile (round trip) trail is peppered with yellow-hued mountain bladderpod and various species of milk vetch. Picket Wire Canyon, outside of La Junta, provides a lengthy day of western wallflower and purple prairie vervain viewing—it’s an 11.3-mile round-trip hike—but the limited elevation gain balances out the distance.
Western Slope
The hills surrounding Grand Junction and Fruita are awash in Mother Nature’s color palette. Though the blooms typically peak in July, there are still sights to see among the region’s rugged sandstone cliffs later in the summer. You’ll need to shuttle a car ahead of time (to either the Lower Monument or Coke Ovens trailheads) so you’re able to get home after the roughly six-mile Monument Canyon Trail through-hike, which switchbacks past pink northern sweet vetch, mountain mahogany, and a whole lot of semidesert shrubs. Although we prefer to bike atop the 10,500-foot-tall Grand Mesa, the meadows and hiking trails off Highway 65 are just as enjoyable on foot.
Flat Tops Wilderness
At 230,830 acres, the Flat Tops Wilderness can seem too vast to select just one destination for finding flowers. But there’s something special about Trappers Lake, which has a shoreline loop—about 5.3 miles—that takes hikers by patches of fireweed, rosy paintbrush, and goldeneye. Flower lovers should also take the mile-long spur path up to Little Trappers Lake, where colorful fireweed has proliferated after the Big Fish fire 16 years ago. At 15.7 miles, the East Fork Trail is a solid backpacking option lined with blue columbines and sunflowers.
Around Town
There’s no need to travel far to revel in the wildflowers this summer: See them bloom at these five easily accessible venues closer to home.
At Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms in Littleton, view more than 40 species of wildflowers, such as black-eyed Susan and golden columbine, in the Carol Gossard Native Plant Garden.
Bonus: The venue hosts Wednesday Hikes with the Gardens—weekly excursions in the foothills (sometimes, but not always, wildflower-focused) that are led by on-staff horticulturists.
At Kendrick Lake Park in Lakewood, view native and nonnative species—including sunset hyssop and Mexican hat—in the vibrant xeriscape demonstration gardens.
At Roxborough State Park (just 25 miles south of Denver), view Indian paintbrush and prairie coneflower in a 3,300-acre “transition zone,” an ecological area where flowers that typically grow far from one another are able to sprout much closer together, creating a colorful tapestry.
At Red Rock Canyon Open Space outside of Colorado Springs, view mariposa lilies, milk vetch, and golden banners from the mostly easy trails weaving through the 1,474-acre park.
At the Aurora Xeriscape Demonstration Garden, view more than 300 water-wise plants, such as Vera Jameson stonecrop and baby blue rabbitbrush.
Bonus: Free xeriscaping classes are offered at the garden every summer.
(Flower) Power Walks
Five other hikes on our summer bucket list.
1. Bob and Betty Lakes Trail
Nearest town: Winter Park Length: 12 miles, round trip
2. Williams Creek Trail
Nearest town: Pagosa Springs
Length: About six miles, round trip (a creek three miles in is your turn-around point)
3. Devil’s Thumb Trail to Jasper Lake via Devil’s Thumb Bypass
Nearest town: Nederland
Length: Nine miles, round trip
4. Three Island Lake Trail
Nearest town: Clark
Length: 7.1 miles, round trip
5. Blue Lake Trail
Nearest town: Fort Collins
Length: 10 miles, round trip
For more ways to hike, bike, and drive to explore the Colorado wildflowers, visit 5280.
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