Wildflowers in Colorado: When & Where to See Flowers in Colorado

Colorado has become world famous for its show-stopping displays of wildflowers that blanket the sides of massive mountain peaks. In fact, one place in Colorado has been named the wildflower capital of the world! There are wildflowers blooming from March all the way through August throughout various areas in Colorado. The seasons of wildflowers shift throughout the state with the seasons. The same wildflowers start blooming sooner in lower elevations and later in higher elevations.

You need to know where to go and when to go to see the best wildflowers in Colorado. Snow melt, weather, landscapes, and elevation all effect how and when certain wildflowers in Colorado bloom. Having a knowledge of different areas as well as weather patterns will help you make the best of your time to see flowers in full bloom!

The Best Places of Where to See Wildflowers in Colorado

Crested Butte and Aspen

Crested Butte is the wildflower capital of Colorado and the wildflower capital of the world! You’ll get some of the best views of the West Elk Mountains covered in vast fields of wildflowers. The Crested Butte Wildflower Festival is usually held on the first weekend in July. Aspen isn’t far from Crested Butte, but because of the mountains, it takes 3 hours to get from Crested Butte to Aspen! You can hike an 11 mile trail from Crested Butte to Aspen if you want an epic experience in the wilderness surrounded by nothing but mountains and wildflowers. For an easier trip to see some wildflowers, take the ski lift in Crested Butte to the top to be rewarded with astounding views of the valley around Crested Butte.

American Basin

American Basin is located near Lake City, Colorado. Access to American Basin involves traveling along the Alpine Loop, part of a 4-wheel drive trail system throughout southwestern Colorado. For access to this area, you’ll want to be sure to have the appropriate vehicle. ATV and Jeep rentals are available in Lake City and most rental companies will also be able to give you tips on what areas to visit and what is currently in bloom. You can also hire a Jeep driver or tour guide from certain places if you’re inexperienced or if you just want to enjoy the views. Engineer Pass is another location along the Alpine Loop. This area is a wide open valley and during the right time of year, it can be filled with various wildflowers.

Yankee Boy Basin

The drive into Yankee Boy Basin is a classic trip that you just need to do in Colorado. To get to Yankee Boy, you’ll start in Ouray, Colorado and you’ll need a vehicle with high clearance. The drive in Yankee Boy Basin takes you back into the rugged San Juan Mountains of western Colorado. You’re sure to see many waterfalls, historic mine sites, and plenty of wildflowers. The San Juan Mountains receive almost daily rain in spring and summer making wildflowers abundant. They are also home to some rarer species of wildflowers due to the very moist environment. In the thick forests, trees are covered with lichen and moss-covered boulders line certain trails. If you’re lucky you just might spot a fairy slipper orchid!

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park near Estes Park in northeastern Colorado is one of the most popular locations in the whole state. Trail Ridge Road opens after the majority of the snow melts and is an easy access, paved road that takes you on top of the Rocky Mountains. Throughout the park, there are many hikes and scenic drives that take you to areas where the wildflowers are. Near the top of Trail Ridge Road are many alpine meadows with unique wildflowers growing in the area. But Rocky Mountain National Park is a very small part of Colorado’s public lands and it receives a lot of tourists. The best time to go is during the middle of the week and the earlier in the day, the better.

Eagles Nest Wilderness

The Eagles Nest Wilderness is located in the central mountains of Colorado near Vail. The wilderness features many hikes. Because of the location and terrain, many of the hikes are very steep and difficult. Since it is a designated wilderness area, certain regulations are in place. Signs are posted with information about the regulations. A popular hike in the area is Bighorn Creek Trail. There is easy access to the trailhead with parking areas. Eagles Nest Wilderness is only a couple miles from Vail and offers a lot of great hiking options if you’re staying in the Avon, Vail, or Frisco areas. Other area trails are more popular because they feature lakes, but if you want to see wildflowers, Bighorn Creek is the place to go!

Colorado National Monument

Colorado National Monument is not your typical wildflower location in Colorado. Most locations feature mountains and lots of greenery. If you want something a little different, Colorado National Monument is a unique option for viewing wildflowers near Grand Jucntion. The monument is known for its red rocks and deep canyons. It’s part of the desert terrain of western Colorado. You’ll see some different types of wildflowers here such as yucca with massive stems of towering blooms and many different colors of blooming cacti. An easy, paved road will take you to many beautiful overlooks and short hikes. More difficult hikes will take you far down into the canyons of Colorado National Monument.

When to See Wildflowers in Colorado

The average elevation of Colorado is 6,800 feet. This means that just the average elevation of Colorado in most places is over 1 mile high! The time when wildflowers bloom heavily depends on the elevation and how much snow we got in the previous winter. Colorado’s wildflower season lasts a very long time because of the difference in elevation throughout the state.

March

In March, the first wildflowers of the season start to bloom. Wildflowers such as alpine bluebells, sagebrush buttercup, and pasqueflowers start to bloom at lower elevations throughout the state. These plants have various features such as waxy leaves and hairy flowers to help them resist frost and snow. There is plenty of snow at the higher elevations and there’s still lots of winter weather in the mountains.

April

In April, more early-season wildflowers will start to bloom but the big fields of wildflowers are not close to blooming yet even though we’re well into spring in Colorado. You can find wildflowers in lower elevations and more flowers will start blooming in lower elevation areas such as the desert areas of Colorado. Snow usually hasn’t really started to melt yet at the higher elevations. Winter weather is still possible at lower elevations.

May

In May, the lower elevations throughout Colorado will really start blooming. Desert areas where the snow has been gone for a while will be some of the first areas to be in full bloom. In May, we receive the most amount of rain. But, it still can be snowing in the mountains. The snow will begin to melt with warmer days and will fill the rivers and streams, but skiers and snowshoers are still active in the snow up in the high country.

June

In June, intermediate and lower elevations will be in full bloom and it’s much less likely to snow at the higher elevations, warmer days allow even more snow to melt. The streams and river begin to really fill up the lakes and reservoirs. You will see some wildflowers at intermediate elevations, but snow can still make some trails inaccessible unless you have snowshoes.

July

In July, most of the snow at the higher elevations has finally melted. But, light snow can still happen at high elevations. In fact, in 2019, it snowed on the first day of summer! July is when the wildflowers at lower elevations stop and at higher elevations they start. But higher above treeline, wildflowers are still sparse because the ground has not been able to warm up yet.

August

In early August is actually one of the best times to see wildflowers at higher elevations and in alpine environments. It’s stopped snowing and raining and high altitude wildflowers are finally able to grow enough to produce flowers. This is the time of year when many alpine meadows and high altitude flowers bloom. Nothing is usually blooming at lower altitudes.

Common Wildflowers of Colorado

These are some of the most common wildflowers of Colorado. You are almost guaranteed to see these flowers in bloom if you go at the right season.

Blue Columbine

The blue columbine is the state flower of Colorado and easily recognizable by its shape and colors. You can also find other varieties of columbine such as red and white. Find it blooming in June at intermediate elevations and July and August in higher elevations.

Indian Paintbrush

Indian paintbrush is a beautiful flower that resembles a brush that has been dipped in red paint. There are other colors and varieties as well, red is the most common. Find it blooming in late May and June at lower and intermediate elevations and July in higher elevations.

Fireweed

Fireweed will cover the sides of a mountain in pink blooms, you can find it solo but is usually in large patches. It is called fireweed because after fire wipes out a forest, it can grow quickly, covering the area, and preventing erosion. Find it blooming in July at higher elevations.

Silky Lupine

The silky lupine produces clusters of small, purple colored flowers and it doesn’t like it too hot. It grows at intermediate to higher elevations. You can usually find it blooming in June and July before it gets too hot at these elevations.

Blanket Flower

Blanket Flowers have a unique “tye-dye” look to them. The red and yellow colors bleed together but still have a contrast between them. You can find these blooming at all elevations throughout Colorado in May through August, depending on the elevation.

Mexican Hat

Mexican hats are in the coneflower family. They are easily recognized by the large brown to black cone rising out of the center fo the downward yellow petals. They are very versatile plants and usually bloom in July and can live at a variety of elevations.

Rare and Uncommon Wildflowers of Colorado

These are some uncommon and very rare wildflowers in Colorado. Count yourself lucky if you get to see some of these flowers!

Grand Mesa Penstemon

The Grand Mesa penstemon (also known as beardtongue) is only found in one place in the world, the Grand Mesa area near Grand Junction, Colorado. It blooms in late May through early June and features striking cobalt blue flower spikes.

Fairy Slipper Orchid

Fairy slipper orchids are one of the most unique and often overlooked flower of Colorado. They bloom in May and only live at intermediate elevations in shady, very moist forests. They don’t bloom long and you’ll have to stoop down to truly appreciate them.

Lesser Bladderwort

The lesser bladderwort is a truly weird plant. It’s actually a carnivorous plant and eats like a Venus flytrap does! It uses underwater “bladders” to trap mosquito larvae and water-dwelling insects. It grows only in pure water and features small yellow blooms.

Outdoor Ethics for Wildflowers

Do not pick any wildflowers. You may think that there are plenty of flowers to go around, maybe it seems there aren’t many people on the trail that day. But thousands of people use Colorado’s trail systems every day and if everyone thought that, it would have a devastating effect on the wildflowers and wildlife that depend on them.

Stay on the trail. Staying on the trail is particularly important at higher elevations where wildflowers have a very short period for growth. Stepping off the trail to get a better picture or explore can actually permanently kill wildflowers and create new “social trails” that cause erosion and other issues.

Be conscious of tagging exact locations on social media. Some locations that have become “Instagram famous” get overwhelmed with people who just want to take pictures but don’t really care about the area. Tag general locations like the city or state instead of tagging exact locations like trails or specific spots when sharing on social media. Or don’t tag the location at all!

Colorado is an absolutely beautiful place to call home. Do you need help finding real estate in Colorado? Contact me to discuss your needs and I would be happy to help you find a great place to call home in Colorado! Learn more about why Montrose is such a great place to live.

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