It’s wildflower season in the Rockies, and there’s no better place to see them in Colorado than Crested Butte, the state’s official Wildflower Capital. This idyllic setting in the Gunnison Valley is lovely year-round, but there’s perhaps no better time to visit than mid-July, when the mountain blooms are at their peak. Intrigued? Here’s how to plan your own walk on the wild(flower) side.
If you love flowers, you could be the type to opt for a manicured garden, an orchid show, or some other constructed environment designed to showcase the natural beauty of the blooms.
But in the summer, wildness and spontaneity rule, and it feels right to get out and see what the great untamed spaces of the world have to offer. One of those spaces is the Colorado Rockies.
Crested Butte, Colorado
We first learned about the magic of the Crested Butte wildflowers over a dinner in early summer with a friend. We inquired about his plans for the July 4th holiday, and a wide smile spread over his face. “My wife and I will be at our place in Colorado, just in time for the wildflowers.” What ensued was a conversation about the joys of hiking the Rockies surrounded by thousands of wildflowers in full bloom. We had never heard about this, and now we totally want to go.
First, a word about the town itself: Crested Butte is a charming and relatively unspoiled Western ski spot, with a main street lined with charming Victorian storefronts and cafes. Although it’s best known for winter fun, the town is alive in the summer with a top arts festival, live music, and outdoor adventures. Designated an official Colorado Creative District, the summer crowd is sophisticated and chill.
Elk Avenue, Crested Butte, Colorado
In midsummer, all around the valley are riotously-colored mountainsides filled with flowers. The Crested Butte Wildflower Festival celebrates its 32nd year from July 6-15, 2018, so you still have time to make it if you head out right now. But if you can’t break away before it ends, any visit during the month of July or August will provide a spectacular setting for outdoor pursuits of all kinds: photography, painting, hiking, birding, mountain biking, trout fishing and horseback riding.
Whatever your activity of choice, you’ll be surrounded by vibrant blooms of all shapes and sizes: yellow, white, green, purple and red. Among them? Sunflowers, sneezeweed, fireweed, asters, sky pilot, larkspur, sage brush and columbine (the state flower of Colorado).
Paintbrush
Silvery Lupine
Mule’s Ears Sunflowers
Our friend with the second home in Crested Butte recommends flying into Boulder, Colorado and taking the four-hour drive from there — the road follows the course of a river, and the scenery is stunning.
Once you arrive, he suggests staying in town at one of the hotels at the base of the ski mountain, like The Lodge at Mountaineer Square or the Elevation Resort & Spa. Or you could check out the new Lofts @ Public House from adventure travel company Eleven Experience; they’re right above a craft beer pub located on Elk Avenue, the town’s main street, in a building from the 1800’s that was once the town’s main saloon.
One other tip from our friend: Crested Butte sits at an elevation of 8,850 feet, so be mindful of the potential for altitude sickness, especially during your first couple of days.
It’s a glorious time to be out in the world – perhaps your wanderlust will take you out West, to where the wildflowers bloom. Sweet.
