Embark on a colorful 'wildflower road trip' around Colorado
Inspirations of the ‘Colorful Colorado’ nickname are easy to see as magnificent wildflowers paint landscapes across the state during the summer months of the year. Take this road trip through the state to see the finest blooms around.
Editor’s Note: Blooms vary by year, location, and plant species. Wildflower sightings are by no means guaranteed. Find more information that can help you plan your trip here. One great way to check conditions of an area prior to your visit is via a website like Instagram or AllTrails, both of which can feature recent images of a location.
Sunflower Field (Photo) Credit kjschoen (iStock)
2. Denver
An abundance of sunflowers bloom across fields near Denver International Airport, painting the landscape with hues of yellows and oranges - especially during sunsets of late summer.
Author’s Note: These fields are private property. Visitors can take pictures from the shoulder of the road and are not permitted to enter the sunflower fields. Read more from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office here.
Photo Credit: kjschoen (iStock).
Rocky Mountain National Park (Photo) Credit andrey_zharkikh (flickr)
3. Rocky Mountain National Park
Tucked in the mountains west of Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park is splattered with many vibrant colors of wildflowers. The park is a great place to see Colorado’s native species of flowers, like Columbines - the state flower, Mountain Lupine, Marsh Marigold, and more.
Photo Credit: andrey_zharkikh (Flickr).
Summit County wildflowers (Photo) Credit Seth Boster
4. Summit County
About 100 miles from Rocky Mountain National Park, Summit County offers many places to see wildflowers. Explore Summit County’s Shrine Ridge for some of the area’s best wildflowers. Boreas Pass in Breckenridge also offers a dirt route into the mountains for more wildflower viewing.
Pictured: Wildflowers burst along the Spruce Creek Trail to Mohawk Lake outside Breckenridge. Photo Credit: Seth Boster, The Gazette.
Aspen (Photo) Credit sneffelsclimber (iStock)
5. Aspen
Drive to or take the shuttle to the Maroon Bells in Aspen, which is about 130 miles from Summit County. Along the way, look between the groves of aspens for wildflowers for a chance to spot Mountain Blue Bells, Corn Lily, and Pink Plumes. Head east from Aspen up Independence Pass for more opportunities to see Colorado wildflowers.
The Maroon Bells peaks near Aspen, Colorado with yellow Arnica flowers in the foreground. Photo Credit: sneffelsclimber (iStock).
Wildflowers (Photo) Credit OakleyOriginals flickr
6. Cottonwood Pass
Continue driving toward Buena Vista. West of this mountain town is Cottonwood Pass, which offers plenty of wildflower viewing. Head west on Cottonwood Pass toward Crested Butte to spot a variety of mountain and alpine wildflowers, including Richardson's Geranium, Alpine Forget-Me-Not, and Wild Rose.
Photo Credit: OakleyOriginals (flickr). File Photo.
Crested Butte (Photo) Credit Trent Bona
7. Crested Butte
Dubbed the wildflower capital of Colorado, Crested Butte is renowned for its vibrant fields of flowers. Common flowers seen in Crested Butte valleys are the purple Fleabane, Larkspur, yellow Aspen sunflowers, and the red Indian Paintbrush.
Photo Credit: Trent Bona.
Gothic Mountain (Photo) Credit Brycen McCright
8. Gothic Mountain
Just north of downtown Crested Butte, the area of Gothic Mountain features more than 60 species of wildflowers. The Mountain Lupines grow tall in white and vibrant purples across an entire meadow near Gothic Mountain.
Photo Credit: Brycen McCright.
Wild Iris (Photo) Credit mark byzewski (flickr)
9. Alpine Loop Scenic Byway
Discover alpine wildflower species via the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway about an 1 hour 40 minutes south of Crested Butte to Lake City. Wild Iris, White Geranium, Elephantella, and other flowers thrive in this high altitude setting.
Author’s Note: This route is a dirt mountain pass that requires high-clearance vehicles and 4-wheel drive. Also, when hiking in tundra terrain, stay on trails and step carefully to avoid crushing small alpine plants. Some plants take decades to reach maturity.
Pictured: Wild Iris. Photo Credit: mark byzewski (flickr).
San Luis Valley (Photo) Credit Christian Collins (flickr)
10. San Luis Peak & San Luis Valley
The San Luis Valley and surrounding peaks feature colorful wildflowers including the shooting star flower, Mountain Blue Bells, Alpine phlox, Prairie Sunflowers, and Rocky Mountain beeplants.
Photo Credit: Christian Collins (flickr).
Columbines (Photo) Courtesy Bernie Nagy
Editor's Note: Always practice the seven core principles of Leave No Trace. Do not pick, touch, or trample on any of the wildflowers. Keep them beautiful and blooming for others to enjoy. When hiking on tundra, step carefully to avoid crushing small alpine plants. Some plants take decades to reach maturity.
Photo Courtesy: Bernie Nagy
Wildflower Road Trip Through Colorado (Photo) via Google Maps
The road trip map through Colorado to see some of the best wildflowers in the state.
Photo via Google Maps.
Denver Botanic Gardens (Photo) Credit earleliason (iStock)
1. Denver Botanic Gardens
Kickoff the wildflower road trip at Denver’s Botanic Gardens. The exhibits here are full of living collections, including alpine, aquatic, native, steppe, tropical, cactus, succulents, and more.
Photo Credit: earleliason (iStock).
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