For viewing wildflowers in Colorado’s true wild, the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway is a must. Accessible only by a four-wheel-drive vehicle with high clearance, this rugged country serves as perfect growing grounds for a multitude of wildflowers. It is important to stay on all designated roads at all times — getting stuck is common for those who decide to stray from the road.
The route follows 63 miles of unimproved road and reaches heights of 12,800 feet. Getting out and shaking the tightness from your legs on this journey is best done on one of the many hikes found along the way.
The trails you take into the mountains — in addition to the drive itself — were originally created by miners and prospectors forging their way though the countryside in search of their fortunes or transporting their finds to the nearby cities of Silverton, Lake City and Ouray.
Wildflowers You’ll See Tufted hairgrass, alpine timothy, bog sedge, rushes, bistort, Colorado blue columbine, avens, larkspur, gentian, geranium, Jacob’s ladder, monkshood, catchfly, phlox and bluebells
Prime Bloom Time Late June through early August
Shrubs You’ll See Cinquefoil, rose and elderberry
Trees You’ll See Red alder, aspen, willow, narrow leaf cottonwood, Englemann spruce and subalpine fir
Getting There Starting points for this loop can be found out of Lake City, Silverton and near Ouray.
Near the Colorado River, you’ll find the Rabbit Valley Recreation Area. In an expanse of 24 square miles, high-mountain desert terrain prevails in the semi-arid climate. Found growing among wind-sculpted sandstone, flowers add welcome color to an earthen-toned landscape. With the elements to contend with, these flowering plants are as hearty as they are colorful.
In this Bureau of Land Management operated area, you can enjoy wildflowers in a multitude of ways. Take a horseback ride through the area and get a view of the sweeping panoramas while atop your mount. If you prefer to hoof it yourself, the area offers miles of hiking trails and three designated campsites.
Wildflowers You’ll See:
Mariposa lily, double bladderpod, globemallow, Jones’ blue star, glandular phacelia and grand buckwheat
Prime Bloom Time Late April to June
Shrubs You’ll See Greasewood, Utah juniper, shadscale saltbush, four-wing saltbush and holly grape
Getting There From Grand Junction, follow I-70 west to the Rabbit Valley exit. Turn left over I-70. Follow the road a short way until you reach Rabbit Valley.
Development and industry have been kept at bay in this naturalist’s paradise. Many of the vistas in the area display what the first European settlers of the land saw: perfect, unadulterated Colorado prairie. In addition to vibrant wildflowers, bald eagles and hawks are also common visitors as they hunt the prolific prairie dog population.
The paved Fossil Creek Trail is an easily walked 2.4-mile trip through the prairie. Meandering along this path will bring you to a number of interpretive signs providing information on the terrain.
Flowers You’ll See Nuttall’s violet, upright prairie coneflower, milkweeds, narrowleaf stoneseed and beardtongues
Prime Bloom Time June through August
Getting There Located in Fort Collins, one mile south of Harmony Road on the west side of County Road 17.
The most defining feature of this area used to be the granite hoodoos and rock arches. Today, it’s a blooming landscape healing from wildfire. The infamous Hayman Fire left a lasting imprint on the more than 100,000 acres it touched. This natural disaster did not rob the area of its essence, because from destruction, grows beauty. Within clearings of the charred remains of a scorched forest grow a multitude of wildflowers. The fire, however, did not spread to the entire region. The lush greenery of the hiking in this area stands in stark contrast to those that were burnt. Within these thickets, the seeds of wildflowers also take root.
While seemingly nothing more than a decimating force, fire is a natural and necessary element to a healthy forest’s life cycle. Fire that burns through forest leaves in its wake soil rich with nutrients and a profusion of flowers. Within a period of two to 10 years, burned areas are blanketed with a potpourri of smells and colors. The fire was extinguished in 2002, and now is the best time to visit this area.
Plan a two-day camping trip to enjoy the scenery of this area. The trails near Goose Creek offer primitive tent-camping sites.
Flowers You’ll See Smooth aster, yarrow, bellflower, blanket flower, bergamont, fireweed, nodding onion, spreading dogbane geranium, honeysuckle, blazingstar, Woods’ rose, Canada violet and black-eyed Susan
Prime Bloom Time April through early June
Getting There Located three miles north of Deckers on Highway 126. Turn west on Matukat Road for roughly eight miles.
Red rocks and wildflowers dominate the landscape of this 3,245-acre state park. The ecology of this area is diverse and unique. It’s a Transition Zone — an area that encapsulates the natural transition of the plains’ rise into the dramatic heights of the Rocky Mountains. Because of this varied environment, certain varieties of wildflowers usually found miles apart can be seen growing close to each other.
This park is popular because of its proximity to Denver, and its offering of quick jaunts from the capital city. As a day-use park, it’s ideal for getting away from the city-life distractions and reconnecting with the budding beauty of Colorado wildflowers.
Flowers You’ll See Canada violet, larkspur, golden banner and chiming bells, poppy mallow, orchid penstemon, sego lily, American vetch, cinquefoil,
Drummond milkvetch, purple milkvetch, sulphurflower, tall scarlet
paintbrush, orange paintbrush, scarlet gaura, white gilia, scarlet gilia,
prairie coneflower, copper mallow, spring beauties, silvery lupine, birdfoot
violet, purple prairie flower, white prairie flower, green gentian
Prime Bloom Time Early May through June
Shrubs You’ll See Boulder raspberry, wax currant and chokecherry
Trees You’ll See Rocky Mountain maple, blue spruce, gambel oak and aspen
Getting There Travel south on Wadsworth to Waterton Rd and take a left. Travel south (right) along Rampart Range Road. Turn left onto Roxborough Park Road at the intersection of North Rampart Range Road and Roxborough Park Road. The next right is the entrance to the park.
