5 Popular Colorado Wildflower Hikes

Colorado mountains aren’t just an amazing place to spend the winter. There’s a ton to do during the summer as well. Thanks to the abundance of alpine wilderness, a lot of Colorado’s best wildflower blooms don’t happen until later in the summer. Here are 5 popular Colorado wildflower hikes that you should check out this year:

5 Popular Colorado Wildflower Hikes

1. Copley Lake at Crested Butte

Best blooms: July

Distance: 5 miles

Difficulty: High

Crested Butte is known as the Wildflower Capital of Colorado, which is why it’s the first on the list of places to go hiking to see wildflowers. Although it’s close to town and relatively short, this hike is rated for high difficulty because of the steep elevation gain at the start of the trail. During the five-mile hike, you’ll gain over 1,000 feet of elevation. But the wildflower blooms are well worth the effort. Expect to see chiming bells, rosy paintbrush, scarlet paintbrush, and fire weed.

Make sure to bring your camera and plan in plenty extra time so you can snap away when you’re on the trail!

2. Rabbit Ears Peak Trail in Steamboat Springs

Best blooms: Late July

Distance: 6 miles

Difficulty: Moderate to High

Hit the Rabbit Ears Peak Trail, east of Steamboat Springs, to check out some amazing late July wildflower blooms. The trail, named for a peak that resembles rabbit ears, is an excellent opportunity to view several species of wildflower. According to Colorado’s Best Wildflower Hikes: The High Country, you can expect to see scarlet paintbrush, fireweed, pink-headed daisies, and the state flower, blue Columbine. It’s rated as moderate-to-difficult because it involves a scramble to the top of the namesake peak, which has unfortunately deteriorated over the years. Total elevation gain is just below 1,000 feet.

3. Hessie Trailhead, Nederland

Best blooms: July

Distance: 3 miles

Difficulty: Easy

The Hessie Trailhead outside of Eldora provides access to a number of popular summer hiking trails. At just three hours, it’s a great option if you’re looking for an easier hike without missing any of the gorgeous wildflowers. Expect to see buttercups, brookcress, little pink elephants, tall chiming bells, and blue Columbines, according to Colorado’s Best Wildflower Hikes: The Front Range. You can go all the way to Lost Lake (4.1 miles) if you want to explore some of the abandoned mining cabins in the area, or you can capture photos at the start of the trail.

4. Devil’s Thumb Lake Trail via Hessie Trailhead, Nederland

Best blooms: June-July

Distance: 13 miles roundtrip

Difficulty: Moderate

Head up to Nederland and take the Hessie Trailhead to Devil’s Thumb Lake Trail to find alpine wilderness and catch some spectacular views of wildflowers. You can do the entire 13-mile out-and-back trail, or walk just enough to see fields full of bluebells and wild purple Columbines. It’s rated a moderate trail for distance and the 2,824-foot elevation gain you get if you do the whole thing.

5. West Maroon Pass, Aspen

Best blooms: Late July

Distance: 12.7 miles roundtrip

Difficulty: High

The 12.7-mile out-and-back West Maroon Pass connects Aspen to Crested Butte, and it offers one of the best trails to see Colorado’s incredible wildflower blooms. Expect to see larkspur, Columbine, yellow paintbrush, geyer larkspur and many other species of wildflowers. It’s rated strenuous for the distance and elevation gain. But for many people, the effort is well worth it. This trail also takes you past Crater Lake, and offers sweeping views of mountain peaks and alpine wilderness. Hikers are advised to start early, bring rain gear, and use caution if thunderstorms approach the pass.

 

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