Colorado wildflowers
 

When is the best time to see the wildflowers in the mountains and what area? Or what other time of the year would the mountains be prettiest besides fall. We have been in the fall and it is beautiful but cant take vacation in the fall this year.

Late June is usually a good time for wildflowers along the frontrange. July can be pretty too. August starts to see things turn to astors and goldenrod. We often get afternoon rain in June which makes things a beautiful green. The ski towns are really doing a lot to encourage summer tourism and you can stay in some pretty nice places for less than winter. Breckenridge is always a pretty town. I like San Isobel National Forest area (near Rye, CO) too - very pretty. Woodland Park has some gorgeous views. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is very striking and either Gunnison or Montrose are nice towns. There are probably others with good suggestions too but this will give you a starting point.

There's a wildflower festival in Crested Butte, which I believe is the 2nd week in July. I don't know when it is this year - but I'm sure you could find this out easily on-line.

We've been to Yankee Boy Basin (on a Jeep tour) above Ouray twice - both in July - and the wildflowers were really pretty then.

Thanks for your response, that helps me a lot. Another question, what is the weather like around end of June thru the middle of July in the mountains and how crowded is it?

June and July are high tourist season in CO, but it's not a big deal - just remember you are on vacaion and take your time. :)

The weather will be warm in June/July, but it depends entirely on your altitude. Unless you are camping above 10,000 feet, it will probably be in the 80's during the day. I would (and do) take a jacket, a couple of sweatshirts, and jeans/pants because it can get chilly at night.

The Crested Butte/ Gunnison Area is never crowded like the front range. Crested Butte is known as the wildflower capital (of what i'm not sure). Also, the firt weekend of August has the Crested Butte Arts Festival, it is rather late this year to catch both the wildflowers and the arts festival, but there should still be some pretty flower there in August.

I highly recommend Crested Butte. It's a funky laidback Colorado town that is nothing like Aspen or Vail or town like that. It's got great restaurants, and friendly people without the big city vibe of like Aspen.

Gunnison doesn't have much to do in it, but the area around it is great.

I absolutely love it in the summer and can't wait to be there.