DENVER — Colorado summers are simply the best – partly because of the "Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music" wildflowers that blanket mountain valleys, decorate bubbling streams, and reach the highest peaks.
Jennifer Ackerfield with the Denver Botanic Gardens has some suggestions – and I do, too – as to where to spot the best flowers.
First though, let's figure out how to name them. There are plenty of Colorado wildflower books out there, but a book is not always a good hiking companion. I have a little laminated thing that I carry around, but honestly, Ackerfield has a better suggestion.
She really digs the iNaturalist app for your phone. Download the app, take pictures, and you get all sorts of cool info about the plant. In addition, the app records date and coordinates. This is important, because scientists like Ackerfield can use citizen data to help them in their research. The data has a chance to be verified – Ackerfield herself has verified tens of thousands of plants.
"It helps you identify what you’re seeing, and you’re also contributing to science. All of your observations are pushed out there to the scientific community through these portals for biodiversity that we have," Ackerfield said. "This brings the power of millions of people [who] are now out there observing biodiversity.
"In the end it helps us find these areas that we should conserve for future use," she said.
It's a "win-win-win" Ackerfield said, admitting she's a little addicted to it.
Ackerfield is also pretty addicted to flowers.
"I'm one of the experts on Colorado flora," she said, as she pointed out native species at the Denver Botanic Gardens.
Of last year's wildflower season, she said, "Last year was pretty spectacular. I've got goosebumps just thinking about it."
Ackerfield (and I) have some recommendations for goosebump-inducing areas to visit.
Crested Butte
"It's the wildflower capital for a reason," Ackerfield said.
I agree with her. Really anywhere in Crested Butte and near Gothic is incredible. The West Maroon Bells Pass trail is outrageous. It's not super tough, the flowers can be up to your shoulders, and the views are nice beyond the flowers. I also really love Rustler's Gulch. It's a fairyland of paintbrush and columbine.
Crested Butte's Amazing Wildflowers
San Juans
Ackerfield recommends Yankee Boy Basin and American Basin. I agree. This is a haul from Denver, but it makes up for that in lack of crowds and hoards of wildflowers. The hike up Handies Peak is one of the easier 14ers, but even if you can't do that, the basin below is lovely.
Holy Cross Wilderness
This is an official Anne Herbst, 9NEWS, recommendation. The Fancy Pass-Missouri Pass loop rules. It's got a really tough climb in there, but it's relatively close to Denver and is in a lovely area. Holy Cross Wilderness is home to my least favorite 14er (Mount of the Holy Cross – just so terrible and hard), but home to one of my favorite Colorado loop hikes.
Close to Denver
Ackerfield brings us closer to town with her recommendations. Green Mountain in Lakewood always impresses her. There are a lot of different trails with varying difficulty, and a ton of biodiversity in a small area. She also likes Lair o' the Bear in Jefferson County near Idledale.
I really love hiking in the Butler Gulch area near empire. The paintbrush last year was knock-your-socks-off colorful.
PHOTOS | The wildflowers on Green Mountain are absolutely amazing right now
Wherever you go in Colorado, Ackerfield doesn't think you'll be disappointed.
"Anyplace that you go is going to have wildflowers — botanists are never bored in the summer," Ackerfield said.
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