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Almont Triangle

Up on the Triangle you can see the San Juan Mountains to the southwest, the Elk Mountains and the Castles to the west and Paradise Divide and Crested Butte Mountain to the north. It is a land of sagebrush, largely treeless, but for the solitary Ponderosa Pine or patch of Aspen. Because of its lower elevation the flowers bloom earlier and are more abundant in the spring than the summer. From the parking spot on Jack's Cabin Cutoff you can walk on old dirt roads as far as you wish either to the north, toward Round Mountain, or south toward Almont. Both will give you great views and flowers blooming amongst the sagebrush.

Flowers will be blooming as early as April. One of the first to appear when the snow begins to melt is the Pasque Flower, often in masses. You may also see Showy Easter Daisy, Sagebrush Buttercup, Elegant Cinquefoil, Rock Jasmine, Blue-eyed Mary and Carpet Phlox. In May you will see Sugar Bowls, Drummond's Milkvetch, Mountain Candytuft, White Evening Primrose,  Wallflowers, Scarlet Gilia, Slender Woodland Stars and Serviceberry in bloom. At the end of May carpets of golden Arrow-leaved Balsamroot brighten the hillsides. June brings Golden Banner, Scarlet Globemallow, Yellow Stonecrop, Wild Geranium, Sticky Gilia. In July bright Lambert's Locoweed, Creamy Buckwheat, Penstemon and Indian Paintbrush contrast with the sage.

Photo: Desert Paintbrush, Larkspur and Phlox, May 27th. Photo: Lambert's Locoweed, July 10th.

Some flowers that are found at this elevation in a sagebrush environment.

 

Hiking guide.

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Lower Loop and Upper Lower Loop

I take my visitors who live at sea level on this hike to help them adjust to the area’s higher altitudes. It is a gentle walk above the Slate River past Peanut Lake and the Gronk, the remains of a coal tipple, with beautiful views up the valley to Paradise Divide and across to Gothic and Crested Butte Mountain. The Lower Loop trail is fairly flat and connects with other trails. The Woods Walk from town joins the start of the trail and a trail to the Gunsight Pass trailhead extends beyond the end. It can be out and back but it can be a loop by taking the Upper Lower Loop trail which ascends to the left and winds through aspens about midway. Once the snow begins to melt in June, the flowers start blooming. One year on a hike at the end of June I identified 86 species; these are some of the less common flowers you will see.

The beautiful blue Colorado Columbine is the State Flower of Colorado and quite commonly seen (see Poverty Gulch below). Less common is the Red Columbine found growing in the shade of forest edges. Sometimes they get together to produce a pink hybrid. The Curlyhead Goldenweed is often called a Sunflower and easily confused with Sneezeweed. Although in the same family it is a distinctly different species. Colorado has many species of Penstemon; the compact purple flowers of Rydberg's Penstemon are one of the less common; it grows in abundance on this trail.

Photo: Curlyhead Goldenweed & Rydberg's Penstemon, July 15th Photo: Red Columbine, June 4th

These beauties are found in moist soil.

 

Hiking guide.

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Snodgrass Mountain

From the trailhead you can take longer hikes over to Washington Gulch or to the summit of the mountain. To hike through fields of flowers in bloom and groves of quaking aspen follow the dirt road up to the fence line and turn right through the aspens gradually descending through masses of flowers.

In the open meadows you will be waist-high in masses of flowers at the peak; Lupine, Corn Husk Lilies, Little Sunflowers, Penstemon, Prairie Smoke, Larkspur, Sneezeweed, Indian Paintbrush, Scarlet Gilia, Wild Geraniums, Osha, Creamy Buckwheat, Wild Onions, and many more.

In the aspen are many other different species; Tall Chiming Bells, Subalpine Larkspur, Sweet Cicely, Glacier Lilies, Spring Beauties, Meadowrue, Cow Parsnip, Fendler Waterleaf, to name just a few.

Photo: Prairie Smoke, June 27th Photo: Masses of Mule's Ears, July 5th

Some early bloomers.

 

Hiking guide.

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Lily Lake

This higher altitude trail can still be covered in snow in July because of the trees. The steepest part of the trail is at the beginning. It ascends through subalpine forests and meadows carpeted in wildflowers to a pretty lake surrounded by mountains where pond lilies bloom and salamanders swim. In mid-July I have identified over 80 species on the trail. If you continue past the lake instead of returning the way you came up, the old logging road will take you to Splain's Gulch.

In the forest you may see Twisted Stalk, Heart-leafed Arnica, Canada Violets, Subalpine Jacob's Ladder, Small-flower Miterwort and Pygmy Bitterroot. In June the meadows are carpeted with Blue Violets and Buttercups. If the snow is still melting there will be masses of Glacier Lilies and Spring Beauties. The lilies bloom toward the end of July and Elephant Heads, Falsegold Groundsel, Subalpine Daisies, Queen's Crown and Bistort fill the meadow by the lake. By August the rich purple of Fringed Gentians color the landscape.

Photo: Fringed Gentian & Queen's Crown, July 22nd Photo: Meadow by the lake, July 17th

Some of the wildflowers found on the trail.

 

Hiking guide.

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Poverty Gulch

My personal best for wildflowers on one hike was 118 species on this trail, without going alpine; 80+ is not unusual. The trail takes you through the montane and subalpine zones in moist, open, rocky and forested environments; a great diversity of wildflowers. The flowers are at their peak in mid-July. At the beginning of the trail look to your left to see waterfalls. About 2 miles from the Slate River the road will meet Poverty Creek. You can enjoy the waterfalls and abundance of flowers near the creek, or you can continue on the road up to Augusta Mine, or you can cross the stream and follow the old road to the left into Baxter Basin and up to Daisy Pass and Cascade Mountain, for more amazing wildflower displays.

Along the trail you may see Monument Plants, Mountain Death Camus, Pearly Everlasting, King's Crown, Bistort, Fringed Grass-of-Parnassus, Fremont's Groundsel, Slender Hawkweed, Yellow Monkeyflower, Spreading Dogbane, Coyote Mint, Giant Hyssop, Colorado Columbine, Case's Fitweed, Monkshood, Chiming Bells, Bog Saxifrage, Bog Orchids, Elephant Heads, Shrubby Cinquefoil, Sneezeweed, Wyoming Paintbrush, Dusty Maiden, Alpine Sorrel, Bunny-in-the-Grass, Scree Penstemon, Yellow Violet, Ballhead Waterleaf, to name just a few. In a wet area about a mile up the trail is a mass of Monkshood. Further along in a moist area Case's Fitweed grows, endemic to this area of Colorado although common in the Pacific Northwest.

Photo: Colorado Columbine, August 2nd Photo: Monument Plant, July 22nd

Some less common wildflowers found on the trail.

 

Hiking guide.

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Lake Irwin

Although at higher elevation this is a fairly flat trail around the lake passing through a variety of habitats including dense conifer forest, lush meadows, and wetlands making for a wide variety of wildflowers. It feels adventurous, without feeling too arduous, to walk around a lake. The area in front of the campground on the west side of the lake is usually busy with people fishing, boating and paddling but the rest of the trail is much quieter. At the north end of the lake is a waterfall and a creek to cross.

Some of the wildflowers found on the trail.

 

Hiking guide.

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Hasley Basin

This trail will take you all the way to Aspen over West Maroon Pass, to Frigid Air Pass or to Hasley Basin, which is the shortest and least crowded hike. This can be done as a loop, see the Hiking Guide, but I prefer to go up to the highest point and return the same way. There are spectacular masses of wildflowers all the way. It is hard to describe the beauty. See the photo at the top of the page.

The trail starts in forest, passes the remains of an old cabin then switchbacks up out of the trees onto mountainsides carpeted with flowers. When the trail forks after about 2 miles, take the left. The trail to the right is a steep trail to West Maroon Pass. The trail up to Hasley Basin is steep switchbacks and you will reach the high point after another mile and have fantastic panoramic views of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. You will see Subalpine Arnica, American Bistort, Wyoming Paintbrush, Little Sunflowers, Subalpine Daisies, Monument Plants, Sneezeweed, Lupine, Osha, Colorado Columbine, Fireweed, Corn Husk Lilies, Rosy Paintbrush, Mountain Sorrel, Brook Saxifrage, River Beauty, Gordon's Ivesia, and many more.

Photos: August 14th

Some wildflowers seen on the trail in the subalpine zone.

 

Hiking guide.

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Crested Butte Mountain

An easy way to see alpine flowers is to take the Silver Queen lift from the ski area, or you can hike up 3 miles. It is a strenuous hike with an elevation gain of 2,700 feet from the base area to the summit. At the top of the lift there is a trail to the summit at 12,162 feet. The last section is over rocks and there are few flowers.

There are also many trails on the flanks of the mountain where aspen forests and meadows are full of montane flowers; lupine, sunflowers, columbine, and many more. You can explore the area at the top of the lift then start on the trail to the summit which climbs above tree line. When you reach the saddle there is a big area to explore and find many varieties of alpine flowers, or you can continue on to the summit. You may see Mountain Dryad, Snowball Saxifrage, Sulphur Paintbrush, Pussytoes, Moss Campion, Alpine Clover, Alpine Avens, Whitestem Goldenbush, Arctic Willow, Alpine Sorrel, Alpine Smelowskia, Alp Lily, Tall Blacktip Ragwort, and more.

Photo: Moss Campion & Alpine Phlox, July 2nd

 

Some denizens of the alpine zone.

 

Hiking guide.

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Scarp Ridge

This hike will give you more spectacular views and meadows of subalpine flowers on the way to more alpine flowers. The objective is the ridge for the views which can be reached out and back or as part of a loop. Take the right fork to hike counter clockwise for a gradual incline and steep decline. Take the left fork for a steeper but shorter route to the ridge and a clockwise hike to decline gradually.

The views from the ridge are outstanding, as are the huge variety of flowers growing in the tundra. You may see Golden Draba, Mountain Harebell, Parry Clover, Scarlet Paintbrush, Parry's Lousewort, Purple Fringe, Kings Crown, Gordon's Ivesia, Alpine Avens, Tundra Paintbrush, Alpine Chickweed, Cutleaf Daisy, Boreal Sandwort, Rocky Mountain Sagewort, Alpine Clover, Sibbaldia, and more.

Photo: Old-Man-of-the-Mountain, July 12th Photo: Lupine & Scarlet Paintbrush, July 14th

More denizens of high elevation.

 

Hiking guide.

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Three Lakes Trail

This last hike is not for the flowers; it is for the magnificent drive through the aspens and the very scenic hike past waterfalls and lakes. The leaves are at their colorful peak in the last week of September into October. The hike is a loop past three pretty lakes with panoramic views of Marcellina and Beckwith Mountains. If you go counter-clockwise the climb is more gradual. Look for the trail marker on the west side of the campground. After skirting around Lost Lake the trail climbs up to Dollar Lake, a lovely spot for lunch. It continues on past a waterfall, worth a little detour, then joins the Beckwith Pass trail before descending down to the Lake through a forest of golden aspen.

Photo: Beckwith Mountain reflected in Lost Lake Slough

Hiking guide.

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