Posted July 25, 2000

Wildflowers are at their peak along the northern Front Range. Although this summer has been amazingly hot and dry--even in many high-country locations--the colorful flowers in mountain meadows are still showing their stuff.

Rocky Mountain National Park, of course, is the top destination for wildflower viewing in northern Colorado. You can easily find colorful meadows from your car as you drive up to Bear Lake or over Trail Ridge Road.

If you want to walk for your flowers, however, two trails will take you to flower-filled meadows. On Saturday, I made the difficult hike along Bulwark Ridge Trail to South Signal Mountain, which is west of Loveland. The first five miles of the rocky trail climb a long, steep ridge through a dense forest. But a series of small meadows on the mountain's large, flat summit rewarded my exhausting climb. Purple lupine, bluebells, deep red Indian paintbrush, and assorted tiny white and yellow flowers filled the sunny, tree-ringed meadows. A steady buzzing noise, the product of thousands of bees and flies flitting from flower to flower and wallowing in the pollen, filled the air. Add to this environment a stunning view of neighboring Signal Mountain to the north and the majestic cirques of Rocky Mountain National Park to the west, and I'd found a place that I didn't want to leave. Only a growing thunderstorm overhead chased me from the mountaintop.

More flowery meadows decorate the trail along the North Fork of the Big Thompson River, also east of Loveland. This trail parallels the stream, which offers anglers a bounty of brook and rainbow trout. The first miles of the trail are easy going through the Comanche Peaks Wilderness Area, but then the trail begins a gradual climb toward the Rocky Mountain National Park boundary. Ultimately, this 10-mile trail leads to Lost Lake, a stunningly beautiful destination at timberline just below the Continental Divide. Watch as you walk, and you can see an assortment of columbines and other mountain flowers.

Both trails begin at the Dunraven trailhead. To get there, drive nine miles up U.S. 34 from Loveland to Drake. Turn right toward Glen Haven and drive another seven miles to the Dunraven turnoff. Turn right, cross the creek, and drive about 2.5 miles up the gravel road to the trailhead. The Forest Service maintains a restroom at the trailhead. Be sure to check the signboard at the North Fork trailhead for information about hiking and camping in the area. You can also get information from the Canyon Lakes District of the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest office in Fort Collins:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/arnf/clrd/vvc.htm

Here are some other links with photos of or information about Colorado wildflowers:

http://www.mountainlake.com/oldman.htm

http://www.fn.net/~w0qnx/colorado.htm

http://www.trailrunner.com/state_trails/co_colorado_trail.htm

Almost anywhere you go in the mountains this time of year will have beautiful wildflower displays. Roadside meadows are often as colorful and gorgeous as backcountry locations, so if you don't feel like hiking to the blossoms, just drive to your favorite high country location and pull over near a sunny meadow where the flowers are in bloom. Don't forget your camera!

-- Bob Kretschman

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