Fields of Wild Flowers in Crested Butte

In the mountains of Crested Butte during the months of July and August you can find varieties of flowers by the dozens in full bloom in hues of pink, yellow, and purple. There are plenty of trails for all skill levels to jump on where you can find the flowers growing. I spent a weekend up in these mountains and wish I had more time in this enchanted place.

This is a great place to try your hand at water color journaling if you're an artist or creative and an adventurer. There are dozens of places to stop along the path and capture the beautiful flowers with your paints.

The trail my group trekked for wild flowers was Rustler's Gulch. A fairly easy hike with a handful of water crossings! I wore my chaco sandals in full nerdy hiker fashion and they worked very well in crossing the water and still being able to handle an incline in elevation. There are ways to walk around the water where people have created paths, but the water feels refreshing especially on a summer day in the mountains so don't hesitate.

The road that leads to Rustler's Gulch has a handful of other trails to turn off to that are also popular. This area is great for getting out into the mountains regardless of what trail you choose. Most of the trails in this section of mountains are minimum 6 or so miles so leave yourself plenty of time for exploring.

The hike leads you into a glacial mountain area where you will walk past a waterfall and be led to the top of a meadow area to sit and enjoy the view. If you come during wild flower season you will be greeted with hundreds of purple flowers blooming at the top.

Tip: Bring water and wear sunscreen. The weather for us started off cool and partially shady but as your hike goes on you will be out in full sun by the time you reach the end and have to turn back.

The town of Crested Butte is a typical ski/snow town that is more populated in the winter time. There is a charming downtown area filled with restaurants and cute shops to check out. My favorite of course is always finding the best coffee places. Rumors Coffee and Tea House has an amazing selections of loose leaf teas and lattes. Although I didn't try their breakfast burritos or bakery items they were selling out quick as I made my way through the line. Camp for Coffee is another local place right around the corner. Their shop is covered in license plates and has a unique atmosphere to it.

The second day I was very excited to hit a trail before having to leave. We drove in the same general direction where all the trailheads are located up towards the mountains.

We hiked a less elevated loop around a river and up into aspen trees. Along the trail wild flowers were still everywhere, even some different ones I had not seen from the day before. We did get to see more expansive views of the mountains as we hiked further out.

Tip: Check the trail signs and do some research beforehand. Mountain biking is big in Colorado and you won't have the right away if you cross their path. If you don't want to have to worry about this pick your trails wisely.

Crested Butte is a gorgeous city in the summer months if you want to explore the mountains and see the landscapes snow free. I would highly recommend this place if you are looking for some time in the mountains, but don't want to be completely remote in the woods.

Tip: Plan your trip with some extra time in for travel. There are only two roads to get to this town and depending on what time you come across the bigger areas surrounding Denver you will get caught in traffic, up to a hour or more. Keep this in mind if you have places to be at set times.

There are many lovely cabins and rentals you can obtain in this area, but there is also a great opportunity to camp out in these parts. The trails will be marked with rules and you'll even see as you hike where some old camp spots could have been. Don't forget to check the temperature. Even in summer the nights can cool down once the sun disappears. Enjoy!