The wildflower season wil begin this month and will last through June or early July.
Durango has many maintained hiking and biking trails granting access to wildflower destinations.
Some of the wildflowers flourishing in the area are: Colorado columbine, larkspur, monks head, Indian paintbrush, alpine phlox, orchids, glacier lilies and elephants head.
The combination of wildflowers and wild waters can be found roadside and by adventuring up into the mountains.
Vallecito Reservoir, in a valley at 8,000 feet elevation, is a 20-minute drive from Durango. The lake is one of the largest bodies of water in Colorado and is surrounded by the San Juan National Forest. A walking path with picnic tables placed throughout follows the perimeter of the lake.
Colorado residents and visitors can fish at any location, including Vallecito Reservoir, without a license or habitat stamp during Free Fishing Weekend, June 7 and 8.
The Animas River is another option to experience the alpine waters.
The Animas River Trail guides people through Durango, providing access to the water and flowers that bloom on the riverbanks in early spring.
Rafting in town or on the upper Animas, offers an entirely different perspective of the river while a train ride on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad follows the river north of town through fields of wildflowers, canyons and towering mountain peaks.
If in search for a backpacking trip or day hike, the Vallecito Trail provides both. The trail follows Vallecito Creek up a narrow valley scattered with wildflowers and wildlife.
The first two miles of the trail climb more than 500 feet above the creek, providing views of the alpine meadows full of blooming wildflowers. The wildflower season at Vallecito Creek peaks in July and August.
Lime Creek Trail is another option for hikers. The trail starts across the highway from Durango Mountain Resort, winds through the aspen forest alongside Purgatory Creek and quickly drops to Purgatory Flats, an open grassy valley one mile below the highway.
For a multiday endeavor, the Colorado Trail and Chicago Basin provide good opportunities.
The Colorado Trail was completed in 1987 and traverses more than 500 miles from Durango to Denver. The Durango trailhead is at the Junction Creek Campground. The wildflowers begin at the creek within the first few miles and are prevalent throughout a day hike, showing up en masse on the Indian Trail Ridge.
A map of the La Plata Mountains will provide multiple options for hiking the Colorado Trail.
Chicago Basin is another destination that provides a deeper look into some of Colorado’s most remote terrain.
There are several different ways to access the basin – including starting at the Vallecito Creek, Purgatory Flats and Lemon Reservoir or by a train ride to Needleton. Any route chosen offers an endless landscape of jagged peaks, deep valleys, lakes, rivers, alpine meadows and blossoming wildflowers.
A “Flowers to Lake” brochure is a guide to wildflower locations in the area and is available at the Durango Area Tourism Office.
tferraro@durangoherald.com
