Request for Info - Colorado trip in late June

I will be in the Ouray area on June 23 and 24 and then be spending a couple of days working toward I-70 near Frisco and Dillon. Is there any chance of finding wildflowers at that time? Is so, where? I know it is probably too early for Yankee Boy Basin, etc. Do you have any suggestions for landscapes, streams, and waterfalls?

Any info will be appreciated. Thanks.

You're hitting it up a bit early for sub-alpine, a bit late for alpine, in general. There should still be some alpine flowers in bloom as you head over the passes, though they will be fading. The valleys around Vail and Frisco should be good about that time, along with other destinations at medium elevation. Don't know if Cataract Lake is still scenic or if the Pine Beetle's gotten to it, but IIRC it should be good at that time or just a bit before.

That's a good time of the year for Hanging Lake (near Glenwood Springs), right off I-70. Go early to beat the crowds. Piney Lake outside of Vail should be nice at that time too. There's a waterfall off the East Vail exit/frontage road, too (name escaping me now). Probably be just a bit too early for wildflowers on Vail/Shrine Pass, but if you're in the area it'd be worth a stop.

While "working your way toward I-70" I'd suggest a longer, slower, but WAY more scenic route. Ouray, Ridgeway, Owl Creek Pass, Silver Jack Reservoir, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Paonia, McClure Pass, Redstone, Carbondale, then to Glenwood Springs. Take a couple days if you can. There are lots and lots of places to shoot along the way. Just Google any of them. HTH.

I'm on board with Scott on the suggested route. There's alot of good scenery on that route. In particular, the town of Marble is worth a visit. Another option is from Gunnison or Crested Butte to come over Cottonwood Pass into Buena Vista. Its a dirt road on the west, paved on the east, but passable to cars and very mild. Then from Buena Vista you can head north on 24 to join I-70 with several options. One thing to note about your dates in Buena Vista. That is peak for the rafting season and the hotels and campgrounds fill up, especially on the weekends, so make a reservation early.

I will say that I've seen quite a few flowers in the Collegiate Peaks at treeline around the end of June to the 4th of July, but they aren't like the big alpine fields you see in the San Juans. Those big wildflower fields (Ice Lake, American Basin, Yankee Boy) come into bloom about a month later than your visit.

Mel-

Also, there are some guidebooks on Colorado Wildflowers by Irwin. While they are not the mst organized books I've ever owned, they do have reasonably good information. There are three volumes and they give good dates on when the flowers will be blooming and what types you might expect to see. You'll probably be interested in the San Juan and High Country volumes.

While the Shrine Ridge won't be in good form yet, some places along the Shrine Pass road leading down into Minturn might be good.

And Mel's right on the other; I usually drive Independence Pass on Independence Day, and there are good flowers in the area by then, and also at Maroon Bells. I didn't mention it because you're perhaps a week early, but there should be *something* already blooming.

Thanks very much for all your good suggestions. I am going to be in Utah (Arches, Capitol Reef, Bryce, and Zion from June 14th to the 21st, so I am going to start a thread for suggestions about those locales and Monument Valley.

Thanks again.

Thanks very much for all your good suggestions. I am going to be in Utah (Arches, Capitol Reef, Bryce, and Zion from June 14th to the 21st, so I am going to start a thread for suggestions about those locales and Monument Valley.

Thanks again.

You should definitely check the Hot Spot articles and search some of the previous threads here on each of your Utah destinations. They may answer some questions for you.

Thanks, Les. I checked out the hotspots link and found some good info. I will also search thread topics as much as time allows. We are leaving the 12th from West Virginia. It's my first trip west since I became interested in photography. I'm used to lush green hills, so I'm really looking forward to the contrast in Southern Utah and Arizona along with everything else. My website is at www.vanslider.com. It's not too extensive, but I'm working on it as time allows. Thanks for your kind assistance.