Just noticed that the CB wildflower festival is this week (July 7-13). I was planning to head up there in a couple of weeks...would the 25th be too late?
CB runs their festival during this week (thereabouts) each year, as it's historically when the lower elevation flowers, like those around Gothic and such, are looking good. They have to plan far enough in advance that they can't make accommodations if the season runs late, as it appears to be doing this year due to the incredible, lingering snowpack from last winter.. You should find plenty of flowers around the 25th.
I was in CB this weekend and the wildflowers are definitely behind (per the suggestions above). The lupine in town and south of town are pretty good, but there is nothing up high. The best flowers were actually in the area of Jack's Cabin Cutoff. The 25th should be better given the late start to the season this year.
The 25th won't be too late - it might still be a little too early! Last weekend, the only thing blooming was down in the lower elevations around town, up brush creek road, and cement creek. Walrod Gulch cutoff was spectacular - whole mountainside carpeted in Mules Ears, Lupine, Scarlet trumpets, etc. Lower Loop on the west side of town had an indredable display of Columbine in the Aspens.
Green Lake, above Lake Irwin was still froze over and covered with dirt (nasty!). Nothing around lake Irwin, or up on Scarps Ridge. A few flowers around the west side of Kebler, but nothing like they usually are, and you kind of have to hunt for them! There were a few flowers around Snodgrass, not much up Gothic Road. The typically prime areas off of Schofield Pass at higher elevations are still snowed in. Schofield Pass is closed due to snow before Emerald lake, and more snow on the north side of the pass. I'm guessing the flowers in that area won't be showing up till sometime in the first part of August? The water levels are starting to come down, but still high enough that making the creek crossings up Rustlers Gulch and that area are very difficult. The road to Paradise Divide is also still snowed in. But a lot can change in 10 days, so maybe?!
Also heard American Basin by Lake City still had snow, so the flowers there will be really late this year also.
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Green Lake, above Lake Irwin was still froze over and covered with dirt (nasty!). Nothing around lake Irwin, or up on Scarps Ridge. A few flowers around the west side of Kebler, but nothing like they usually are, and you kind of have to hunt for them! There were a few flowers around Snodgrass, not much up Gothic Road. The typically prime areas off of Schofield Pass at higher elevations are still snowed in. Schofield Pass is closed due to snow before Emerald lake, and more snow on the north side of the pass. I'm guessing the flowers in that area won't be showing up till sometime in the first part of August? The water levels are starting to come down, but still high enough that making the creek crossings up Rustlers Gulch and that area are very difficult. The road to Paradise Divide is also still snowed in. But a lot can change in 10 days, so maybe?!
Also heard American Basin by Lake City still had snow, so the flowers there will be really late this year also.