My family and I are planning a trip to Colorado next year. We are thinking sometime in Apr-May or wait until Sept-Oct. We are leaning toward the spring, but are there wild flowers out in those months? And I am not even sure exactly where we are going to go. I would appreciate some advice from those of you who live there. Thank you in advance.
Posted by Erik Stensland on November 10, 2010 at 12:59 PM
Jeff, in April and May it is the end of winter in the mountains. Wildflowers don't arrive for quite a while. I usually do some traveling outside of Colorado during that period. Given the two dates you are considering I would definitely encourage you to take the later one. The end of September and first week of October are peak autumn color weeks here in the mountains.
Posted by Bret Edge on November 10, 2010 at 1:02 PM
Jeff: If you're looking for mountain wildflowers you'll be disappointed in April/May. Think July for those in most areas. Sept/Oct is a great time as the autumn colors are on display.
Posted by Stan Rose on November 10, 2010 at 1:21 PM
Fall!
Posted by Bill Pelzmann on November 10, 2010 at 1:45 PM
Between those two times for a Colorado visit, the Fall option is a no-brainer.
Can't go wrong with the last week in September.
Posted by Joshua Hardin on November 10, 2010 at 2:18 PM
I also recommend fall. But if you want to see spring flowers there are some in the western canyons (Colorado National Monument, etc.) in late May. As was said above, May is way too early for wildflowers in the mountains though.
Posted by Todd Caudle on November 10, 2010 at 4:47 PM
April and May are really only good for snow sports in the mountains. Things begin to thaw in June. July is even better.
If you had to come in May for some reason, you could find good stuff in the canyon country, Dinosaur National Monument, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Great Sand Dunes. But as everyone else has said, fall is the time if you get to choose.
Posted by John Mumaw on November 10, 2010 at 6:35 PM
Another vote for Sept.-Oct.
April-May are our windiest months, as well.
Posted by Mel Ladewig on November 10, 2010 at 7:23 PM
April-May is too early for flowers on the eastern slopes too. We don't get our last freeze until around May 15th, so there isn't much green in May even at lower altitudes until the end of the month.
Posted by Anne K. Rusk on November 10, 2010 at 8:51 PM
Another vote for the fall. The weather is great and the colors are awesome!
Posted by Bill Brennan on November 11, 2010 at 12:55 PM
Consider Arizona for the Spring and CO for Summer and Fall for wildflowers and fall foliage. However, no matter when you visit CO, the splendor of the Rockies will be there.
Well, it looks like I will be coming in the fall. I didn't want to wait that long to come and enjoy it, but I'm sure it will be worth the wait. Thank you all for your help in making my decision.
Discussion
13 repliesCan't go wrong with the last week in September.
April-May are our windiest months, as well.
Bill Brennan