Spectacular vistas include dwarf alpine flowers and majestic mountain conifers
Mesa Verde Country is home to over 2,000 species of plants that range from dwarf alpine flowers, to fields of mountain sunflowers, to carpets of high desert peas. Majestic Colorado Blue Spruce (the state tree of Colorado and Utah) and Englemann Spruce cloak mountain sides, and massive Cottonwoods provide shady retreats in the low canyons.
The best wildflower viewing times depend on seasonal rains and temperatures but on average one can find abundant flowers in the 5,000 to 7,000 foot elevation of Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (and similar areas of the Four Corners) from early April to the end of June; in the 7,000 to 8,300 foot elevations of Mesa Verde National Park from mid-May to the end of July; in the 8,000 to 11,500 foot elevations of the mountains of the Four Corners area from June through September; and in the 11,500 foot and higher alpine areas from mid-June to early September.
Driving the San Juan Skyway and through Mesa Verde, Canyonlands, and Arches National Parks will give you a glimpse of the stunning variety of flowers and trees of the area, but getting out for a hike will amaze you.
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To learn about many of the individual plants of Mesa Verde Country and to learn about plant guide books, when and where to look for flowers, and where to find free trips to see wildflowers, visit the Southwest Colorado Wildflowers web site.
