Go high to see low-growing tundra flowers in the wild
Fragile flowers only inches high form colorful mats and cushions of bloom from late June through early August on the tundra, an ecosystem that starts where the trees stop at about 11,500 feet. This column is a roundup of trails that let you skip the upward climb through the spruce/fir forest. Most of these trails are openended, allowing for either long hikes or short strolls where you have time to watch a Parnassian butterfly pollinate an “oldman-of-the-mountains” sunflower or to watch a marmot or a pika harvest a rosy paintbrush or to watch a white-tailed ptarmigan family snow bathing on the ridge top.
Mount Evans. The highest paved road in North America goes almost to the summit of 14,265-foot Mount Evans, soon to be renamed Mount Blue Sky. Crowds of hikers take the short path to the summit; only a few stroll along the quarter-mile Alpine Garden Loop starting at the Upper Goliath Trailhead. This is one of the few places we’ve seen the rare magenta wallflower. There’s a small parking area a short distance up from the Dos Chappel Nature Center where the M. Walter Pesman Trail begins. The Pesman Trail climbs through an ancient bristlecone pine forest to intersect the Alpine Garden Loop. Another flowerrich trail begins farther up the road at Summit Lake where bighorn sheep or mountain goats often graze. To visit Mount Evans, you must pay a $15 fee and make a reservation at Recreation.gov.
Directions: From Idaho Springs take Exit 240 off Interstate 70 and follow Colo. 103 for 13 miles. Just past Echo Lake turn right onto Colo. 5 that deadends at the summit parking lot.
Guanella Pass. Guanella Pass — at 11,670 feet — is slightly above treeline. A trail from the lower parking lot climbs to 14,065foot Mount Bierstadt, and an easier trail goes south to Mount Rosalie. From the upper parking lot, the Valley Overlook Trail climbs a short distance to a knob with superlative views. Our favorite trail goes to Square Top Lakes. Starting on the Valley Overlook Trail, it veers to the right, drops to a wetland where marsh marigolds bloom, and then climbs through fields of paintbrush to the lakes. If you’re feeling really energetic, you can continue on to Square Top Mountain, but that is very strenuous.
Directions: From Georgetown, take County Road 381 for about 11 miles to the pass. Depending on traffic, it’s less than 2 hours from Boulder.
Rollins Pass. At the top of this 11,676-foot pass several trails go through gardens of alpine flowers. To the north, the Continental Divide Trail goes to Devils Thumb Pass and beyond. To the south, the same trail leads to James Peak, staying above treeline for many miles. Another trail drops to King Lake and then to the Hessie townsite. You can also walk along the grade for the old Moffat railroad and explore the ruins of Corona, the highest railroad station in the world at the time. Moss campions and forget-me-nots now flourish in the foundations of the old hotel and other buildings. If you look carefully, you can find still older ruins of Indian game drive walls and blinds along the route to James Peak.
Directions: About 1.5 miles beyond the Winter Park Ski Area turn right onto Forest Service Road 149 and jolt your way up to the summit. We recommend a four-wheel drive and high clearance vehicle. From the east side you can drive up Forest Service Road 117 (even rougher than the west side) to the Needles Eye Tunnel and then hike up the railroad grade to the summit.
Trailridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park traverses many miles of flowerful tundra. Please avoid off-trail tromping as it takes many years for the tundra to recover. Forest Canyon Overlook Trail (only 0.3 mile out and back) goes to an overlook where you can see down into Forest Canyon and across to Longs Peak and Keyboard of the Winds. Tundra Communities Trail (1.1 miles out and back) goes to the Toll Memorial and includes interpretive signs plus a spur trail leading to the Mushroom Rocks. Ute Trail to Timberline Pass follows a route used by indigenous people. Although the entire trail goes for five miles down to the Beaver Meadows, we hike just the first two miles that stay above treeline along Tombstone Ridge to Timberline Pass. Ute Trail to Forest Canyon Pass (another section of the same trail) leaves from the Alpine Visitor Center and drops 2.3 miles through fellfield communities and meadows to a series of lush tarns where we have found the somewhat rare snowlover.
You can also continue another 2.2 miles downhill through forested areas to Milner Pass.
To visit Rocky Mountain National Park, you need a park pass and to sign up online in advance for a timed entry permit at Recreation.gov.