Traveling To All The Flower Meccas In The World

Planning a trip around flowers is exactly what I plan to do for every vacation. I want to experience all of the wildflower meccas around the world because after visiting the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival I am addicted to the wild and untamed nature of colorful native blooms.

This was my first time visiting this hidden Colorado town. It is quite a journey to get to Crested Butte, a four and a half-hour drive away from Denver. but it is one of the most scenic drives through the most beautiful mountain scenery that Colorado has to offer. It had been a while since I have dared to adventure on a long road trip but the long drives are always worth the trip.

Especially when you have the perfect car for mountain terrain you better be using it every chance you get. Owning a Crosstrek for commutes or drives around the neighborhood is not what that car is built for. The Crosstrek gives me the mindset that I can adventure anywhere my heart desires. That feeling of endless possibilities has me ready to go to my next adventure.

The Crested Butte Wildflower Festival

I have been planning this trip since I stumbled across photos of the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival on Instagram last summer. I knew this place was something special. And I knew it was a place that I would fall in love with at first sight. But I had no idea how incredibly breathtaking this place was in every way until I got here.

There is not one complaint I have about this beautiful town, it is unlike any other place on Earth. The center of town is surrounded by gargantuan mountain peaks. When I looked at the mountains I didn’t feel like I was in Colorado anymore, it felt more like Switzerland. The scenery was so vast and so preserved in a way that made this mountain town feel more European compared to any other Colorado mountain town.

The Mountain Town for Colorado Natives

The place is touristy but not overrun like Breckenridge or Aspen. It felt quiet here. There was a little bit of development happening, it seems nowhere in Colorado is safe from that. But the town was still holding on to its charm with lots of historic buildings that were surrounded by open spaces for cattle to roam.

We caught wind that Vail had just acquired substantial holdings in the town. The locals were concerned about the changes that may happen to this beautifully untouched haven. They don’t want to see the big business move into their town and I am in full agreement with them. Moving a Louis Vuitton store, a Safeway or a Starbucks would completely ruin the charm and history that has been preserved in Crested Butte for hundreds of years. I hope that nothing changes and that the tourist continues to support the locally owned businesses in this genuine Colorado community.

Summer Is My Favorite Time To Plan A Mountain Getaway

Crested Butte is the destination for all of the best Colorado outdoor activities. Most come here to enjoy the winters and the slopes but have no idea what they are missing in the summertime. Whether you travel by bike or on foot, there are endless trails to explore. There were even a few trails we explored with only a couple of other people there, on a Saturday. It felt like how Colorado used to be before millions have relocated here for the marijuana. There were actually peaceful moments among the trees and the flowers. I had missed being able to escape from the maddening crowds and wished I could have stayed in this happy place forever.

The Crested Butte Wildflower Festival is hosted every year in July. It is an exciting event that goes on for two weeks with many workshops hosted by expert artists, writers, chefs, scientists, holistic doctors, geologists, and other Crested Butte locals. There are many classes and hikes to participate in during this event with a little something to peak everyone interest. There is so much to learn about and so much to see in the summertime in Crested Butte.

Emerald Lake

The native blooms start to pop up, dusting mountainsides and valleys with an array of colors. I had to check out a spot that has been on my bucket list for years. I have seen the surreal beauty of Emerald Lake only in pictures, and to see it in person was one magical experience. It is a great thing to cross things off your bucket list but it is even better when the place is better than you could ever imagine. The pictures never do it justice. The lake was surrounded by a field of wildflowers coloring the landscape in a rainbow of colors. It was the best spot to witness several different kinds of these wild beauties. A must-see if you are planning a trip to Crested Butte this time of year.

Knowing Your Wildflowers of Colorado 

I wanted to fill my little basket with these beauties to take them home with me. I hope to learn more about the medicinal purposes of native Colorado plants and to one day forage the plants to use for home remedies. It is important to know more about the plants that grow wildly because that is humanity’s original source of food. Who knows how many wild plants we can eat that are right under our feet. It would be interesting to learn this ancient knowledge that has been lost.