Where to Catch the Best Blooms in Snowmass

Snowmass in Superbloom!

If you’re visiting Snowmass this summer, you won’t want to miss out on the diversity of wildflowers blooming on the trails. Especially in early to mid-July, the wildflowers are exploding! Check out our list of local favorite spots to see the floral rainbow, whether you’re hiking, biking, running, or catching the view from the gondola.

#1: Ditch Trail

Best for: Leisurely walks, trail running

Total distance: 1.62 miles

This wide, mostly flat out-and-back trail runs along the edge of Snowmass Ski Area and offers expansive views of Mt. Daly and the surrounding peaks. As you pass under the Campground Chairlift, look for mountain lupine, blue columbine, Richardson’s geranium, cow parsnip, and Western yarrow growing trailside. It’s a great option for an easy morning walk or a trail run with minimal vertical gain. You can enjoy broad vistas of Snowmass Creek and Mt. Daly, as well as plentiful wildflowers blooming at your feet.

Jeremy Swanson photo.

#2: Government Trail & Tom Blake Loop

Best for: Mountain biking, shaded hikes, wildflower photography                                                                                            

Total distance: 9.37 miles

There are few things more breathtaking than the understory of an Aspen grove in early summer. Tom Blake is a summer classic: it winds through aspens and into mixed spruce-fir forests, with an incredible diversity of wildflowers and other flora growing all over the trail. Whether you’re biking or hiking the trail, you can expect to find monkshood, dandelion, Canada violet, and narrowleaf and scarlet paintbrush, among many more flowers!

Tamara Susa photo.

#3: Vista Trail & Elk Camp Gondola

Best for: Scenic gondola rides, hiking, family adventures

Total distance: 2.13 miles, if hiking

If getting the bird’s eye view is more your speed, consider taking the Elk Camp Gondola from Base Village to Elk Camp. As you make your way up the mountain on the gondola, take in the lush meadows below with their pops of yellow, purple, red, pink, yellow, and white. You can also walk up Vista Trail for a closer look and reward yourself with a delicious meal or beverage at Elk Camp restaurant at the top.

*Note: you can download on the Elk Camp Gondola for free!

Sam Ferguson photo.

#4: Nature Trail

Best for: Mostly shaded stroll, families with kids, minimal incline

Total distance: 0.85 miles

This short hike starts at the end of Lot 7 (the numbered parking lots) near the Snowmass Mall. You can spot American vetch, wild Lily-of-the-valley, Western yarrow, and mountain bluebells. There is also a beaver pond along the trail worth noticing! While the trail still has a gentle incline, it is great for staying mostly shaded from the strong Colorado sun, and is a shorter option that still has lots of beauty to offer. If you want to learn more about the local flora and fauna, take a free, guided hike along the trail with an ACES Naturalist guide! These hikes are offered daily, leaving from the info cart on the Snowmass Mall (outside of Gorsuch Café) at 10am. ACES also offers a guided hike along the Discovery Trail.

Tamara Susa photo.

#5: Government Trail

Best for: Long hikes, trail running, advanced mountain biking

Total distance: 6.81 miles

A local favorite, Government Trail is full of both lush meadows and thick forested areas. In July, you’ll encounter patches of showy goldeneye, cow parsnip, and mountain lupine. It’s a go-to for trail runners and mountain bikers looking to get a great workout in while quite literally stopping to smell the (wild) roses, if desired! On this trail, you can also find subalpine larkspur, California corn lily, coneflowers, and more.

Tamara Susa photo.