Lupine around Crested Butte

Lupinus argenteus

Lupine usually blooms from late May to early September around Crested Butte, with the best color from late June into mid-July.

late May – early September Best: late June into mid-July In bloom now

The bloom is underway and past its best weeks — still worth it, but don't wait long. Reports so far are right on schedule.

Based on reports from iNaturalist naturalists. 134 flowering reports from Colorado shape this curve. The shaded band marks the best weeks; the dashed line is this week.

Where to see them

Crested Butte calls itself the wildflower capital of Colorado and July backs it up — lupine hip-deep along the gulch roads, with paintbrush and mule's ears mixed in.

Gunnison National Forest (Washington Gulch Road)
Brush Creek Road (public road)
Snodgrass Mountain trail

Worth planning around: Crested Butte Wildflower Festival, mid-July.

We name public reserves, parks, and roads only — never exact pins, never private land.

Updated August 14, 2026. Bloom timing varies with the year's weather — the curve shows the usual rhythm, and in-season updates sharpen it.