Join us, July 10-19, 2026!
The Wildflower Capitol of Colorado
Our Mission To advocate for the preservation and appreciation of wildflowers.
The Wildflower Festival began in 1986 through the efforts of a few insightful Crested Butte locals who envisioned a wildflower celebration in one of the most picturesque valleys in Colorado. The Festival has grown into a summer-long season with over 150 events offered by over 40 instructors, tour guides, and volunteers.
Driven by Passion
Meet the people who make it happen
Our small but dedicated team works year-round to make this Festival a platform for connection to nature, to community, and to one another. Whether you join a guided hike, take a photography class, or simply wander the meadows, we hope you leave with a greater sense of wonder and stewardship for the wildflowers that make Crested Butte so special.
Meet Our Team
Staff
Emmalee Walker
Emmalee has lived in Crested Butte since the spring of 2020. She has explored much of the trail system in …
Mazzy Hatch
Born in Springdale, Arkansas, Mazzy has always had a passion for the outdoors and sustainability. She fell in love with …
Caroline Kish
Caroline has been exploring and enjoying the trails and wildflowers in Colorado all her life. Whether it’s hiking, biking, or …
Dr. David Kish
After many years as a Festival participant, Member, Hike Assistant, CBWF Photography Contest winner, and workshop leader, David Kish is …
Olivia Murphy-Welconish
Born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, Olivia has always been one for the outdoors and soaking in the abundant natural …
Board of Directors
Lynn Cudlip
Always about the plants, her friends say she always has her nose in the dirt. Lynn Cudlip, wetland scientist, started …
Kristi Bezler
Kristi Bezler has lived in Crested Butte since 2017 and fell in love with the community in 2010. She and …
Leanne Benton
Leanne is a recently retired National Park Service ranger, with a career in educating the public on the wonders of …
Peggy Langewisch
Peggy has been visiting since the early 90’s and living full-time in the Gunnison valley since 2000. She began her …
Ken Collins
Ken lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and is a retired librarian who has always been interested in gardening and …
Nieset LeFevre
Born in Gunnison and raised in Crested Butte, Nieset is a sixth generation Coloradan. Nieset graduated in May of 2023 …
Dr. Luke Tembrock
Luke Tembrock was born in Delta, Colorado and grew up along the North Fork of the Gunnison where he first …
Workshop Leaders
Agustina Hein
Agustina is a landscape designer with a passion for native plants and has over ten years experience in the landscape …
Alex Lambro
Born and raised in Colorado, Alex moved to Crested Butte in 1986. Her academic background includes a B. A. in …
Alex Noriega
Alex Noriega is a full-time professional nature photographer and photography educator focused on the American West. After a prior career …
Annie Starr
Annie has been painting for 20 years and has led plein air watercolor tours for the Wildflower festival since 2018. …
billy barr
billy has a BS in Environmental Science from Rutgers. He came to RMBL in 1972 and has worked in the …
Colorado Backcountry
Owned by Ben and Janae Pritchett, Colorado Backcountry offers custom guided biking, hiking, and skiing trips. Working as a professional …
David Kish
Our Executive Director, David has been photographing, hiking, and mountain biking in Crested Butte for nearly two decades. His nature …
David Snyder
David Snyder lives in Colorado Springs at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. He is married and has two children. …
Delaney Seaton
Delaney is a Colorado native with a passion for exploring natural habitats around the world. She has a degree in …
Dick Davis
Richard “Dick” Davis is a retired teacher and scientist from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics at the University …
Drew Kelly
Drew Kelly has long been a lover of the outdoors, mostly through the lens of recreation in the mountains—often pursuits …
Elise Kish
Elise has been hiking, mountain biking, and studying the wildflowers in Crested Butte for twenty years, and she is looking …
Eric Phillips
Eric Phillips is a full-time photographer based in Crested Butte since 2016. With a degree in Recreation and Outdoor Education …
Glo Cunningham
Glo Cunningham, the Outreach Director of the Crested Butte Mt. Heritage Museum, has lived in Crested Butte since 1975. She …
Greta Shoonover
Greta has lived in the Colorado Rocky Mountains since 1983. She currently resides in Crested Butte. Greta is an avid …
Jacque Fisher
Jacqueline Fisher, a Colorado native, has always enjoyed learning about the flora and fauna of the Rocky Mountains. In 1982, …
Jacquelyn Fitzgerald
Jacquelyn Fitzgerald is a PhD Candidate in the Plant Biology and Conservation Program at Northwestern University and the Chicago Botanic …
Jeff Delaney
Jeff Delaney is a re-invented geologist and engineer who splits his time between Denver and Crested Butte. His interests include running, cycling, …
Jennifer Ackerfield
Jennifer Ackerfield is the Director of the Charles Maurer Herbarium and Assistant Professor of Botany at Colorado State University. There, …
Jeremy Johndrow
There is no better way to experience the splendor of the Gunnison Valley than from a Jeep or 4×4 vehicle! …
Kaitlyn Seifert
Kaitlyn is a Crested Butte native, a mountain girl at heart, who loves to travel, create community spaces for heart-centered …
Karen Theel
Karen moved to Crested Butte a few years ago from Connecticut. When she retired from a software design career, she …
Ken Collins
Ken lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and is a retired librarian who has always been interested in gardening and …
Krista Hildebrandt
Krista made her way to CO almost 40 years ago and fell in love with all the wild places. She …
Leanne Benton
Leanne is a recently retired National Park Service ranger, with a career in educating the public on the wonders of …
Linsey Bachofer
Linsey is a practicing artist and outdoor enthusiast who is fortunate to call Crested Butte home. Linsey currently works at …
Luke Tembrock
Luke Tembrock was born in Delta, Colorado and grew up along the North Fork of the Gunnison where he first …
Madeline Grossman
Originally from Grand Junction, Colorado, Madeline is a junior at Western Colorado University studying cell and molecular biology. When she …
Maggie Gaddis
Maggie’s passions include native plants, photography, and community science. She originally started volunteering for CoNPS as the Southeast chapter chair …
Mel Harte
Mel (Mary Ellen) Harte Ph.D., a summer biologist at the nearby Rocky Mountain Biological Lab since 1981, provided the photos …
Melinda Laz
Melinda Laz (She/her) is a visual artist, arts educator and arts administrators. She holds a BFA from Washington University in …
Meredith Wallace
Meri Wallace Is a horticulturist specializing in urban horticulture and sustainable landscape design. Based in Crested Butte since 2001, Meri …
Michael Ryno
Michael Ryno Master of Photography Degree – PPA Certified Professional Photographer – PPA Meet the Photographer Michael Ryno is a professional photographer based …
Molly Murfee
Local wildflower guide Molly Murfee has logged hundreds of trail miles over three decades living in Colorado, predominately in Crested …
Morgan Tilton
Adventure Journalist Morgan Tilton covers outdoor narratives specializing in travel, history, human endurance, inclusivity, and industry news. She is a …
Owen Richmond
Owen is an avid hiker and loves to spend time on the trail amongst the wildflowers. Originally from Oregon, he …
Renée Newton
Renée Newton is the Chief Experience Officer at Montanya Rum in Crested Butte, where she leads the tasting room and …
Rick Reavis
Rick’s background is in horticulture, botany and agronomy. He has been exploring and identifying native and introduced plants around the …
Rick Williams
Rick Williams, Ph.D., is an emeritus professor and curator of botany at the Ray J. Davis Herbarium, Idaho Museum of …
Rosemary J. Smith
Education Programs Manager and RMBL PI Rosemary’s hometowns are Pocatello, Idaho, and Gothic, Colorado. She first experienced RMBL in 1983 …
Roxie Lypps
Roxie Lypps has lived in Crested Butte full time since 1976. She has hiked, skied, snowboarded, kayaked, and bicycled here …
Sara Herrera
Sara is a high-spirited Colombian, deeply in love with Crested Butte and yoga. She began her practice in 2013, and …
Sara Simonson
Sara works as a Research Associate at Colorado State University’s Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, and she is a graduate student …
Sarah Marino
Sarah is a full-time nature photographer, photography educator, and writer based in southwestern Colorado. In addition to photographing grand landscapes, …
Sheila McKay
Sheila moved back to Colorado after retiring from Big Tech and is loving every minute of it! Now she has …
Tiffany Holcomb
Tiffany first fell in love with Crested Butte in 2006 during the Wildflower Festival and has been coming back to …
Tom Zeiner
Tom Zeiner is a professional geologist and amateur botanist. An interest in tracking wildflower blooms began in 2002 on Green …
