Although the best time and place to see the most blooms depends year to year (and species to species), generally speaking, mid-July through early August we see a peak bloom! They are EVERYWHERE- alongside the road, in town, on trails, in the alpine… you will not miss them! Our “Follow The Bloom” hikes will take you to where they are best at any given point! Click below for a more detailed prediction per trail.
The 2025 Festival will run July 11th-20th! Registration is now open. Check out our Program Guide for a full list of events!
We offer a host of pre/post Festival events starting in June and going through August. These events will be listed in our Program Guide!
Alternatively, Crested Butte has plenty of incredible hiking opportunities that you do not need to register through the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival to do. HERE is our self-guided hike guide with a helpful map alongside instructions to find several of the most popular hikes around town. For detailed information about the hikes in the area, check out Travel Crested Butte’s Hiking Guide HERE!
Please note: rain is typical in Crested Butte during the summer months and will not prevent events from going out. Weather delays may be considered in the event of extreme weather but are not guaranteed. Please prepare accordingly.
Registration for our Wildflower Festival Members will open March 31, 2025 – before registration opens to the general public. As we get closer to early registration, all Members will receive special instructions via email on how to access their early registration. Learn more about Memberships and the staggered registration process HERE.
Registration opens to the public in April 14, 2025. All event registration happens via our website. Events are filled on a first come, first served basis.
Sign up for our newsletter for all of the most current information!
The 2025 Program Guide will be HERE on our website on February 14, 2025.
In an effort to be more environmentally sustainable, we are no longer printing and mailing copies of the Program Guide. The version on our website is downloadable and easy to print, so you can print your own copy if you would like.
Members will receive an email with special instructions at 10am MTN on the day their Membership level’s registration wave opens.
Membership with the Wildflower Festival at any level will allow for the Membership holder and their participants to register early for events, so long as the Member and the participants are both attending the same events. If you have others in your party that would like to attend events separately than the Member, they can wait until general registration opens to register for those events or they can purchase a Membership for themselves and secure their spots early.
The Crested Butte Wildflower Festival offers many Membership options, starting at just $25. You can learn more about our Membership benefits and become a Member by clicking HERE. As a Member, you will get a jump on the general public for event registration!
Columbine level Members and above can pick up their free 2025 poster at the Festival by checking in with a staff member! Members unable to do so will have theirs shipped to their address on file after the Festival.
To cancel an event, please email info@cbwildflower.com
Before making your final decision about cancelling your event make sure you are up to date with what our Cancellations, Transfers, and Refunds Policy is. Click HERE to learn more information.
Yes, and you’ll need to contact us at info@cbwildflower.com or 970-349-2571 to do it. Here’s our policy:
If it is within 7 days of an event, you may not change events.
As availability allows and if it is 7 days or more before the start of an event, you may change events:
- If the event being transferred TO is equal/lower in cost than the event being transferred
FROM, the balance may be used as a credit for other events. - If the event being transferred TO costs more than the event being transferred FROM, a balance will be due on the difference.
After our deadline, a $15 fee will be applied per person transferring per event. Click HERE to read more.
All of our events have the option for a waitlist. If an event is full, the option to sign up for the waitlist appears. As spots in the full event open up, all folks on the waiting list, regardless of when they got on the list, will receive an email notifying the first come first served availability. At that point, those still interested in the event can sign up (as availability allows). You will not be charged for the event until you secure a spot.
There is a 5% registration fee added to all events purchased. Merchandise orders have a 3% transaction fee added.
Great question! The funds generated from the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival are reinvested directly back into the community and the festival itself. Here’s a breakdown of where your support goes:
Festival Operations – A large portion funding cover the costs of organizing and running the festival itself, including instructor fees, trail permits, insurance, supplies, staff, and safety measures to ensure a high-quality experience for all.
Community Outreach Events – We’re proud to host a variety of free or low-cost community events throughout the year, such as educational workshops, guided nature walks, and youth programs that promote environmental awareness and appreciation for the wildflowers and natural beauty of the Gunnison Valley.
Sponsorships – Your support also allows us to provide sponsorships for like-minded local organizations. We partner with the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association to sponsor trail construction on National Trails Day, the Chamber of Commerce to sponsor port-a-potties at local trailheads, and the Crested Butte Land Trust to sponsor weed mitigation events.
Conservation and Advocacy – We collaborate with local organizations to support habitat preservation, sustainable tourism, and responsible recreation practices to protect the fragile alpine ecosystems we all love.
So when you attend the Wildflower Festival, you’re not only celebrating the beauty of Crested Butte—you’re helping sustain it for future generations.
At the Wildflower Festival, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere for all attendees and staff. Tipping is never expected.
First and foremost, guests should never feel obligated to provide a tip, as the quality of service is not influenced by gratuities. If you choose to offer a tip, we kindly ask that you do so with respect and discretion. Cash tips can be given directly to Leaders at the end of their services.
As an alternative to tipping, we encourage you to share your appreciation for your Leader by completing the post-event survey or writing a brief testimonial about your experience. Your support helps us celebrate the dedicated Leaders who make the Wildflower Festival a truly unforgettable experience.
Unless the event description specifically states that transportation is provided, you’ll meet at your class location (specified on your registration confirmation email) and your leader will split the class into 2-4 carpools. You may be asked to drive and take other guests in your vehicle, and you will follow the leader to your event. If you do not have a vehicle, you will be able to ride with someone else.
We do offer the Garden Tours/Historic Garden Tours that can be accessed from the 4-Way Stop in town, so no transportation would be needed for those if your transportation options are limited.
Yes! Crested Butte and the Gunnison Valley have fantastic and FREE public transportation available. Our Headquarters is located just a block-and-a-half east of the 4-Way Stop in Crested Butte. For transportation around Mt. CB, the town of CB, CB South, and to/from Gunnison, click here.
If you are participating in outdoor events, bring rain gear, warm layers, hat, gloves, hiking shoes/boots (broken-in please!), insect repellent, sunscreen, snacks, and water. If your event extends over the lunch or dinner hour, bring a snack/sack meal. Your hike description may also suggest bringing river-crossing shoes or sandals, and hiking poles.
Supplies for art classes are provided, but you may want to bring a portable camp chair for field events.
If your event requires any specialty equipment (i.e. photo classes), it will be listed in your event description.
Crested Butte has plenty of incredible hiking opportunities that you do not need to register through the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival to do. HERE is our self-guided hike guide with a helpful map alongside instructions to find several of the most popular hikes around town. For detailed information about the hikes in the area, check out Travel Crested Butte’s Hiking Guide HERE!
Generally, if an event is suitable for children under the age of 16 it is specified in the event description on the Program Guide. Because our events are outdoors, at least a few hours long, and focus on wildflower identification, young children can easily become bored and often lack the stamina required to complete the hike. However, there are a couple of events that might work for younger children – Tour of Crested Butte Gardens and Wildflower ID Walk both are easier to peel off from the group if needed. For hikes we recommend Woods Walk (it is shady and has tree forts) and Brush Creek (very flowery and easy to walk but can be hot and sunny as it sits on a southern slope).
If you have any questions or wish to inquire about making an exception, please call our office at (970) 349-2571.
Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate dogs at Festival events. Crested Butte is a very dog-friendly town, and you may walk your dog on any of the trails here on your own – but please! Pick up after your four-legged friend and respect leash laws.
Trained service animals (seeing eye dogs, etc.) are allowed. Please notify us via email (info@cbwildflower.com) or phone (970.349.2571) that you will have this accommodation upon registration so that we can communicate with our event leaders ahead of time to work out additional clearance as needed. Emotional support animals are not allowed. For questions or requests for special accommodations, please contact us via email (info@cbwildflower.com) or phone (970.349.2571).
The meeting location for your classes will appear on your registration confirmation (sent to you via email after you register). Most events will meet at the Historic Train Depot – 716 Elk Avenue. This is our Festival Headquarters!
You can find us on GoogleMaps HERE!
For any classes that start before or after our operating hours, please consult your registration confirmation for your class’ meeting location. Sometimes, this will be off-site, and we will provide a physical address. Please be at your class meeting location 15 minutes before your class starts.
Please be at your meeting location 15 minutes before your program starts. This gives you time to check-in and your leader time to make sure everyone in the group is well prepared. If you arrive late (even 15 minutes), we cannot guarantee you will be able to meet up with your group. Due to the nature of the Festival, we are unable to transfer you to another hike or issue a refund if you are late. Keep it simple, arrive early!
Most events take place at an altitude of 9,000-11,500 ft above sea level. Some people may experience being light-headed and/or a feeling of “being out of breath” when they first arrive in Crested Butte. This is common and there are a few things you can do to help yourself feel better faster:
- Plan on arriving in Crested Butte at least 24 hrs prior to your first outing to allow for acclimatization. DRINK LOTS OF WATER! And avoid alcohol and caffeine for the first day or two you are here.
- Acli-mate Mountain Sports Drink is a supplement that was developed by Roanne Rouse, a naturopathic doctor in Gunnison. It contains a blend of vitamins and minerals designed to help support healthy adrenal function, optimal hydration, energy production and red blood cell integrity, all pathways that promote well-being and performance at elevation. You’ll want to start using Acli-mate about three weeks prior to coming to Crested Butte.
- Oxygen Concentrators are available for rent by the night and weekly by Alpine Oxygen.
- Learn more about Altitude Sickness here.
There is! Crested Butte received the honorable designation, “Wildflower Capital of Colorado,” from the State legislature in 1990, and our mission is to help folks enjoy, learn about, and preserve our beautiful wildflowers. Please help us protect this amazing gift.
- Please don’t pick, cut, or walk on wildflowers or other plants! And if you see someone doing this, please give them a friendly reminder not to, and ask them to pass it along to others.
- Please stay on the trail. If another trail user needs to pass you, please gently step off the trail and wait for them to pass. Please don’t create multiple, parallel trails.
- If a trail is wet, snowy, or muddy, please do your best to keep to the main trail. This will prevent the creation of parallel trails.
All Festival participants are expected to display responsible outdoor etiquette. Failure to adhere to these expectations may result in dismissal – without a refund – from any remaining classes for which one is already registered.
Since our events are first come first serve and are open online for registration, the likelihood of an event having more than one, if any, open spots closer to the Festival is slim. You are welcome to drop by the Depot or call us (970) 349-2571 to see if there is availability, though we cannot guarantee there will be open spots for drop-in visitors.
You are always welcome to explore on your own, however. HERE is a link to our self-guided hike brochure and some helpful wildflower ID pamphlets!
This is a strenuous 11-mile hike at altitude. You need to have an excellent level of cardiovascular fitness and be acclimatized to the altitude (9,000-11,500 ft) to enjoy and complete this hike. You will be required to submit a Medical Consent Form for this hike. This form will be sent to you via email approximately 2 weeks prior to your hike.
This is a very subjective area, but in general:
Beginner: One who has very little understanding of the workings of their camera. They have not done much more “point and shoot” photography. Enjoys taking snapshots but wants to learn more about composition, lighting, and the capabilities of their camera to enhance their images.
Intermediate: One who has basic understanding of their camera. They have read their manual or other photography-related information and can use more than one lens. They know basics such as aperture, shutter speed, composition and how to use some of the manual settings on their camera. They are looking to expand their knowledge by going deeper into the capabilities of their camera as well as learning art of photography.
Advanced: One who has a great understanding of their camera and the art of photography. They have multiple lenses and can use the manual settings on their camera with ease. They understand lighting, flash-photography, different compositions, depth, backgrounds, movement, contrast, framing etc. They are looking to be guided to the scenic areas at optimal times for the best shots. They are open to additional photographic tips and enjoy talking “shop” with their instructors.
Jeep tours are back! We have partnered with JJ’s Jeeps for the adventurous wildflower enthusiasts! JJ’s Jeeps will take you off the beaten path to incredible places many will never see. Escape the crowds and experience the stunning beauty of Crested Buttes’ world-famous wildflowers from the comfort and safety of a legendary jeep! Enjoy the sun on your face and jaw dropping vistas of the Elk Mountains from all directions in their custom open top (weather permitting) Jeep wranglers. Local guides Scott and Jeremy will not only teach you about the wildflowers, but they are knowledgeable in the local history, wildlife, and geology as well!
Check out our Program Guide for details.
Thank you for your interest! If you would like to be involved in one of our upcoming Festivals, simply send us an email and introduce yourself! Generally speaking, we work on solidifying our leaders around November for the upcoming Festival. We start our search for summer staff leading up to May and take Volunteers as late as during the Festival! Let’s connect! info@cbwildflower.com
*The Festival does not have music performances or food vendors. We have not partnered with vendors/ consignment sellers for our Blossom Boutique since 2019.*
Did you know? Elevation Hotel & Spa in Mt. Crested Butte is a CBWF partner! That means they offer special lodging discounts for CBWF participants for room reservations during the Festival. Click HERE for 2025 discount info!
Currently, Crested Butte and the Gunnison Valley do not have any restrictions in place for COVID-19 protocol. If this changes, we will communicate updates via our website, social media, and newsletter.
The Crested Butte Wildflower Festival operates in the Gunnison National Forest under a special use permit and is an equal opportunity service provider.