Trip Overview

Our journey begins in Denver with an early start. We will meet at a convenient location, load up the vehicle with our cameras and bags, and turn our wheels westward. We will drive through the foothills and Front Range and climb our way to the huge, high expanse of South Park, before dropping down into the Arkansas River Valley and our first stop, the mountain town of Salida. It’s about a 3-hour drive, but we will make several stops along the way to enjoy the views, have a picnic lunch, stroll through aspen forests, and check out the views of the 14,000-foot peaks we will encounter along the way.

Upon arrival in Salida, we’ll take a couple of hours to relax before venturing out for our first sunset shoot, photographing the high desert environment with the towering peaks of the Sawatch Range in the background.

We have all of the second day to photograph in the Arkansas Valley. Though our destinations will depend on local conditions and weather, we will likely head up Cottonwood Pass, where we can hike out the Continental Divide Trail and into a high alpine basin that is typically loaded with blooming Columbine, paintbrush, Arnica, and other species. Another sunset shoot that evening, and off to bed to rest up for an early departure the following morning.

The next day, we will head further west, climbing up and over Monarch Pass and the continental divide before dropping down toward the city of Gunnison. There we will turn north for the short drive to Crested Butte. Crested Butte is a justifiably popular destination for wildflowers. Truly, there are few places like it. Huge alpine meadows filled with color run straight up to dramatic peaks. Tiny alpine lakes, and tumbling mountain streams fill out the scene.

We have a full day in the Crested Butte area and we will spend it outdoors with our cameras and hiking boots. Many trails venture off into the mountains and through the wildflower meadows. We will spend the bulk of our time near the tiny, near-ghost town of Gothic, where the flowers are often at their best. And the sunset opportunities in this area, are truly spectacular.

On our final day, we will bid farewell to Crested Butte, and retrace our steps back over Monarch Pass to the Arkansas Valley. There we will diverge course to follow the Arkansas River as it cuts through the Front Range. We will make a stop at the Royal Gorge near Canon City, before leaving the mountains just outside of Colorado Springs. We’ll follow back roads north toward Denver arriving there in the late afternoon.