Summer's short at 12,000 feet

We visited Rocky Mountain National Park in late August last year. We hadn’t planned on making a return trip so soon, but were back early this July. The Alpine Visitors Center is at nearly 12,000 feet. We hiked Ute Trail from there both times with very different seasonal views.

Alpine meadow at Rocky Mountain National Park, dryas octopetala, field of alpine flowers with rocky mountains

White Mountain Avens blooming in July

In early July, the alpine field is filled with blooms.

close up of claytonia megarhiza and trifolium parryi, purple and white alpine flowers

Parry’s Clover and Alpine Springbeauty

The snowpack was light this year, but even so these flowers only began blooming a couple weeks before. It was like a cool spring walk.

two adults holding hands with little girl hiking Ute trail in rocky mountains

Hiking Ute Trail in July, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Every few feet is a new show of flowers.

alpine field of flowers with rocky mountains in background, erigeron speciosus, castillega occidentalis, alpine avens

Western Yellow Paintbrush surrounded by Alpine Avens and the purple Aspen Daisly

But this display will only last a few weeks.

By late August, the vernal colors are replaced with autumnal ones.

feathery seed head of alpine avens surrounded by fern-like leaves of autumn color

Feathery seed heads and fern-like leaves of Alpine Avens

At 12,000 feet, a hike in August can be very different than one in July.

Lone hiker on alpine trail in autumn with storm clouds

Ute Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park, August