Pink wildflower at Clear Lake in San Juan County, Colorado. I can't find this one in my wildflower book. Do you know what it is? You can tell me via the comment form below.
This morning I took San Juan, Colorado, County Road 12 up to Clear Lake. The GPS track and pictures are found by going to this post. I’d concentrated so much on the road that I didn’t see the wildflowers at first, but after the first caught my eye, it was as though they all lined up to be next. Unfortunately, not all my pictures came out, so you’re getting just a sample of what’s up there. Here they are:
White and pink wildflower, which I'm told is an American Bistort with rather more pink than usual. It's somewhat over an inch tall and has rich detail.
Orange sneezeweed at Clear Lake. These were everywhere.
These purple flowers with the distinctive yellow center are undoubtedly fleabane, though they don't quite match anything in the wildflower book.
Beautiful Larkspur at Clear Lake. These distinctive flowers look like miniature trumpets.
I was surprised to find these beautiful Columbines so late in the season. These are excellent examples and were found near Point B on the GPS map for the Clear Lake trip.
Alpine Yarrow, a very common Colorado flower, found near Clear Lake
Red berries found down the road a bit from Clear Lake, quite spectacular
What? A dandelion flower in late August? What gives? I think the flower figures it's still springtime. In fact, at this altitude, nearly 12,000 feet above sea level, it's never truly summer.
And if I were to add one more thing, it would be the amazingly-still-green tundra. I’ve never seen it so green this late in the year! All the plants up here seem to think it’s still springtime.