Day Hiking Trails: Video of Capitol Reef N.P. wildflowers

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Video of Capitol Reef N.P. wildflowers

Nearly 900 plant species thrive at Capitol Reef National Park.

Hear the word “desert,” and you probably don’t think of wildflowers. But some desert locations – such as Capitol Reef National Park in Utah – offer a diverse array of wildflowers and other plant life.

In fact, 887 plant species have been identified in Capitol Reef. More than 40 of them are rare and endemic. This incredible diversity occurs because of the 7000 feet range in elevation, resulting in a number of microclimates throughout the park.

The showy flower blossoms and their verdant green leaves often provide a wonderful accent against the surrounding desert’s earth tones:

The best time to enjoy wildflowers at Capitol Reef is mid-April through July. Among the flowers you can see then include Indian Paintbrush and Utah Penstemon (blossoms April-June), Yellow Catspaw and Silvery Townsendia (April-July), Naked Stem Sunrays (mid-April-July), Showy Four O’clock (May-June), and Mountain Pepperplant (May-September).

Related article:
• Best trails for seeing Capitol Reef’s wonders

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.

Meet the Author

My name is Rob Bignell. I'm a long-time hiker, journalist and editor. My son Kieran and I have been hiking together for the past decade. Before Kieran, I taught middle school students in New Mexico and Wisconsin, served as an infantryman in the Army National Guard, and worked in newspapers. I've won several journalism awards, from editorial writing to sports reporting. In 2001, The Prescott Journal, which I served as managing editor of, was named Wisconsin’s Weekly Newspaper of the Year. Currently I own and operate an online editing business, Inventing Reality Editing Service. After spending several years in Southern California, my son and I now live in Wisconsin on the scenic Red Cedar River.