What’s That Flower?

Did you know there’s a wild garden around you? It’s available for your viewing pleasure during easy ambles on trails around town and on steeper stretches that reach up to 10,000 feet. Some of the flowers are like jewels that hug the ground; others paint the view as far as you can see.

Three of my favorite trails for wildflower viewing are Drinking Horse, the meadow at the beginning of Mt. Ellis trail, and Kirk Hill. But wherever you roam, please help us make sure that the flowers stay there for all to enjoy by leaving them where you find them.

Here are a few wildflowers that are easy to find and identify. For more information, check out Day Hikes around Bozeman and wildflowerhikesmontana.com.

Arrowleaf Balsamroot: Yellow and showy. Covers open hillsides all around town. Arrow-shaped silver-green leaves. Blooms as early as end of May.
Glacier Lily: Yellow. Emerges often at the edges of receding snow. Early in the season, check Middle Cottonwood; later on, they’ll be higher up in the alpine basins.
Lupine: Stalks of blue and purple. Loves sunny slopes, but watch trailsides in shade. Blooms May through July.
Paintbrush: Usually red locally. Loves sun. Blooms as early as June.
Shooting Star: Pale to dark pink. Loves open areas. Blooms as early as late April. Some have one flower, some many.
Sugarbowl: Purple. Found in open meadow areas. Mt. Ellis Trail is a prime spot.