This morning, Reggie and I walked down Red Rock road again to see what wildflowers might be starting to bloom. We went to the little meadow up a small hill about .7 miles west from the RV Park (I call it meadow #1 to distinguish it from the meadow across the street.) A couple days ago I had found the Glacier Lily in full bloom, a few specimens of the Sagebrush Buttercup, and a couple Yellow Bell flowers.) Today, a few more have begun to come alive.

Now, the meadow #1 area is covered with Glacier Lilies in many states of unfolding. Some pointing downward and others presenting their bright red stamens to the sun. All in all, the Glacier Lilies are beautiful and worth studying the many different physical contortions they make to gain access to the sunlight in the forest.

The snow is quickly melting and leaving new opportunities for wildflowers to start unfolding. I found a couple more of the beautiful Yellow Bells. There will be many more soon, I'm sure, but for now the few must suffice.


I was soon surprised to see the several examples of the Alpine Shooting star (Dodecatheon pulchellum). From my records of last year, these are blooming a day or so sooner this year. They weren't there on my last visit a couple days ago. It's a beautiful flower and it's magenta and yellow coloring catches the eye quickly as you walk through the forest.

I also found the purple Vase Flower (Clematis hirsutissima) in bud form, not unfolding yet, but soon to do so. It's leathery purple bell or vase shaped flower will soon be found throughout this meadow. Only a few specimens were evident, but many more are preparing themselves to bud in the next days. This flower is also know by the common names leatherflower and sugarbowls.

One of the most beautiful flowers in the upper meadow is the Western Spring Beauty (Claytonia lanceolata). I found many of these not yet unfurled, but curled up in small little bullets waiting to "spring" upon us soon. These white and pink flowers will cover large sections of the upper meadow soon.

The nine-leaf lomatium is also starting to bloom. This is a rather undistinquished little plant with very tiny yellow blooms. I found a couple specimens in the meadow #1.


Right out side the RedRock RV Park I found the very first Dandelion specimen blooming. Some find this flower a bother, but I enjoy the fields of yellow covering the ranch next door and the play area at the Park until they mow them.

I walked up into the meadow across from the RV Park today and found only the Glacier Lily blooming. There was a few specimens that I recognized as the Meadow Rue growing without their flowers yet. The snow is still spotty up there so until most of it melts there won't be much activity from that location. The meadow is still very brown, with green starting to peek through from the many wildflowers and grasses trying to establish themselves.

The first hummingbird of the season was spotted looking for the potted plants that are established yearly on the RV park lawn. The pots aren't there yet, but many of the residents are planning to put their feeders out tomorrow for these hungry little guys.


Later in the day, Reggie and I looked for the Leafy Bluebells (Mertensias oblongifolia) out in the Meadow Vue ranchlands right next to the RV Park. I knew they should be there since I had found them on this day last year. Sure to form, I found a few of them starting up under the sagebrush. They are beautiful bunches of little bell shaped blue and pink flowers. They usually don't get larger than about 2 to 3" tall. This plant is found only in the western states. A couple specimens of the shooting star found earlier today in the forest was found in the among the sagebrush. Later in the month there will be a profusion of them here in a few places.

I also found this little lady bug (Coccinella septempunctata) hiding on a branch under the sagebrush. Actually it was hanging on tight in the high wind that just cropped up which was also trying to rip my hat from my head. Both of us survived!

Another natural sign of spring was obvious from this vantage point of the forest was the leafing of the aspens. The leaves are not fully unfurled but the tops of all the aspen trees across from the RV Park are now showing green, where just a couple days ago there were not.

For many people not familiar with this area, talking about spring coming in the late part of May sounds silly. Spring officially starts March 21, and ends by June 21st, only a month away. But here at 6500 feet in the mountains, spring will just be getting in full swing by June 21st.