Stop and smell the wildflowers!

The sun is bright, the sky is blue, and Utah’s hematite-laden mountains glow a brilliant red. What could possibly add to this beautiful scene we call home?

It’s time to get out there and smell the wildflowers!

While Utah’s water districts do a great job of highlighting Utah’s native blooms, encouraging Utahns to use the water-efficient plants in their home landscapes, we don’t always take enough time to fully breathe in the natural beauty they bring our wildlands. Here is a handy guide to fully enjoy our state’s best sites. Read on and make plans now to enjoy them all!

• Different seasons bring blooms to different regions. Head for the foothills in the spring for the showy milkweed and save the mountains and canyons for late summer as the mountain blue bells sport their beautiful hues into September. Check online for guides to your region’s most prolific destinations. Make sure to take some water along with you – it’s important to stay hydrated – and a camera to document the flowers you see for later identification. Don’t forget, as the old saying goes, leave nothing behind but footprints. https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/beauty/aspen/flowers/utah.shtml

• Don’t feel up to a long hike? Trails such as Bonneville Shoreline Mountain Bike Trail are open to bicycles and others to horseback as well. For even more fun, look up the geographic history of the Bonneville shoreline before heading out. It could very well change the way you look at things once you’re on the trail.

• Utah’s parks and trails open hikers to spectacular scenes, such as the view of Salt Lake City from Mount Olympus. But if the natural terrain is a challenge, even on a bicycle, head for conservation parks such as the Central Utah Water Conservancy District’s Central Utah Gardens for a more manicured presentation. It’s a learning experience, too, with most offering inspiration and workshops on incorporating native wildflowers such as columbine and fireweed into your yard. Or, treat yourself to a true feast for the senses, catching some of the outdoor music events.

In short, make time today to smell the wildflowers and so much more. You won’t regret it!