Chasing Blossoms: Smell The Color Of Bloom
As the days get longer and the sun warms the winter soil, Colorado’s Western Slope becomes enveloped with a palette of fruitful and colorful blooms.
People chase the fall foliage around the globe. However, the longest days of the year yield the most aromatic and extravagant displays of spring blossoms. Here are three incredible, blooming spring adventures.
Photos courtesy of Gunnison River Farms/Black Canyon Anglers.
PALISADE PEACH BLOSSOMS
Peaches are part of the rose family; therefore, their blossoms are extremely fragrant. Palisade blossoms are typically pink in color, varying from a deep magenta to hot pink to pale shades. The delicate and soft bloom has notes of almond and honey.
The legendary peach capital of the Rocky Mountains offers the most accessible and largest display of spring blooms across the state. Drive along Palisade’s Fruit and Wine Byway— a 25-mile system of paved backcountry routes through the orchards. Just Peachy Peach Orchard, Clark Family Orchards, C&R Farms, Anita’s Produce Pantry and High Country Orchards are open on the weekends and make ideal spots for photography.
To pedal the peach blossom pastures, either bring your own bicycle or rent a cruiser ore-bike from Palisade Cycle, and ride to over 25 wineries and tasting rooms in the area, many with loads of blossoms April through June.
GUNNISON RIVER FARMS
Follow the winding Gunnison River to the petite town of Austin with a population of less than 2,000 folks, making for the blooms-to-person ratio one of the best in the state. Take the blossoms in by boat, and float by 4,000-year-oldpetroglyphs alongside orchards. Throughout sections of the river, there are opportunities to picnic.
“It starts with the cherry blooms in late May, then the apricot blossoms, peach blooms and apple blossoms; we have blooms from early spring until mid-June at times. It’s stunning!” explains Matt Bruns, manager of Black Canyon Anglers who also operates on Gunnison River Farms.
Plan to stop and even stay alongside the blooms at Gunnison River Farms, a 100-plus-year-old orchard and working organic farm. Cabins are open May 10 through Oct. 1 alongside a four-course evening dining service in the lodge.
Be sure to book early, as this is prime fly-fishing season, and the anglers are just as hot for a monster “Gunny” trout. Your bloom quest will be worth the fight. This is a special spot, including private river property, ponds and oodles of gardens with additional blooms.
BIG B’S DELICIOUS ORCHARDS
Nectarines, apricots, blackberries, plums, raspberries, strawberries, apples, pears, sweet cherries: there’s plenty that blooms from April through June at Big B’s Delicious Orchards in Paonia. Nestled in Colorado’s North Fork Valley, known as a vintner region, this sweet spot has dozens of different blooms at any given moment each spring.
The orchards were planted in 1965, and by 1973, the original owner was making juice from the bounty of the North Fork Valley. Today, the orchards are used to produce over a dozen varieties of juices, lemonades, iced teas and hard ciders, all sold onsite.
Today, Big B’s and Delicious Orchards are a mecca of outdoor, agriculture activity. Beginning in spring with hundreds of blooms, the orchard, café, store and you-pick-it-farm host weekend events and music evenings, all amongst their orchards.
Kids big and small flock to the giant swings that float riders through the aroma of fruit blossoms. There are picnic areas and outdoor seating for lunch and bloom walks. There are cabins, camping and glamping at the orchards if you care to awaken amongst the blossoms.
GET CONNECTED
Gunnison River Farms/Black Canyon Anglers
Palisade Cycle & Shuttle
Big B’s
Originally published in the Spring 2023 issue of Spoke+Blossom.