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SALT LAKE CITY — Hiking in Utah is always wonderful, but adding in wildflowers makes the trails even more beautiful.
The number of wildflowers found in the Beehive State peaks in June and July, according to the website Utah Wildflowers. It reported that as of Monday, a total of 119 wildflower varieties are estimated to be in bloom.
Scott Nichols of Utah Wildflowers shared three of his favorite spots for KSL.com readers to enjoy. Check his website to see which wildflowers are in bloom now and share your favorite spots in the comment section.
Albion Basin
This popular spot above Alta in Little Cottonwood Canyon offers scenic views and is Nichols’ favorite location to view wildflowers. It drew crowds in 2015 when there was a “bumper crop” of the alpine flowers.
“The wildflowers are like carpet, and the meandering trails make for a wonderful day of leisurely hiking,” Nichols wrote in an email.
Parleys Canyon
Above the University of Utah and up into Parleys Canyon, fans of wildflowers can enjoy seeing the arrowleaf balsamroot.
“The arrowleaf balsamroot (the prolific yellow flowers that some people think are daisies) are now carpeting the foothills,” Nichols wrote. “They turn the hills yellow!”
Big Mountain Pass
For a quieter experience, Nichols recommended heading to Big Mountain Pass in East Canyon.
“A close, but seldom visited hike starts at Big Mountain pass on UT-65,” he wrote. “From the pass you can go north or south along the Great Western Trail. Going south is nice, and you might even see a horned toad along this trail. Going north along the Great Western is steep, but filled with beautiful Pretty Jacob's Ladder plants.”
Contact the author at ncrofts@ksl.com or find her on Twitter.