Countless seasons ago, Mother Nature found herself in an antsy state on a particularly frigid winter day. Warmth was but a fuzzy memory, and she idled with a serious case of spring fever.

Throwing open the doors of her Colorado cabin, she burst into the gloom with fistfuls of seeds — lupine, tall chiming bells, blanket flower, bluebell, fireweed, Indian paintbrush, pink mountain heather, columbines, shooting stars, scarlet gilia — and scattered them far and wide, across the peaks and valleys.

The wildflowers didn’t blossom immediately. But after the spring equinox, their sunny faces finally opened, with early bloomers such as the pasque flower and glacier lilies showing up along the Front Range.

Mother Nature’s recipe of late snowmelt, 300 days of sunshine and alpine terrain made this state one of the most fertile places for these tiny jewels.

Her wintry act of desperation ensured crimson, buttery yellows, pinks, sunset oranges, lavenders and blue perennials would return year after year when the sun climbed to its highest point. The colors would blanket her landscapes and delight those who frolicked in her meadows forevermore.

Today’s seekers of wildflowers, lured by the siren call of the indefatigable blooms, know to head west to Crested Butte, a tiny town with a collective brain large enough to realize it should dream up an annual festival to celebrate its unofficial designation as Colorado’s “wildflower capital.”

Crested Butte Wildflower Festival covers 10 days and is held each July, paying homage to the breathtaking scene that unfolds all around. Numerous experts lead dozens of workshops on topics such as photography, pollination, culinary arts and painting. Then there are programs on birds and butterflies.

The star attraction, of course, is the wildflower. And it’s not shy about stealing the show. No doubt the best way to enjoy this festival is on the go, with trails suited for all ages and abilities.

Some of our favorites include Teddy’s Trail, Emerald Lake, Lupine Trail, Judd Falls, Rustler Gulch, Long Lake, Snodgrass Trail, Daisy Pass, Gothic Mountain, Scarp Ridge, Baxter Gulch and West Maroon Pass.