Thousands of Monarch Butterflies Are Headed Straight for Colorado This Spring

I absolutely love Spring in Colorado, it’s truly a sight to behold, especially if you thought Colorado was colorful before. This year, get ready to have your mind blown, as an upcoming natural phenomenon will make our state explode with hues of orange, white, and black! The spectacle of thousands of monarch butterflies in Colorado is something everyone can look forward to this time of year. If you’ve asked: When do monarch butterflies migrate through Colorado? - the best news of all is, this year we might see more butterflies than ever before! And we’re so excited to welcome these fluttering butterflies this spring.

If you are ready to see Colorado in a whole new way, make plans to be outside as much as possible to experience the spring monarch butterfly migration in Colorado. When is the best time to see monarch butterflies in Colorado?

The beautiful butterflies make their annual migration as they begin to move north following the end of the cold, winter months. Here in Colorado, the event takes place between March and June. In fall, butterflies instinctively head south in search of warmer temperatures, then lay their eggs on milkweed before dying.

Come spring, these eggs hatch into caterpillars that grow, develop in a chrysalis, and eventually emerge as beautiful butterflies who then begin the long journey north. How do the butterflies know when to migrate? This is a question that still baffles scientists, but one thing is for sure: It is truly a sight to see!

Since most butterflies migrate from either Mexico or southern California, the journey north takes a long time. You should begin to see these monarch butterflies in Colorado come mid-May. However, with milder weather in Colorado, we could possibly see these flying beauties much earlier, so be on the lookout.

Do you want to attract more butterflies to your home and yard? Experts recommend planting milkweed, which is a less common plant species in Colorado and offers a place for butterflies to lay their eggs and reproduce.

Fun fact: Colorado may not play a huge role in hosting the butterflies, but strays still stop and make a home in the Centennial State! A final tip for the spring migration: Always have your camera handy, as you never know just what you will capture. In many cases, you and your little ones won't have to travel further than your own backyard to experience this incredible springtime phenomenon.

Monarch butterflies in Colorado are a sight to behold! Have you seen spotted monarch butterflies in the Centennial State? Where is your favorite destination in the state to see monarch butterflies in Colorado? Share your thoughts with us on our nomination page!

Consider taking a guided trip to a butterfly sanctuary just outside Mexico City, available on the Viator website. For another awe-inspiring act of nature, check out the incredible phenomenon in Colorado that only happens once a year and isn't nearly as pretty as the butterflies. If you're searching for more fun things to do this spring, here are our picks for the top springtime attractions in Colorado.