A beautiful sight to capture from the legal side of the fence

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The images are all over social media: sunflower fields blooming into the distance, awash with Colorado sunset colors.

It’s an annual tradition that draws professional photographers and social media enthusiasts alike to rural areas outside Denver.

Perhaps it’s covid-19 stir-craziness, but this year the tradition is becoming a problem for farmers and residents.

In response to growing complaints, the Adams County Sheriff's Office has warned that entering sunflower fields is an act of criminal trespass.

Regardless of whether no-trespassing signs are posted, entering private property can come with fines up to $750 and up to six months in jail, the Sheriff's Office warned.

Likewise, Denver International Airport tweeted a request to enjoy their iconic sunflowers from afar:

Some professional photographers are joining the call to take sunflower photos responsibly.

On Instagram, photographer Michael Ryno took care to explain his location while taking a photograph that might suggest he or the horse-back subject were in a sunflower field.

"I should point out that I was on the side of a road and the horse and rider were on a side road," Ryno wrote in the post description.

His guidance is simple: "Please be respectful of private property and avoid trespassing out into the flowers."

Rocky Mountain PBS spoke with two locals enjoying the sunflowers that had a similar message: show respect while enjoying the natural beauty.

Olivia Stark says the sunflower bloom is her favorite time of year. “You can see for a mile long it’s just yellow,” she said. “It’s just gorgeous.”

She compared respecting the sunflower fields to taking care of National Parks and other natural areas. “You can’t abuse the privilege,” Stark said. “You have to take care of it because you want to be able to appreciate it for a long time.”

At another field near Denver, Brenna Kelley was delighted by the views.

“Sunflowers are gorgeous. They bring me joy looking at them. The color yellow is so vibrant and happy, and they represent the spiral and circle of life,” Kelley said. “They have the biggest personality when it comes to flowers.”

She was also concerned about protecting the flowers.

“I feel as though we need to preserve nature in its natural habitat,” Kelley said. “We should do our best to respect that.”

So, how can visitors take in the view legally?

“Be responsible when taking photos, obey all traffic laws, and pick up after yourselves. Do your part by respecting and preserving the beauty of rural Adams County,” the Adams County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook.

In other words, take photos from public property, safely parked on the side of the road.

For those seeking an up-close experience with sunflowers, one local farm is meeting the demand.

The historic Bee Hugger Farm in Longmont is welcoming visitors to experience their sunflowers, up-close and personal, free of charge.