This time of year in Texas, I often take the winding, country roads outside of Austin to the middle of nowhere. When I get out of my car, I often find myself in the midst of a massive rolling landscape filled with indigo as far as the eye can see. Though you can never quite predict when the peak blue bloom boom will hit, bluebonnet season for me is an annual reminder of beautiful things waiting just around the corner at the end of winter.
But, of course, spring doesn’t just bring bluebonnets. When the weather begins to warm, the landscape explodes with colorful pops of Indian paintbrushes, primroses, and horsemint. Even the humble black-eyed Susan looks particularly pretty during this time of year. During this time-honored Texan rite of spring, you’ll see people pulling over on the highway and cajoling groaning children to pose for photos among the blooms. (Pro-tip: to distract the littlest ones, show them the ultimate insider secret: gently pull back a few of the petals of a bluebonnet, and a tiny black “cat claw” appears.) It’s truly one of the most beloved pastimes of the Lone Star State.
Here are the seven best places to see wildflowers in Texas.
Brenham
Situated about halfway between Austin and Houston, you’ll find a pastoral prairie land dotted with charming historic towns that play host to throngs of Texas wildflower roadtrippers every spring. Starting in late March, tune into Brenham’s Wildflower Watch page to time your visit for peak blooms. In addition to bluebonnets, you can spot paintbrush, prairie coneflower, and evening primrose in these parts. Pack a picnic and watch out for snakes.
Ennis
Jennifer Coulter/Getty Images
More than 100,000 visitors make their way along more than 40 miles of country roads that surround the small town of Ennis (population: 25,000) to spot the glorious bluebonnets on the Ennis Bluebonnet Trail. Peak bloom season is usually the second and third weeks of April.
Spicewood
kanonsky/Getty Images
About an hour northwest of Austin, you’ll find Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area in Spicewood, a remote, 600-acre expanse of parkland where every patch of earth seems covered with bluebonnet flowers in late March. This year, the park will host its annual Bluem festival on March 21, with food vendors and family-friendly activities like a petting zoo, UTV tours, and e-bike rentals.
Cuero
Cal Holman / 500px/Getty Images
Head 92 miles southeast of San Antonio to DeWitt County, known as the “Wildflower Capital of Texas.” Starting mid-March through April, visitors will find a diverse number of wildflowers—more than 1,000 have been documented, including winecups, prairie coneflowers, and firewheels, more vibrant yellows, purples, reds, and oranges than the monochrome blues of the Hill Country. A one-hour guided trolley tour on March 22 includes snacks and a wildflower-themed drink at the local tavern.
Fredericksburg
Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images
The de facto capital of Texas’s beloved wine country region, the historically German enclave of Fredericksburg is also known for romantic, meandering drives on two-lane roads through springtime splendor showcasing bluebonnets, firewheels, Mexican poppies, and winecups, framed by live oak trees—an iconic feature in this region of Texas. Check out Willow City Loop: from Fredericksburg, take TX-16 North (known as Llano Street) for 13 miles, turn right on Ranch Road 1323 towards Willow City for about three miles, and turn left onto Willow City Loop. This 13-mile loop will bring you back to TX-16. (Note: this is a narrow country road past private farmland that can become crowded during peak wildflower season on weekends.)
Bryan-College Station
Trevor Parker/Getty Images
The twin towns of Bryan and College Station are about 95 miles northwest of Houston, and have pockets of fantastic wildflower viewing mixed with urban amusements. Horticulturists at Texas A&M University helped develop a strain of maroon bluebonnets that they named “Aggiebonnet” over a period of 30 years. You can see them at the Gardens at Texas A&M in the spring. For traditional bluebonnets, head to Boonville Heritage Park at the Brazo Valley Museum of Natural History. Or drive along Harvey Mitchell Parkway between Villa Maria Road and Lake Walk, then loop back on Highway 47 for a driving tour.
Marble Falls
Jana/Adobe Stock
A little bit under the radar compared to other locations, Shaffer Bend Recreation Area is a remote, 508-acre park on the northern shore of Lake Travis in Texas Hill Country that boasts a beautiful bounty of wildflowers in the spring. Beyond bluebonnets, you can spot fields of white prickly poppies and blanket flowers here.
Read the full article here