One of my favorite parts about spring time is all the flowers blooming. After Tulip season from mid February into March, comes the bluebonnet season in mid March. Bluebonnets (lupines) come in several different species and color. The state flower of Texas is a collection of these 5-6 varieties of bluebonnets. Surprisingly, bluebonnets also come in white, red, pink, and purple. They inherited the second portion of their name due to the bonnet shaped flower pedals.
Check out more on our Tulip Farm trips here!
“The bluebonnet is to Texas what the shamrock is to Ireland, the cherry blossom to Japan, the lily to France, the rose to England and the tulip to Holland.” – Jack Maguire (historian)
When do bluebonnets bloom?
As the state flower of Texas, bluebonnets usually make a statement appearance during spring time. Bluebonnets start to bloom in early March and peak in early to mid April, depending on the winter before it. The upcoming two weeks are the best times to enjoy these wildflowers!
Where can you find these wildflowers?
Bluebonnets are mainly found in rural areas in Central Texas and Texas Hill Country. If you have traveled on the highways from Houston to Austin/San Antonio/Dallas, you would have noticed the beauty of the bluebonnets all along the highway borders and hills. Now, please don’t get out of your cars on the highway after reading this! Here is a list of towns and locations that are great to enjoy the bluebonnets.
Brehnam
When we visited Brehnam in mid March, it was filled with fields of bluebonnets. We visited the Old Baylor Park on the outskirts of Brehnam. However, there are several parks closer to town that have bluebonnets, such as Hohlt Park and Toubin Park, located in downtown Brehnam.
(Don’t forget to check out the Blue Bell Creamery while you’re there!)
Ennis
Ennis has several bluebonnet parks and trails and also hosts an annual Bluebonnet festival. The Veterans Memorial Park, the Bluebonnet Park, and the Meadow View Nature area are all great places to see fields of bluebonnets. You can enjoy bluebonnets on three trails; South, North, and East during all of April. The Ennis Bluebonnet Festival is held this year on April 16th-18th. For more details and a map of the trails, check out their website Ennis Bluebonnet Festival HERE. You can also check out their visitor center once you get there for more details.
Burnet
Known as the Bluebonnet Capital of Texas, Burnet holds a bluebonnet festival each year. Although it is a small town festival, bluebonnet season is a good time to check out this part of Texas. Click here for more information on the festival in Burnet. Besides the festival, there are several places in Burnet you can see the bluebonnets, such as the Inks Lake State Park. The Canyon of the Eagles Nature Park is a private area that requires reservation, but also houses lots of bluebonnets.
Fredericksburg (and surrounding towns)
Fredericksburg and the neighboring towns have many open fields that are filled with bluebonnets. If you visit some of the wineries, you will also see bluebonnets en route or on site. The Wildseed Farms is also a great place to check out if you enjoy wildflowers and theoutdoors. The Fredericksburg Bluebonnet Festival is a larger scaled festival, for which you will need tickets to attend. Click here to buy tickets or to get more information on the bluebonnet festives in Fredericksburg!
Marble Falls
There is a private property and house called the Bluebonnet House that sits on the side of Highway 281 coming from Burnet into Marble Falls. However, it is unsure if the flowers are there all season since the owner of the property has the right to mow the lawn. If you get to see the wildflowers in full bloom, it’s a very pretty site! Since this is right off the highway, use extra caution.
Austin
Austin and the rest of the towns in Texas Hill Country is blooming during spring time. A few parks to see bluebonnets near Austin are Brushy Creek Lake Park, Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park, and the Circle C Ranch Metropolitan Park on Slaughter Creek. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is also a great place to check out the bluebonnets and other wildflowers if you don’t mind paying $12 for entrance tickets.
Check out more on Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center here!
(For all my Houston people who don’t want to go too far, an old friend told me they have a bluebonnet field near the Cornerstone Elementary School in Sugarland. Hope you can get there before it’s gone!)
Few Things to Keep in Mind:
1 Although picking a few bluebonnets is not illegal, it can get you in trouble in some instances. Destroying or damaging property that belongs to the government or private property is illegal, as well as picking wildflowers from state parks. It is best to avoid it all together by just viewing the bluebonnets and not picking or destroying them.
2 Keep in mind that some of these fields are private property and you do not have permission to be there. You can get fined for trespassing even though you don’t mean any harm.
3 Although pretty to see, bluebonnets are actually *toxic if ingested*, so have an eye on your little ones and four legged friends when you are out in the field. Keep this in mind if you are placing a baby down near the flowers for pictures.
Highways all along Hill Country and Central Texas are lined up with bluebonnets and other wildflowers. You are bound to see some while driving; but please drive safely! If you visit any of these places above and enjoyed them, comment below and let me know! Last but not least, keep in mind we are still in Corona season. That means keep your distance from others, mask up when inside or in crowded areas, and wash/sanitize hands often.
Check out our video below for our adventures in Brenham, tx!
Safe travels!
~Travelmania360
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