Best Places for Picking a Blue Bonnet in Texas

March showers bring April flowers (as we say in Texas!), and those flowers are Texas bluebonnets.

These flowers are a unique beauty local to Texas, a beautiful blue flower that only comes for a short glimpse in the year.

People go all around the state looking for these flowers, and virtually every Texan has a picture with these little blue flowers in the background somewhere in their home.

The season for bluebonnets in Texas only lasts about a month (roughly mid-March to mid-April, for the non-Texans among us), so once you find a nice patch of them you'll have to act quickly!

Identifying the best bluebonnet fields in Texas has slowly grown to be a favorite pastime for several people, almost like a sleuthing mission across the state.

Here is your travel guide to finding the best bluebonnets in Texas, plus tips for getting the most of your experience!

The Best Places to See Bluebonnets in Texas
FAQ + Tips for Visiting Texas Bluebonnet Fields

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The Best Places to See Bluebonnets in Texas

Texas bluebonnets can be found all over the place during the right time of the year, you'll see folks pulling over on the side of the road to take photos in a small patch of these flowers if possible!

However, some parts of Texas are definitely better than others for wildflower hunting.

If you want to join in on the tradition and see the prettiest fields, here are the best places to see bluebonnets in Texas.

Ennis

Ennis, TX is home to the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails and Festival, and is the most famous place to see bluebonnets in North Texas!

During the month of April, there is an entire trail network and a festival dedicated to these flowers.

The bluebonnet trails sprawl out in all directions, and total about 40 miles!

Ennis has been officially named the Bluebonnet City of Texas and there are men and women that commit their time to check on the blooming status of these flowers regularly until the festival begins.

During the festival you can buy souvenirs, enjoy live music and get a great bite to eat, all of this is for no admission cost whatsoever!

Ennis is only half an hour outside of the Dallas area, so it makes for a fun afternoon trip!

Willow City Loop

Willow City Loop is located in the Fredericksburg area, about an hour and a half west of Austin.

If you're looking for a scenic drive perfect for spotting bluebonnets in the Texas Hill Country, Willow City Loop is the place for you!

In addition to bluebonnets, Fredericksburg is known for its German roots and its many wineries!

The picturesque nature of this area is perfect for a weekend getaway.

The Willow City Loop in particular is a popular location for folks coming from out of town to enjoy Texas bluebonnets as it really captures the scenic nature of the Texas Hill Country.

From this loop you can easily catch major highways to Llano or to Austin to continue your drive, there are overlooks from which you can snap some cool photos or just park your car and take it all in for a while.

Keep in mind that Willow City Loop is on private property!

While the owners of the property welcome visitors to enjoy the fields of bluebonnets each spring, being respectful is a must.

Llano

If you keep driving onwards from Willow City Loop you'll reach the small town of Llano.

With a population of under 4,000, it's a fairly small town but it's the perfect place for the wildflowers to come up every season.

A large trail called The Highland Lakes Bluebonnet Trail spans multiple cities and it cuts through this part of town as well.

Because this area is ever so slightly less known for bluebonnets than nearby Burnet you'll have a better chance of being able to enjoy the flowers and take photos without as much of a crowd!

Marble Falls

Marble Falls loves their bluebonnets so much that their famous, local cafe shares a name with them!

Although The Blue Bonnet Cafe isn't actually named after the famous flower, it seems apt that this small country town with beautiful landscapes would have some connection to these special flowers.

Marble Falls is along the way of The Highland Lakes Bluebonnet Trail and similar to a lot of the viewing places, the flowers pop up all over the horizon while in season.

The Bluebonnet House is a fairly well-known spot to take photos, though fences and signs will keep you from getting too close!

The house itself recently went under some preservative measures but the exterior still captures the beauty of worn, country homes.

Burnet

Burnet is the place to be if you're in the festival mood!

Burnet is the official Bluebonnet Capital of Texas, and they are rightfully proud of their status.

The Burnet Bluebonnet Festival takes place the second weekend of April and attracts more than 30,000 people each year.

Celebrate with live music throughout the whole weekend along with parades and a beer garden!

This is truly a festival for everyone.

The Wildflower Society marks up a map of all of the highlights throughout Burnet which will make your journey a lot smoother and simpler.

If you can't come during the festival, you can still enjoy the bluebonnets along The Highland Lakes Bluebonnet Trail.

Poteet

Poteet is actually known for its spectacular, annual strawberry festival, however, there are some great iconic spots to shoot photos of bluebonnets.

There is great local imagery of a windmill surrounded by thousands of bluebonnets, those are the kinds of images you can only find here in Texas!

The state of Texas plants roughly 30,000 pounds of wildflowers here each year, meaning that you're virtually guaranteed to see some incredible bluebonnets here!

If you're from South Texas and don't want to drive out to the Hill Country, Poteet is definitely one of the best places to find Texas bluebonnets near you.

Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area

Located just a short drive from Austin in Spicewood, Muleshoe Bend is one of the best places to see bluebonnets in Texas if you're hoping to hike among them!

Muleshoe Bend is home to a 5.4-mile loop trail that will take you past some of the most beautiful wildflower fields around.

Since the park is located on the shores of Lake Travis, you can enjoy water views as well.

This is one of the most popular places to visit during bluebonnet season in the Hill Country, and it deserves its glowing reputation!

FAQ + Tips for Visiting Texas Bluebonnet Fields

Be sure to time for visit for bluebonnet season.

Part of the allure of Texas bluebonnets is that they only appear for a very small window within the year.

The season normally spans from late March to mid-April, and peak season will reveal all sorts of colors and varieties of wildflowers.

Visitors are often disappointed if they come too early, definitely reference any online resources to figure out what the optimal time to visit would be.

Several cities and festivals have commentary on the status of the wildflowers that is updated quite frequently, so keep an eye out and remember that peak season can vary a bit depending on the year–rainfall, the heat index, and more can all affect the blooms.

Make sure you're on public land.

Because several of these fields are open and sprawling it might not be easily identifiable to find signage that indicates if you're on public land or not.

Landowners often have trouble with trespassers due to the bluebonnets on their property so do your best to be respectful of the space!

Along with being on public land especially roadside, be sure you adhere to any local signage or rules as it pertains to stopping or loitering, as you don't want to inadvertently cause traffic or block any roads.

Try identifying parks or public gardens first to ensure that you have your bases covered prior to going out and tracking down the flowers.

Don't pick bluebonnets in Texas!

The biggest reoccurring rumor during bluebonnet season is that it is illegal to pick bluebonnets, and while that isn't true there is a large effort to preserve local plant life.

This effort would entail the public to simply interact with the plants rather than uprooting them or altering them in any way.

This is to preserve the experience for generations to come.

If you are on private land for a tour or at an establishment, be sure to ask before you take them as a courteous gesture to the owners.

If you would like some for your home there is a high likelihood that the local florist will have them, this is a great way to support local business!

Alternatively, if you live in a compatible climate, buy some seeds to throw down in your yard–you may just be lucky enough to be rewarded with annual blooms for life!

Keep an eye out for snakes.

Look, the odds are low that you'll have an incident, but rattlesnakes dolike to hang out in thick patches of bluebonnets.

Clearly, millions of Texans have been enjoying bluebonnet fields their whole lives and clearly live to tell the tale, so don't overthink it too much, but definitely be aware of your surroundings!

Be sure to watch where to step, look carefully when visiting flowers, and be very cautious around all wildlife.

Don't trample the bluebonnets.

Texas bluebonnets are a beloved local treasure: be a good neighbor and make sure that everyone can enjoy them!

Avoid stepping on the flowers when at all possible.

Despite what the photos can look like, there are generally patches without flowers in naturally growing bluebonnet fields in Texas, and by stepping carefully, you can get the look of photographing yourself in a field of flowers without actually damaging them.

It's worth the effort to step with care!

Be courteous to other visitors.

Because the prettiest fields are so scarce and so many people want to identify where to see bluebonnet fields in Texas, there is a good chance that you will experience foot traffic and vehicular traffic to any major site.

Be sure to share the space with others as everyone is trying to get in their opportunity to preserve the beauty of spring.

Be sure to plan ahead especially if you're planning on going viewing on a weekend or a holiday.

Plan a couple of backup spots as well in case the first option is really crowded, this will ensure everyone gets the most out of their seasonal experience.

Wear closed-toe shoes.

Bluebonnets themselves are not known to be thorny, but oftentimes the places they are growing are not maintained like an optimal garden.

It is very easy to get burrs or pebbles stuck in open-toe shoes, especially in wide-open fields.

And, as we mentioned above, there's always a small risk of snakes.

For a little extra safety be sure to wear closed-toe shoes.

Of course due to the photogenic nature of these places that might not be your go-to but it definitely is something to think about, especially for younger children.

You'll find a variety of flowers (and colors) in Texas bluebonnet fields.

Bluebonnets actually can be found intermingled with several other wildflowers like Indian Paintbrushes and Mexican Hats.

In the wild, you'll typically find a mix of the flowers–but this varies wildly depending on what part of the bluebonnet season you're in.

Bluebonnets themselves can come in a variety of colors as well.

In fact, there is a special genetically engineered maroon variety that became very popular for Texas A&M University and a variety of colors have since become more popular.

Pack bug spray!

I cannot recommend this enough: no matter how beautiful, the natural environment still supports several varieties of insects in order to preserve the ecosystem.

There is a high chance of encountering lots of bugs at the best places to see bluebonnets in Texas.

Consider packing bug spray and maybe some after-bite care just in case in order to ensure that everyone isn't itching all over on the way home from taking pictures in the Texas bluebonnet fields!

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Source: https://www.lonestartravelguide.com/bluebonnets-in-texas/