Best Bluebonnets in Texas
Are you really a Texan if you’ve never taken pictures with the bluebonnets? Well, up until a few weeks ago, I never had, and I knew that needed to change! As a child growing up in this great state, I learned all about its history (maybe even more than world history, eek) which included ingraining in my mind that the bluebonnet is our state flower. And the bluebonnet pictures I see every spring on facebook have been a point of nostalgia. So I set out on a mission to find the best bluebonnets in Texas this spring and found them in the small town of Ennis. This is part of my Texas Series!
Bluebonnets: State Flower of Texas
Bluebonnets can be found in many places in Texas during the springtime. They pop up along the highways with other wildflowers to form a sea of blue, pink, red and orange. Bluebonnets have petals that resemble pioneer women’s bonnets, thus the name. It’s a popular pastime for Texans to take family pictures among them – picture matching white shirts, cowboy boots, and bluebonnets – the epitome of Texas!
Ennis Texas: Best Bluebonnets in Texas
Ennis is easily the best place to find bluebonnets. This small town of under 20,000 is just south of Dallas and boasts the best locations for bluebonnet viewing. The famous Bluebonnet Trails are over 40 miles of driving routes where thousands of these wildflowers bloom. Peak foliage is typically in the middle of April, but you can begin seeing the flowers as early as March and into May.
I took a road trip with my nephew and grandmother from Paris (my hometown) to Ennis on a warm, perfectly sunny Saturday. Our first stop was the Meadow View Nature Area. This lakeside field had lush bluebonnets and was a very popular stop. From there, we drove along the trails and stopped at a few places to take pictures and just admire the beautiful flowers. I would love to go back next year during the Bluebonnet Festival and explore more of this cute town with bluebonnets galore!
Essential Info
Ennis, Texas is located about 40 miles south of Dallas and 2.5 hours north of Austin. Perfect for a day trip!
The city website offers lots of great information on peak foliage, the festival, and other things to do in Ennis.
The trails are free to drive but remember many fields are on private property so be respectful.
The best spot to ‘get in’ with the flowers is Meadow View Nature Area along the lake.
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