Wildflower wonderlands

Best places for a beautiful bluebonnet pilgrimage across Texas in 2024

Early morning sunlight skims a field of bluebonnets at Inks Lake State Park near Burnet. (Note: Not taken in 2024.)

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Texas' beloved bluebonnets are putting on their annual spring show across the state, and - as predicted - they're looking superb. As calendars flip from March to April, freeway embankments, landscapes, and fields all across Texas are awash in blue.

They're a little past prime in the Houston area, but it's not too late for a bluebonnet pilgrimage to top wildflower spots in the Hill Country and beyond.

Following are popular areas across Texas where people have reported gorgeous 2024 bluebonnets, or where they're looking reliable for pretty photos further into April. Happy wildflower hunting!

Southeast Texas
Between Houston and Austin, wildflowers are already starting to go to seed in late March, so you'll have to get there fast to still catch some blue beauties. Here are some recommendations:

Brenham/Chappell Hill/Industry, Washington County
Brenham is a town that prides itself on its wildflowers (and on being the home of Blue Bell Ice Cream). A March 27 post on the Visit Brenham website warns, "Bluebonnets are at peak all throughout the county! We've had lots of rain lately so weeds are going to start shooting up faster than the flowers. If you haven't made your way to Brenham & Washington County, now's the time!" Using "Flower Watch," visitors can check in almost daily on the Visit Brenham website to see what is blooming; there's even a handy driving map.

Washington County as a whole thrives with bluebonnets. Prime viewing spots typically are along Highway 290 east and west as you drive into Brenham; FM 1155 to 2679 in Chappell Hill; and FM 2447 and Highway 290 at First Baptist Church of Chappell Hill (the church typically welcomes visitors, but requests that the parking lot remain open to members of its congregation).

Chappell Hill hosts the “Official State of Texas Bluebonnet Festival” on April 13-14 in downtown historic Chappell Hill. Although it might happen past prime wildflower time, it still is expected to attract thousands to the area.

Industry-Fayetteville
One of the most iconic photo spots in Texas has both bluebonnets and zebras - yes, zebras. About 80 miles east of Austin and 90 miles from Houston is a field where zebras roam, along with cows. Occasionally, they'll graze among the bluebonnets and up to the fence line, photographers say. The address is 5411 TX-159, Fayetteville (between Industry and Fayetteville).

Texas Hill Country
Wildflowers in the state's most famous bluebonnet region are expected to peak by early-to-mid April, so don't delay in making plans. Here are some top places to go. (Note that the Hill Country is in the April 8 eclipse's path of totality, so avoiding travel that day is advised.)

Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg is synonymous with bluebonnets in Texas. A March 20 report on the Visit Fredericksburg website says, "The 2024 wildflower season is underway and is predicted to continue through mid-May. Experts are saying that with recent and predicted rains, the season will be exceptional through April. If no additional rain is received, the season will remain strong." While you'll see the blooms all over the region, a good first stop is always Wildseed Farms, the largest working wildflower farm in the country, which will be in full bloom in April. Other recommended spots include Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park, Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park and LBJ State Park and Historic Site (Stonewall), and the Luckenbach area. The Fredericksburg Bluebonnet Festival will take place Saturday, April 20.

While you're in the area, don't miss the ...

Willow City Loop
One of the best bluebonnet drives in Texas is the 13-mile, two-lane Willow City Loop. A lot of people start in Fredericksburg, take State Highway 16 north about 13 miles and turn east on Ranch Road 1323 to Willow City. It's a pretty drive through wildflower wonderlands, traversing hills and creeks, offering gorgeous views of meadows and valleys. Late-March reports say the "last half" of the Willow City Loop is the prettiest. Warning: Roadside property along this route is private, so no wandering into the fields.

Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area, Spicewood
One of the hottest bluebonnet spots in Texas in spring 2024, Muleshoe Bend has the lush flower fields that look like purple-blue oceans. They are peaking in late March, social media reports say. The bluebonnet fields at this public park northwest of Austin are more abundant than they have been in the past, although some discriminating spotters say they're not quite as good as they were in 2023. There usually are large patches of flowers on the riverbank, and it's easy to drive around and park a car to set up and take time for photo shoots (rather than pulling over on the side of the road). Find it at 2820 County Road 414, Spicewood.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin
No Central Texas bluebonnet pilgrimage would be complete without a visit to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, roughly 12 miles southwest of downtown Austin. Open for entry daily, 9 am-4 pm (reservations are encouraged), the center has 284 acres of scenic gardens and trails, including native gardens, wild meadows, and experts who can tell you what you’re looking at. They also have a gift shop and gallery, a cafe, host special events, and offer various resources on plants and flowers around Texas. They offer a wildflower report and ideas for bluebonnet excursions here. Find it at 4801 La Crosse Ave., Austin.

Burnet
Known as the "Bluebonnet Capital of Texas," this town off S.H. 281 is known for its abundant spring blooms. The stretch of Highway 29 from Burnet to Llano was described as "amazing" in late March. Take Ranch Road 2341 from S.H. 29 to Canyon of the Eagles Nature Park, where some of its many miles of trails wind among wildflowers. Another good spot is Inks Lake State Park (specifically the Pecan Flats area), which typically has gorgeous bluebonnets and fragrant mountain laurel. The beloved Burnet Bluebonnet Festival, April 12-14, includes live music, a carnival, food, races, birding and, of course, flowers.

Mason County
This county west of Burnet and Llano, on 29, is in the heart of bluebonnet country, and recent reports say it's a sea of color. Great for meandering on backroads (but stay off personal property, of course).

Marble Falls
Bluebonnets are painting the landscape all over this popular Hill Country town (and home to the famous Blue Bonnet Cafe). Look for bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes, yuccas, and many other wildflowers flourishing all over the area. Turkey Bend Recreation Area is always a specific hot spot. An old house off SH 281 called, simply, "The Bluebonnet House," is the setting for many picturesque photo shoots; read about it here. Check out the guide to this year’s best flower fields here. They even have scenic wildflower drive recommendations, here.

North Texas
The Dallas-Fort Worth area typically blooms about two weeks behind the Hill Country. The bluebonnets are revving up now. If you're heading to Dallas-Fort Worth, CultureMap Dallas has some more specific recommendations for the best places to see them.

The Ennis Bluebonnet Trails, North Texas’ No. 1 spot for bluebonnet spotting, opens April 1 and runs through April 30. The trails wind visitors through 40 miles of picturesque wildflowers in a spectacular setting that includes rolling hills and pastures with grazing horses, longhorns, even swans on a pond. Not all flowers bloom at the same time; be sure to stop at the Welcome Center for a map and expert guidance.

The flowers are expected to peak around April 18-21, coinciding with the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival. There typically are gorgeous fields along Sugar Ridge Road on the North Loop Trail. Those interested in making the trek about 40 miles south of Dallas can check out maps and updates on the website and social media channels. Download the Ennis Y’all mobile app to get all the information on your smartphone. Be warned: Ennis will be a hot spot for eclipse tourists on April 8, so traffic will be especially heavy that day.

The Laura W. Bush Native Texas Park, a 15-acre urban park on the grounds of George W. Bush Presidential Center at SMU in Dallas, features a one-mile network of trails that walks visitors through native Texas environments, including spring wildflowers. Besides bluebonnets, the mix typically includes Winecup, Pink Evening Primrose, Plains Coreopsis, Engelman Daisy, Foxglove, Prairie Spiderwort, White Prairie Clover, Prairie Verbana, Texas Yellowstar, and more. Guided tours are available, and you can download a guide to the flowers here.

Bluebonnet Trail Greenbelt in Plano was filling up with bluebonnets by the last week of March, with many more to come. Bluebonnet Trail runs from Central Expressway to Midway Road, following an Oncor power line easement and along Spring Creek Parkway and Chase Oaks Boulevard; it intersects with the Chisholm Trail in the middle of Plano and connects with the Preston Ridge Trail at Carpenter Park. View maps of the trails here and here. While in Plano, also check out the Arbor Hills Nature Preserve (6701 W. Parker Rd.) and Russell Creek Park (3500 McDermott Rd.), known to have some beautiful wildflowers, too.

DFW Airport area-freeways
Stopping beside a highway or posing for photos on the side of the road is never advised, but the lush fields along the freeway embankments near DFW Airport are always a thrill for visitors arriving in the Metroplex or local drivers happy to call Texas home. By the last week of March, bluebonnets were filling both sides of SH 183/121, SH 161, I-635 near the airport, and along S.H. 114 from Grapevine toward Irving.

Fort Worth Botanic Garden/BRIT has thousands of spring flowers blooming, but you'll see some bluebonnets, too. "As the weather warms, beloved Texas bluebonnets will cover the South Vista," says the website. Other colorful spring blooms that typically dot their landscape in March and April: Pansies, Dianthus, Snapdragons, Alyssum, Narcissus (daffodils), Summer snowflake, Mexican plum, Redbud trees, Lady Banks’ Rose, daisies, Hardy gladiolus, Coral honeysuckle, and more. BRIT has an informative article on "the botany of bluebonnets" here.

2024 bluebonnet festivals

Burnet Bluebonnet Festival: April 12-14, Burnet
Chappell Hill Bluebonnet Festival: April 13-14, Chappell Hill
Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival: April 19-21, Ennis
Fredericksburg Bluebonnet Festival: April 20, Fredericksburg

Resources to keep up with wildflower season

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center regularly updates information about the season on their website and social media channels. Here is a handy chart of some common Texas native plants and when they bloom.
Texas Bluebonnets and Wildflowers and Bluebonnets of Texas are Facebook groups in which members regularly post updates about what they're seeing around the state.
Texas Wildflower Report is a Facebook page that posts helpful update and the author has even published an ebook called Hunting Texas Wildflowers 2024, available on Kindle for $9.99.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Flickr page and social media accounts usually get populated with wildflower sightings from state parks and wildlife management areas.
The iNaturalist app will allow you to see what’s in bloom in different regions.
Search Instagram using #txwildflowers2024 to find pretty photos and updates from all around the state.

Rules of the road

Pulling over on the side of a highway for photos is never recommended. Find a nearby parking lot. For everyone's safety, do not pose for photos near a roadway, and never on a median.
Remember that while it isn’t illegal to pick the blooms, it is bad form. Leave them for others to enjoy and so the flowers can go to seed and make more for next year.
By the same token, minimize trampling of the plants, as crushing them repeatedly (by, say, sitting on them) can destroy the flowers. Try to walk in other people's footprints in a field.
Be aware that fields can also contain fire ants and the occasional snake. Be careful if walking through grass where it’s not possible to see where you’re stepping.
Also, remember the "groups" rule. If you approach a pretty patch and another family is taking photos, ride on by.
Finally, be respectful of private property — no climbing fences, going through gates, or driving up driveways to get that photo. You might get a less-than-warm welcome.

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Get your kicks

Texas is just the start of the ultimate Route 66 road trip

Cadillac Ranch/ Facebook

Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo is an essential stop on a Route 66 road trip.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — There are faster ways to get from Chicago to Los Angeles, but none have the allure or cultural cachet of Route 66.

To John Steinbeck, it was the Mother Road that led poor farmers from Dust Bowl desperation to sunny California. To Native Americans along the route, it was an economic boon that also left scars. To Black travelers, it offered sanctuary during segregation. And to music fans, it was the place to get their kicks.

Route 66 marks its 100th anniversary this year. Despite losing its status decades ago as one of the nation’s main arteries, people from around the world still flock to it to take perhaps the quintessential American road trip and soak in its neon lights, kitschy motels and attractions, and culinary offerings.

The dream
Route 66, which runs for roughly 2,400 miles (3,860 kilometers) from Chicago through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before ending in Santa Monica, California, was stitched together a century ago from a collection of Native American trading routes and old dirt roads with the goal of linking the industrial Midwest to the Pacific coast.

Oklahoma businessman Cyrus Avery, known as the Father of Route 66, saw it as more than just a way to cross the country efficiently. It was a chance to connect rural America and create new pockets of commerce.

Avery knew the number 66 would be ripe for marketing and could be seared into drivers' minds, and he was right: Route 66 has been immortalized in movies, books, including Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, and songs such as Bobby Troup's “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66,” which served as an anthem for post-World War II optimism and mobility.

If you’ve ever planned to motor west and take the highway that’s the best, the year of Route 66's 100th anniversary just might be the time.

Many stretches of Route 66 may be littered with abandoned buildings and faded signs, but there's still much history and magic to be discovered. With each stop the wheels of imagination turn, leaving travelers to contemplate what life was like for the people and communities that made the road hum.

Here are essential stops and sights to see on a road trip along historic Route 66.

Somewhere along Route 66. Photo by Morten Andreassen on Unsplash

Illinois
Chicago has long been one of the country’s economic engines, with access to international waters and railroads that linked all corners of the country.

For some travelers, the journey is fueled more by the food than the scenery, and there’s plenty to choose from — slices of homemade pie, thick shakes, cheeseburgers and an assortment of fried delights.

The Cozy Dog Drive In in Springfield, the Illinois capital, is one of the many diners that sprang up along Route 66, and its breaded hot dogs on a stick have stood the test of time. Third-generation owner Josh Waldmire says the recipe is a secret.

Waldmire’s grandfather, Ed, saw the concoction’s potential as fast and convenient road food and developed a system for frying the dogs vertically.

Missouri
Route 66 has its share of twists and turns, and it’s no surprise that a highway famous for its quirky roadside attractions would cross the nation’s most famous river on one of the more peculiar bridges known to modern engineering.

As the road nears St. Louis, the mile-long (1.6-kilometer-long) Chain of Rocks Bridge hovers more than 60 feet (18 meters) above the Mississippi River.

Engineers eventually built a straighter, higher-speed option, and a poor resale market spared the original bridge from the scrap heap. Today it’s reserved for pedestrians and cyclists.

A median in Missouri is home to St. Robert Route 66 Neon Park, which features orphaned neon signs that once beckoned travelers to stop at certain sites and businesses along the highway. Often handcrafted, they weren’t only markers for motels, cafes and gas stations, but were also folk art and symbols of local culture.

Kansas
The Sunflower State hosts only a short stretch of Route 66, but it packs a punch with the Kan-O-Tex Service Station in Galena. A classic example of roadside fare, the station served as inspiration for the animated 2006 Pixar film Cars.

Director John Lasseter and his crew took road trips along the route, digging into history and looking for elements that could bring the project to life. It was in Galena where they spotted the old boom truck that served as the basis for the character Tow Mater. The plot wasn’t far off, as so many once bustling towns — like the fictional Radiator Springs — nearly faded away after being bypassed by an interstate.

Kansas also is home to the Brush Creek Bridge, otherwise known as the Rainbow Bridge. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of few remaining examples of the concrete arched bridges designed by James Barney Marsh.

Neon signs along Route 66. Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash

Oklahoma
There was a real danger for some who traveled the road, particularly Black motorists passing through inhospitable and segregated areas during the Jim Crow era. The Green Book — a guide first published in 1936 by Victor Hugo Green — listed hotels, restaurants and gas stations that would serve Black customers.

The Threatt Filling Station near Luther wasn’t listed in The Green Book, but it was a safe haven — not only for getting fuel, but for barbecue and baseball. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it was the only known Black-owned and operated gas station along Route 66.

Route 66 is littered with abandoned buildings and faded signs, but one example of the highway’s resilient spirit stands tall in Sapulpa, near Tulsa. The restored Tee Pee Drive-In Theater offers a step back into the 1950s, when the booming car culture helped spawn thousands of drive-in theaters nationwide.

Built in 1949, the drive-in officially opened in the spring of 1950 with a screening of John Wayne’s “Tycoon.” It was one of the few drive-ins at the time to have paved pathways. Over the years, it survived a tornado, a fire that destroyed the concession stand and break-ins before being shuttered for more than 20 years. It reopened in 2023.

route 66 historic district Get your kicks on Route 66 in Amarillo. Photo courtesy of Visit Amarillo

Texas
Blink and you might miss it, but a stop at the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo is a must for any Route 66 journey. For decades, visitors have been spray-painting the 10 vintage Cadillacs at the site and mulling the transitory nature of time as Bruce Springsteen did in his 1980 song of the same name.

It’s not a ranch, but rather a public art installation created in 1974 by the art and architecture collective Ant Farm. At first, the cars — which were half-buried front-down at a 60-degree angle — were used for target practice. Others would scratch their initials into the metal. The spray painting started later.

Arrive in Adrian and you’re halfway through your trip. Steps from a white line marking the midpoint of Route 66 is the Midway Cafe, where the “ugly pies” are anything but.

If you’re still hungry, head back to Amarillo for a 72-ounce (2 kilogram) steak and all the sides at The Big Texan. If you can finish the meal in an hour or less, it's free.

New Mexico
More than half of Route 66 cuts through sovereign Native American lands, often tracing routes used by tribes long before settlers arrived. Much like the railroad in the 1800s, the highway opened the door to a new era of commerce, but it also fueled stereotypes about cultures along the way.

There are still faded and crumbling references to tipis and feathered headdresses at some stops along the historic highway. The symbols were easily appropriated for marketing by roadside vendors but weren't indicative of the separate and distinct Native American cultures in the area.

Today, tribes are telling their own stories and showcasing their creations, whether it be pottery, fruit pies or poems.

Albuquerque boasts the longest intact urban stretch of Route 66. Those 18 miles (29 kilometers) pass through several neighborhoods and business districts, from historic Old Town to Nob Hill.

Some of the old motor lodges and neon signs along what is now Central Avenue have been restored. Other signs are being reimagined using hubcaps, elaborate lowrider-inspired paint jobs and New Mexico’s classic yellow and red license plates in a nod to the car culture that is very much still alive in the city.

Arizona
Musician Jackson Browne was taking his own road trip in the early 1970s when his car left him stranded in Winslow. The experience inspired the lyrics to the Eagles’ hit “Take it Easy.” But it’s certainly not the only song that is a must-have for a Route 66 playlist.

Bobby Troup created a classic American road anthem in the 1940s with “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66.” Nat King Cole, Chuck Berry, The Rolling Stones and Depeche Mode carried it through the decades, each covering the song with their own flair.

While standing on a corner in Winslow, don’t be surprised if someone saunters up with a guitar and starts strumming favorites from their own road trip playlist.

Before leaving the state, the one-time gold mining town of Oatman features a Wild West atmosphere, daily staged shootouts and beloved burros. Oatman was a destination along one of the original alignments of Route 66 via a treacherous path through the Black Mountains, but it was later bypassed as part of improvements made in the 1950s.

California
Once a desert oasis, Roy’s Motel & Café in Amboy is a quintessential Route 66 landmark. The towering neon sign is one of the most photographed spots along the road. Inside, foreign currency left by international visitors lines one wall. Across the street, a clothing post decorated with shoes, shirts and other items juts up from the desert floor.

This stretch of the highway through the Mojave Desert offers a special kind of solitude. The pavement gets rough in spots and the landscape takes charge, showing off Joshua trees, wide-open spaces and the remnants of ancient volcanic activity.

Much of the area is undeveloped, meaning it looks a lot like it would have when Route 66 was commissioned in 1926.

After making it through oft-congested Los Angeles, the iconic Santa Monica Pier marks the end of the line, and it’s nothing short of a perpetual party with a steady stream of spectators and performers. Although many stretches of Route 66 have lapsed into decay, the breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean are a reminder of the pursuits made possible by the road over the last century.

american road trip neon signs road trip route 66