2020 Texas Bluebonnet Season Forecast and Best Locations
Howdy y’all! I am back with my annual “Where to Find the Best Bluebonnets” this year post. This is now the fifth year in a row I have published this type of article, because I remember how hard it was to find these scenes when I first got started!
I know everyone is wondering how the season is looking. With a decently wet fall and maybe just cool enough winter, we should be in for an average hot or miss season with above average displays in some areas. The wet start to March should be beneficial if the grasses don’t get too much of a fast start. Blooms are already out in metro areas, where temperatures are warmer. This is not an uncommon occurrence.
This will be a year of great change over for this article, as it seems the best displays are rooting in some new areas, and some of the well known places simply have not been producing tremendous displays as of late. Five locations that have never made the list before are included and some mainstays from the last few years have fallen off completely.
I am going to start this year’s list by highlighting where I suggest not to go.
Brenham has been removed as there have been multiple large fields mowed down in a deliberate effort to kill off the flowers. If you mow the plants before they produce their seed pods, they are gone forever. The massive fields off Indian Paintbrush Road and at Chappell Hill First Baptist Church were both mowed down after sprouting. The main reason being large crowds not respecting property lines. Upsetting, but hard to blame them.
Willow City Loop is no longer on the list, as upon leaving the road, you are immediately trespassing on private property. It is also an absolute nightmare during wildflower season, with long lines of cars and people doing stupid things. There were even full size tour buses, loaded with paying guests, spotted there last year. Insane. Honestly, it’s not all that great of a location and the property owners really don’t want you there, so why even go?
Look at any other list like this and you are sure to see Muleshoe Bend included, along with an image of rolling hills of bluebonnets as far as the eye can see. Problem is, the areas in the images have been under water since the drought broke in 2015! If you go here for a nice day by the water, you’ll love it. Go there to see bluebonnets, you’re going to be disappointed.
10. Ennis
Ennis is a conundrum when it comes to their bluebonnet season. They honestly haven’t had a great season since 2012. The town is an awesome place with their Bluebonnet Trails and Bluebonnet Trails Festival. They do a great job updating people on when to visit to see flowers. Ennis makes its way up and down my list year after year. 2018 and 2019 had relatively poor showings. 2017 was okay, but very late in the season, last week of April/ first week of May. If you want to try Ennis, I would say go late, check out the trails. Who knows? Maybe Mach Road will come back. I also suggest Highway 34 running northeast out of town.
2019 ranking : Number 3
9. Mahomet
This tiny town north of Liberty Hill consists of just a handful of structures and a couple roads, the main one being FM 243. On the south side of the road just west of the center of town is a large bluebonnet field that contains a herd of longhorns and cattle. The historic church in town usually has its ground covered by wildflowers. This area tends to bloom pretty late, so if you’re reading this article in mid-April, hopefully it will be worth the drive.
2019 ranking : Not ranked
8. Burnet
Pronounced “burn it”, Burnet is the Bluebonnet Capital of Texas. They have a large Bluebonnet Festival each spring and two eight foot tall bluebonnets at the Visitor’s Center on Highway 29. Highway 281 usually has a good showing of fields of wildflowers. Head west out of town on 29 towards Buchanan Dam and you will find the abandoned Bluebonnet Dance Hall and Tavern, which makes a great photo opportunity with the patch of flowers in the foreground. Inks Lake State Park and Park Road 4 often have great roadside displays.
2019 ranking : Not ranked
7. Mason
Take Highway 29 from Llano to Mason as the roadsides there are often covered. The grounds of the church and cemeteries along the road near Art are often covered with flowers. RR 2839 is often a hot spot during peak wildflower season with good roadside coverage or fields depending on the time of year you visit. Pontotoc, a ghost town, along Highway 71 northeast of Mason usually has great coverage at the ruins of settler’s homes around town. Hickory Grove Rd is a dirt road that’s had some really solid displays in past seasons.
2019 ranking : Not ranked
6. Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg is always an excellent visit during wildflower season. Apart from being a charming town with a lot of tourist attractions, including wineries, restaurants, and lodging. it is a great wildflower destination. The Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historical Site usually has longhorn with some wildflowers in their pasture. Just west of there is Wildseed Farms, which grows acres of wildflowers to harvest the seeds. Highway 16 north of town is a very scenic drive with some roadside scenes. While I do not encourage flower seekers to venture down Willow CIty Loop, it is located off Highway 16. If you do take this route and step off of the roadway, you do risk being arrested for trespassing. Law enforcement moving people along is not an uncommon sight here in spring. I especially discourage visiting there on the weekends.
2019 ranking : Number 9
5. Marble Falls
Marble Falls is also always a good choice during wildflower season. You can see the iconic Bluebonnet House on Highway 281, which has shown good flower coverage the last few years. Keep driving south into town and stop for a piece of pie at the Bluebonnet Cafe. County Road 120 north of town also had some very large fields in 2019. Turkey Bend Recreation Area, nestled along the Colorado River usually has very good coverage of bluebonnets.
2019 ranking : Number 4
4. Terlingua
While it’s a bit off the beaten bath for the purposes of this list and does require a couple day trip of its own, the Chisos Bluebonnets coverage in the Big Bend region has been nothing short of incredible the last few years. Located deep in southwest Texas, the town of Terlingua borders the Rio Grande and Big Bend National Park. 2019 was a banner year, which locals described as the best in 40 years. Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive was nothing short of exceptional, with bluebonnets for miles. Typically we see Chisos Bluebonnets pretty spread out, but they were jam packed across the landscape. Tuff Canyon and River Road West were also great locations within BBNP. Highway 118, just north of Terlingua was lined solid blue. Oh, and this is one of the darkest skies in the world for stargazing and astrophotography.
2019 ranking : Number 5
3. Poteet
Birthplace of George Strait and home of the annual Strawberry Festival, the small town of Poteet has some of the me most welcoming residents in the entire state of Texas. The wildflowers here are exceptional. While you’ll mostly see Sandyland Bluebonnets, which are slightly smaller and a lighter shade of blue, there are also Texas Bluebonnets, and the two are nearly indiscernible. Highly suggest checking out the area around FM 476.
2019 ranking : Not ranked
2. Llano
Llano is a small town in the Texas Hill Country and is usually THE spot to see Texas Bluebonnets every year. I can’t see why 2020 would be any different. Highway 29 east and west of town are usually really good. Highway 16 north and south out of town always have awesome displays. Highway 71 northwest of town usually has tons of Indian Paintbrush mixed in with the bluebonnets. You could probably spend a whole week in Llano and not see it all. I recommend taking as many small county roads in this area as possible. If you’re passing through, the obvious lunch recommendations are the historic Cooper’s BBQ and the lesser known Burger Bar Cafe has one of the best hamburgers in the state.
2019 ranking : Number 7
1. The Original Texas Bluebonnet Workshops and Tours
We started running Texas Bluebonnet Workshops in 2015. This expanded to include our tours in 2017. Each year hundreds of guests trust us to take them out to see our beautiful Texas wildflowers. As imitators surface, remember we were the first, we are the best, and we have the most extensive scouting program, which begins in January each year!
The only thing better than driving around looking at bluebonnets is riding around looking at bluebonnets. We spend months scouting our locations and know exactly when each field is looking its finest. We only go to safe locations and never pull off on the shoulders of busy highways. There's always plenty of time to photograph the scenes and you get expert photo advice to assure you get the best shots. Learn more about our tours and workshops. Hurry spots fill up fast!
2019 ranking : Number 1
This is now the 5th consecutive year I have put out this article. You can view my other editions here (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019). You never know if some of those old spots could return to their former glory.
Got a spot I missed? One of my locations not doing so great? Let us know in the comments below!