It’s bluebonnet season here in Texas! On Wednesday I moved from one Airbnb to another, which meant I had a few hours to either work from a brewery or coffee shop—or find an adventure. Guess what I chose?! I drove about an hour out of Austin to the Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area where I found fields and fields of bluebonnets.
Bluebonnets are the state flower of Texas, and Texans are obsessed with them—and rightly so. They’re gorgeous! They bloom in March and are in full bloom in April. I saw some bluebonnets in and around San Antonio last March, but I’ve really been anticipating them here in Austin this spring.
They are literally here, there, and everywhere! They’re along nearly every highway and major roadway in Austin—and I assume that’s common throughout the state. Texas was the first state to plant flowers alongside the state highways. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has been planting and maintaining wildflowers on highways since the mid-1930s. TxDOT will plant up to 30,000 pounds of seeds each year. Most seeds, like bluebonnets, are planted in the fall, so they can germinate and grow through the winter.
The Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area is northwest of Austin on Lake Travis, which is actually a reservoir on the Colorado River, an approximately 862-mile-long river completely in the state of Texas. Not to be confused with the larger Colorado River which flows through the Grand Canyon. (I was confused last year!)
Muleshoe Bend is a popular place to see bluebonnets and attracts locals and tourists alike. I wish I could have bottled up the wonderfully aromatic smell. It was the perfect destination on a beautifully sunny, 75-degree day.
Bluebonnet season continues for a few more weeks—with other wildflowers popping up as well—and I’m excited to continue my search for beautiful wildflowers.
Here’s a photo gallery of my favorites from my adventure to find bluebonnets. Enjoy!
