Wildflower Drives
Looking for wildflower drives? Hop in!
As spring sunshine lures us outdoors to a fresh array of spectacular, bejeweled fields, it’s the question on every wannabe wanderer’s mind: Where can I drive around and look at impressive vistas of wildflowers?
In a state this big, the possibilities are endless and pretty mind-blowing in a year with good rain. Photo Editor Sonja Sommerfeld corralled some of your favorite photographers for their views on some great drives and the blooms you’ll spy on them.
For more details and links, visit our blog.
Rob Greebon | Images from Texas
Blackland Prairie
Wild petunia, golden puccoon, rose vervain, bluebonnets
WHERE TO GO: Meadow View Nature Area near Ennis; U.S. 287; Texas Highway 31 near Corsicana; Ennis Bluebonnet Trail (April 1-30).
Kathy Adams Clark
East Texas
Dogwoods, redbuds and yellow jessamine
WHERE TO GO: Loops near Palestine, Rusk, Nacogdoches.
Loop One: From Palestine, east on U.S. 84 to Rusk. Then south on U.S. 69 to Alto. Skirt border of Davy Crockett National Forest on Texas 21 to Crockett. Head back to Palestine on U.S. 287.
Loop Two: Take Texas 21 west from Nacogdoches to Weches. Then FM 227 south to Ratcliff. Finish by taking Texas 7 back to Nacogdoches.
Sean Fitzgerald
Far East Texas
Spiderwort, phlox, milkweed
WHERE TO GO: From Marshall, go north along Texas 43 toward Karnack. Take a detour to visit Karnack, Uncertain and Caddo Lake State Park, then head back to Texas 43 north to Atlanta. Take U.S. 59 to Linden; Texas 155 to Avinger; Texas 49 to Jefferson, then U.S. 59 back to Marshall.
Kathy Adams Clark
Panhandle
Paperflower, blackfoot daisy, lemon horsemint
WHERE TO GO: Highways and roads between Caprock Canyons and Palo Duro Canyon state parks.
Bee Creek Photography
West Texas
Big Bend bluebonnets, sand bells, yellow desert marigolds, scarlet bouvardia, silverleaf nightshade
WHERE TO GO: FM 170 from Presidio to Big Bend Ranch State Park to Terlingua and Texas 118 north to Alpine.
Eric W. Pohl
Hill Country
Winecups, bluebonnets, evening primrose, scarlet sage, Indian paintbrush, coreopsis and firewheel
WHERE TO GO: From Mason take Texas 29 to FM 2768 to Castell, then FM 152 to Llano and Texas 16 south toward Fredericksburg (Wildseed Farms and Luckenbach). On the way to Fredericksburg, take FM 965 to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area or FM 1323 to the Willow City Loop. Take U.S. 87 back to Mason.
Chase Fountain | TPWD
Highland Lakes
Bluebonnets
WHERE TO GO: Take U.S. 281 south from Marble Falls to FM 962 to Cypress Mill, then FM 301 to U.S. 281. From Marble Falls, take FM 1431 to Kingsland, then FM 2342 to Inks Lake State Park to Texas 29 and east to Burnet.
Sean Fitzgerald
Washington County
Bluebell, winecup, Indian blanket
WHERE TO GO: Along Texas 103, FM 390, FM 50; Burton to Brenham to Chappell Hill (the Bluebonnet Festival of Texas is in April in Chappell Hill).
Kathy Adams Clark
South Hill Country
Rock daisies, prairie verbena, Texas skeleton plant, winecups, blue sage
WHERE TO GO: From Bandera, take FM 470 to Utopia, then FM 187 through Vanderpool to Texas 39 to Hunt.
Bandera Loop: Head northwest from Bandera on Texas 16. In Medina go west on FM 337 to Vanderpool and Leakey. In Leakey turn south on U.S. 83 to Garner State Park. Go east on FM 1050 to Utopia. Then take FM 187 to FM 470 back to Bandera.
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