Catherine Parker
Best Places to See Wildflowers in Texas
Pack up the picnic basket and make a day of it. Meander down the back roads and byways of Cental Texas and the Texas Hill Country. Find roadsides popping with color from the Texas State Flower, the Texas Bluebonnet. The wildflower season starts in mid-March and continues until the first days of summer. Here’s the Best Places to See Wildflowers in Texas from Texas State Parks to scenic byways across the state.
LBJ National and State Parks
Head on west of Austin along U.S. 290 for a day trip with lots of wildflowers. Stop in Johnson City for a quick lunch and stop in the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park in downtown Johnson City.
Farther west along U.S. 290, this pair of parks offers spectacular spring wildflowers in the Texas Hill Country. Visit the LBJ State Park first at 199 Park Rd. 52 in Stonewall to secure a driving permit to enter the LBJ National Historical Park. Located behind the state park. Free
Read More about LBJ National Historical Park
Pedernales Falls State Park
Along the banks of the Pedernales River, find limestone outcroppings and spring wildflowers.
Located at 2585 Park Road 6026 in Johnson City. Adult admission (13+) is $6 and kids 12 and under are free. Camping available.
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Jutting out of the ground, see the 425-foot pink granite monolith for miles before you see its entrance gate. It’s a good climb for those willing to scale it. At the base, find lots of wildflowers.
Located at 16710 Ranch Rd. 965 in Fredericksburg. Adult admission (13+) is $7 and kids 12 and under are free. Camping available.
Blanco State Park
With wildflowers, a natural swimming area and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) buildings, find wildflowers along the banks of Blanco River.
Located at 101 Park Rd. 6026 in Blanco. Adult admission (13+) is $5 and kids 12 and under are free. Camping available.
Read More: Top Tips for Seeing Texas Wildflowers
Guadalupe River State Park
Along the Guadalupe River, wildflowers intermingle with native trees.
Located at 3350 Park Rd 31 in Spring Branch. Adult admission (13+) is $7 and kids 12 and under are free. Camping available.
Garner State Park
In the shadow of Old Baldy, the highest point in Garner State Park, find lots of wildflowers. Hike along the banks of the Frio River for more opportunities. Garner State Park features historic Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) buildings and it a top state park in Texas.
Located at 234 Ranch Road 1050 near Concan. Adult admission (13+) is $8 and kids 12 and under are free. Camping available.
Government Canyon State Park
Discover this rugged beauty and wildflowers along its 40 miles of trails. And it’s the recharge zone for San Antonio’s water system.
Located at 12861 Galm Rd. near San Antonio. Adult admission (13+) is $6 and kids 12 and under are free. Camping available.
Read More: Best Hill Country Camping
Texas Hill Country Wildflower Drives
Find the best wildflowers along the Texas highways and byways in the Texas Hill Country. Here’s some of the best highways to drive.
U.S. Route 290
Hit the highway and head west out of Austin on U.S. Route 290. Start in Dripping Springs and continue past LBJ National and State Parks all the way to Fredericksburg to find prime wildflower viewing.
Texas State Highway 71
Another option west of Austin, Texas State Highway 71 is often covered in Texas wildflowers. Continue to U.S. Route 281, either north or south.
Read More: The Best Texas Road Trip Snacks
Texas State Highway 29
Head west from Georgetown, take Texas Highway 29 to Burnet. Though you can continue west through Mason.
Texas State Highway 16
Take Texas Highway 16 north out of Fredericksburg to Llano then turn back on Texas Highway 29.
U.S. Highway 87
Located south of Fredericksburg drive along U.S. 87 Highway to Comfort.
U.S. Highway 83
Drive up U.S. Highway 83 from Uvalde through Concan to Junction for wildflowers in far western Hill Country.
Texas State Highway 55
Another option out of Uvalde, Texas State Highway 55 heads west to Rocksprings.
Learn About Wildflowers
“Where flowers bloom so does hope.” Lady Bird Johnson
Former First Lady Lady Bird spent her life protecting the native plants and landscapes of Texas, and the U.S. Learn about wildflowers and native plants at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Lady Bird and Helen Hayes, the actress, founded the National Wildflower Research Center, later renamed the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. With 280 acres south of Austin find over 900 native Texas species. And it’s a Texas State Botanic Garden and Arboretum by the Texas Legislature.
Open every day except major holidays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Located at 4801 La Crosse Ave. in South Austin. Adult admission is $15 and kids 5 to 17 are $8. Reservations required for adults.
Top Wildflowers in Texas
According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife, over 5,000 different species of wildflowers grow in Texas. Though many grow and flourish in the poor and rocky soils along the highways, not all do. Some flowers like the marshy areas down in ditches.
Texas Bluebonnet takes the top spot. And it doesn’t disappoint, even visitors to Texas know about our state flower. Kids and pets patiently pose for the iconic Texas family photo while 18-wheelers whiz by.
Indian Paintbrush forms a spectacular sight with bright red flowers when en masse.
Pink Evening Primrose are some of the first flowers to peek in the Spring. Freely reseeding, find colonies all over Texas roadsides.
Indian Blanket offers cheery faces with rings of red and deep yellow.
Plains Coreopsis or Tickseed, form colonies of yellow and maroon flowers.
Mexican Hat features a center that sticks out like a finger with petals of red or yellow.
Wine Cup sports single deep wine colored flowers covering sprawling plants.
