Tips for Seeing the Bluebonnets in Ennis, Texas

Spring is in the air! My favorite thing about spring is the flowers, and I’ve seen so many beautiful blooms all across the U.S. from the tulips in Oregon to the cherry blossoms in Washington D.C. to the Texas bluebonnets. This blog post will give you everything you need to know about visiting the bountiful bluebonnets in Ennis, Texas.

Why Are The Texas Bluebonnets Special?

They say everything is bigger in Texas, so bluebonnets are definitely a big deal! They are also the Texas state flower.

Bluebonnets are a fascinating flower because they thrive in soil that has been heavily disturbed, meaning it has gone through drought, heavy grazing or even a recent fire.

Many Texans make a tradition out of taking photos in the fields of bluebonnets every year come springtime.

Where Are The Bluebonnets?

Ennis, Texas is one of the best places to see bluebonnets in Texas and is a lovely place to visit in the spring. Ennis is a small town about 40 minutes away from Dallas that has been designated ‘The Official Bluebonnet City of Texas,’ and for good reason! Ennis has been cultivating their bluebonnets for over 65 years and is home to the oldest known bluebonnet trails in Texas. Tens of thousands of visitors come every year to see the flowers in bloom and follow the famous Ennis Bluebonnet Trails.

Most bluebonnets are found in Texas Hill Country, but they are also found in North Texas and the Big Bend region. You will also see them on the side of the highways when traveling through Texas in the spring. This is one of the many reasons why springtime is the best time for a Texas road trip!

When is the Best Time to See The Bluebonnets?

Bluebonnets typically only bloom in the month of April, and they usually peak around the third week of the month, but this can vary depending on the weather and other various conditions.

If you want to ensure you see the bluebonnets, then you’ll want to stay in the loop with the Ennis Tourism Board and the Ennis Bluebonnets social medias. The tourism board website will give you everything you need to know about visiting Ennis, and the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails website provides weekly status updates of the bluebonnet blooms in April and the surrounding weeks. They also recommend the best places to go each week and will share photos and videos throughout the month.

The Ennis Bluebonnets Festival

The annual Ennis Bluebonnet Festival also typically occurs in April when the bluebonnets are at their best. The festival has live music performances, a market with local vendors, kids activities and guided walks through the bluebonnet fields. Ennis also hosts a ‘Wine Wander’ during the festival wherein you purchase a ticket and receive a wine glass that you carry with you around town to sample various wines from the different wineries. You can find the full festival schedule and a list of all the vendors here.

You don’t want to miss this festival while you’re visiting Ennis!

Tips for Seeing the Ennis Bluebonnets

Be respectful of the flowers. Don’t step on them or pick them. Try to leave no trace so they look as beautiful as when you arrived. Remember, look, but don’t touch. In my photos where you see me holding a bluebonnet, it’s actually a fake flower that I purchased at the store before my trip.
Don’t trespass and please be respectful of private property. Lots of driving trails in Ennis will take you past private property.
There is a possibility to see a snake or other wildlife among the tall wildflowers, so for this reason I suggest wearing close toed shoes, high socks or even boots. You’re in Texas, after all, so it’s the perfect time to dust off those cowboy boots!

Bluebonnet Driving Trails

Once you get to Ennis, you can pick up a trail map or you can download it from the Ennis Bluebonnet website. Ennis has over 40 miles of driving trails, so you will not leave disappointed! The routes will take you both through downtown Ennis and into the nearby countryside where you’re sure to see all sorts of farm animals such as cows, horses, and even some longhorns and llamas. You’ll see bluebonnets all along the roads, sometimes extending into large fields where the cattle are grazing. This makes for an amazing photo op!

There are three sections of the trails; the North Trail, the South Trail, and my personal favorite, the West Trail. Almost all of my photos were taken on the West Trail. The following destinations are my favorite stops and routes for each trail.

North Trail

Andrew Road

Andrew Road is undoubtedly one of the prettiest roads on the driving trails. There are bluebonnets all along the road, and you’ll see fields covered with blue flowers in the distance. It’s also up on a hill so you can see the gorgeous rolling countryside off in the distance.

Sugar Ridge Winery

Sugar Ridge Winery is located on the driving trails near Andrew Road and the small town of Bristol. This family-owned winery offers tastings, winery tours and live music. This is a stop that will definitely make your trip worthwhile.

Belgian Horses

Not far from the winery on Sugar Ridge Road, you’ll find a field with beautiful Belgian horses right off the road. They have bins of oats next to the fences with a sign saying you can feed them. Keep an eye out for the horse icon on the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Map to find this spot.

South Trail

In my opinion, if you drove out to Ennis then you might as well visit the South Trail. Although, if you’re very short on time this is the one to skip because it has the least amount of bluebonnets and not any good places to stop. Along the South Trail, Highway 85 has the most bluebonnets, but along the highway and all the residential areas, the speed limit is higher so you’ll be driving past the bluebonnets a lot faster.

West Trail

Meadow View Nature Area

This park is right on Bardwell Lake, and it has a large field of bluebonnets blooms. It is arguably the best place to see bluebonnets in Ennis, and it’s probably the most photogenic as well. It does get crowded, but there is so much wide open space that it’s still pretty easy to get photos at any time of day.

This area is all trees, grass, lake, and bluebonnets, of course. There are a few picnic tables and porta potties set up in the park.

Veterans Memorial Park

Veterans Memorial Park is another park close to downtown Ennis. Although this park is smaller, it’s still a great place to see a lot of bluebonnets blooming in the field. I also found it to be a lot less crowded than Meadow View. Here you can also find a Veterans Memorial and restrooms.