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Disclaimer :: This article contains sponsored content from the City of Ennis.

Since 2015, this guide has pointed families all over the metroplex to the best spots to view beautiful bluebonnets and wildflowers.

We update this guide every year, but it’s always best to check locations directly for the most current information.

Did you know we are located within the “Bluebonnet Triangle”? This triangle consists of Houston, San Antonio, and DFW as the corners (with the Hill Country in the middle).

Bluebonnet patches are a wonderful place to capture timeless photo ops of your children.

For several years, we’ve polled local moms about the best bluebonnet patches in the North Texas area. These special spots are listed below and are typically at peak bloom around mid-April.

Ennis, TX Bluebonnet Trails logo

Ennis was designated by the 1997 State Legislature as home of the Official Texas Bluebonnet Trail and the Official Bluebonnet City of Texas. From April 1 – 30, Ennis showcases 40+ miles of mapped driving bluebonnet trails presented by the Ennis Garden Club. Visit the Welcome Center (201 NW Main, Ennis, Texas 75119) for your trails map. The Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival will be April 19 – 21 with live music, wine, shopping, food, and activities!

Around the Metroplex

Benbrook YMCA/Dutch Branch Park Area: There are many fields located around the Benbrook YMCA and Dutch Branch Park off Highway 377, so this area is definitely worth a look if you want to stay closer to town. In recent years there were tons of bluebonnets by the nearby FWYSA soccer fields off of Winscott Road, where you can safely park in a parking lot and photograph your children far away from the road.

Other spots in Benbrook: Navigate your way to the back of the Chisholm Trail Dental off of Highway 377 (381 Mercedes St, Benbrook, Texas 76126) office for a surprising patch of plentiful bluebonnets among a somewhat rocky, picturesque terrain. Also accessible from Chisolm Trail Parkway is Longhorn Park. Overlooking the lake, you’re sure to find blooms and a beautiful backdrop.

Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT): There have been some sightings of bluebonnet patches at the BRIT, located on University Drive in Fort Worth. 

Cedar Hill: The Cedar Hill State Park is located about 10 miles outside of Dallas near Joe Pool Lake and has been recommended as a family favorite for bluebonnet sightings. 

Fort Worth: Plan a day near Eagle Mountain Lake and visit the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge. This family friendly location provides a safe space for your children, where you can explore and find the best bluebonnet patches. If you’re not sure where to go, ask a ranger.

Frisco: Freedom Meadow in Warren Park in Frisco is a small yet powerful memorial that pays tribute to those who lost their lives on September 11. Check out the flowers come springtime.

Grand Prairie: From Interstate 20 West, exit Highway 360 South. Continue on 360 South to Broad Street and take a left. Broad Street will become England Parkway as you enter the community of Mira Lagos. Continue on England Parkway until you come to Grand Peninsula, which will be a four-way stop. Turn left on Grand Peninsula and travel about a mile. The patches of bluebonnets will be on the left. (Address for GPS: 2250 Grand Peninsula Dr, Grand Prairie, TX 75054.)

Grapevine: From southbound Texas State Highway 121, take the Texan Trail exit. Bluebonnets have been sighted in the fields north of the frontage road, on the right before Main Street. Safe and easy to access, these fields lie behind the Toyota dealer, essentially at the Trinity Parkway and Hanover Drive intersection.

Mansfield: The Oliver Nature Park has an entire section that boasts wildflowers, but the bluebonnets are the star of the show.

Plano: Bluebonnet Trail Greenbelt runs from Central Expressway to Midway Road, following an Oncor power line easement and along Spring Creek Parkway and Chase Oaks Boulevard. The trail intersects with the Chisholm Trail in the center of Plano and connects with the Preston Ridge Trail at Carpenter Park. 

Texas 408 Spur: Take Interstate 20 East to Texas 408 Spur. Bluebonnets are plentiful close to this area. There is a shoulder along Texas 408 Spur, if you feel it’s safe to pull over along there.

Willow Park: Located near a police and fire station are a few small fields known for a stellar bluebonnet crop — well off from the road where you can safely monitor your children. To get there, head west on I-20, take Exit 418 Willow Park/Ranch House, and turn right. Continue on Ranch House Road for about a mile, and then turn left at the police and fire station at West Stagecoach Trail. Just past the station on your left will be a public play area perfect for toddlers. Surrounding the play area are some small, tree-scattered fields where the bluebonnets should be in their glory come mid-April. There are a couple of picnic tables too, so it really could make for a nice little, sunny picnic spot. You can also check out the Cross Timbers Demonstration Garden in the same area.

Short Drive

Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center: Head to this destination in Denton, which not only features lovely bluebonnets, but it also boasts other beautiful wildflowers.

Ennis, Texas: Ennis is probably the most well-known place to see large areas covered by Texas’ state flower. In 1997, the State Legislature designated it the “Official Bluebonnet City of Texas.” Located about 60 miles southeast of Fort Worth, the drive is a pretty doable day trip. Given that they are known for widespread bluebonnet blankets, it’s easily the best bet for stunning displays. The town’s 40 miles of mapped Bluebonnet Trails sees about 100,000 visitors during the annual sightseeing event April 1-30. The trails are supported by the Ennis Garden Club, whose members regularly drive the trails and post the bloom status weekly, starting in April on the Ennis Welcome Center website. An update about the status of the trails will go up April 1. Stop by the Ennis Visitor Center to get a highlighted trail map April 1-30 and talk to someone about the best bluebonnet drive. 

Texas Hill Country: Hill Country is also a known bluebonnet hotspot. Instead of spreading wide into fields as in Ennis, Hill Country bluebonnets and other wildflowers typically line roadways. And while it’s not possible to get out and be photographed in the wildflowers off the highways because of safety concerns, it sure provides some pleasurable springtime viewing for the whole family — from the safe confines of your automobile.

Take U.S. 380 towards Farmersville: Within Collin County, heading towards Farmersville, you will definitely come across some gorgeous bluebonnet fields. If you continue, you will hit Lavon Lake which will have an area for the whole family. 

More Bluebonnet Ideas

Around area lakes: One spot in particular that seems to stand out is a patch on High Road at Grapevine Lake in Flower Mound that features a narrow, rocky path that cuts through the bluebonnets, and looks to be quite a hidden gem of a location.

Texas Bluebonnets and Wildflowers: Follow this public group on Facebook and receive updates from follower-submitted sightings. These will be wildflower patches all over Texas, so you may not be inclined to pick up and hop in the car to any and all, however, it’s still fun to take a peek at some of the beautiful displays around our great state.

One more tip: To show even more Texas pride, consider wearing jeans with white or red shirts for boys or white or red dresses for girls, as both seem to be popular color scheme choices that contrast well with the blue.

If you are not interested in snapping your own shot, many local photographers offer mini sessions to capture that perfect bluebonnet pic. Check out the Fort Worth Moms’ “Guide to Fort Worth Area Photographers!”

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