Experience the wildflowers of Burnet County in the Highland Lakes
The landscape in the Highland Lakes of Burnet County explodes with an abundance of color each spring as wildflowers burst forth for a show you have to see with your own eyes. Pictures are great, but no photo can really do the visual justice. Roll down your windows and drive slowly to enjoy the sights and smells of a variety of flora, including bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes, evening primroses, winecups, and more.
An incredible showing of gorgeous blooms in Burnet County can be found along U.S. 281 and Texas 71, but side roads hide away the best shows. Try a trip down RR 2341 and county roads 340, 341, and 401 for some of the best in Burnet County wildflowers.
A preview of what you’ll find on a typical early spring drive through Burnet County can be found in the Highland Lakes Wildflowers Guide. Find out more about the names, histories, and statuses of wildflowers, especially the bluebonnet, voted the state flower of Texas in 1901.
This spring is extra special as the Highland Lakes of Burnet County is making a comeback from COVID-19. Some of the most popular events, which were canceled in 2020, are back on the Springtime Events lineup.
A highlight is the incredible Bluebonnet Festival in Burnet the weekend of April 9-11. It’s known as “The Most Amazing Small Town Festival in Texas.” With live music, a carnival, food, arts and crafts, and numerous competitions, the Bluebonnet Festival has something for everyone.
To take more than memories home, you’ll want to attend the Highland Arts Guild Spring Show in Marble Falls on April 3-4 and April 9-10 to pick up some handcrafted wildflower originals. Be sure to check out the gift shops at the Highland Arts Gallery, Kingsland House of Arts and Crafts, and Buchanan Arts and Crafts Gallery. The area also boasts many fine art galleries that rival any urban area.
Museums are opening as well. For a free tour through a pioneer town carpeted with wildflowers, visit the grand reopening of Fort Croghan on April 8. Fort Croghan is located at 703 Buchanan (U.S. 281) in Burnet. Another vacation activity for all ages, you can step back in time to the 1850s and see the characters “living” as in the old days with their western wear and antiquated tools and farming utensils, connecting the past with the present and future.
The Falls on the Colorado Museum, 2001 Broadway in Marble Falls, is surrounded by bluebonnets and red honeysuckle. Rest in the shade of an oak tree before and after checking out an ancient bison skeleton, Native American artifacts, and the latest exhibit on wildflowers.
