Where do you find the best bluebonnets around Austin? One of our favorite places to see them each year is at Muleshoe Bend Park, located near Spicewood, Texas, about 45 minutes West of Austin. This 654 acre park is operated by the Lower Colorado River Authority or LCRA. It features 10 miles of hiking and biking trails, along with several miles of dirt road that parallel the Colorado River (that other one in Texas). If spring wildflowers and bluebonnets are your thing, this is the place to go from around mid March to mid April each year.
Many families come to Muleshoe Bend Park each spring to take photos among the flowers, which depending on spring rainfall, may vary in density. There are times when the entire lakefront section of the park appears to be covered with a huge rolling blue carpet of wildflowers.
Covid-19 Precautions: Visitors are required to wear a mask when using restroom facilities and when visiting the park office, as well as maintaining proper social distancing everywhere in the park.
The Best Time to Visit Muleshoe Bend Park to See Bluebonnets
Texas bluebonnets (which are the state flower) last only a bit longer than a scoop of Blue Bell ice cream does on a hot summer day, so you’ll want to find when out when they’re blooming. The number for the park office is 512-473-3366 and if they’re not busy with checking in customers, the friendly staff will be glad to let you know about the bloom and other park conditions.
We recommend mid-March to mid-April; however, spring rainfall may trigger the bloom to occur earlier or later in the year. Weekdays are usually the best time to go – if you’re lucky enough to be able to visit then – as weekends can become a bit crowded during the peak of the blooming season.
Dogs are Welcome – Use Caution
Well-behaved dogs are welcome, if they are kept on a leash. When enjoying the wildflowers, try to not let your dogs, or your own feet trample the delicate flowers. Find a bare spot among the flowers to take your photo and tread lightly as they’re in the process of making seeds for next year’s crop of flowers.
Caution: The LCRA has reported that toxic algae has been found in lake water nearby. This algae bloom is a result of stagnant water that occurs when lake levels drop. Several dogs have become sick after swimming in Lake Travis in areas where toxic algae is blooming (not the good kind of blooming). To be on the safe side, it’s best not to let your dogs drink or swim in the lake at this time.
Fees and Camping
The fee to enter Muleshoe Bend Park is only $5 per adult and children under 12 are free. Seniors can enter for $2. If you’re camping, the fee is $25, which includes the entrance fee for two people.
There are 34 campsites, which are nicely spaced apart from each other. Depending on what the lake level is at the time – Lake Travis varies in level greatly – you may be no more than a few feet from the water’s edge. We’ll be camping there this coming weekend, so our next post will have more in-depth info about camping at Muleshoe Bend Park.
