In Bloom

The best places to see wildflowers in the Texas Hill Country

Picture of Indian blanket wildflowers at sunset

This is the year to get out and see the wildflowers.

Photo by Marshall Hinsley

The unseasonably warm spring weather and ample rainfall has yielded an early bumper crop of beautiful wildflowers — bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush, coreopsis, and many more are popping up all around town.

While Ennis offers a photo op close to home, there are also lots of viewing opportunities around the Hill Country, which boasts some spectacular stretches of roadway and open fields well-worth a weekend getaway.

Marble Falls
Check out the spectacular bluebonnet vistas at the 400-acre Turkey Bend Recreation area. One of last year’s wildflower hot spots, Muleshoe Bend, is partially underwater, however the areas that are above ground are beautiful. If you want to cruise a stretch of bluebonnet-adorned country road, drive Highway 281 through Burnet all the way to Lampasas.

Fredericksburg
In Fredericksburg, don't miss Wildseed Farms, a family-owned wildflower farm. There, you will find beautiful fields of blooms and lots of family-friendly activities, as well as the option to buy bluebonnets and wildflower seeds.

Johnson City and Llano
Leave Fredericksburg and drive north on Highway 16 toward Llano to see long stretches of wildflowers along a very pleasant and picturesque 40-minute drive. Or take 290 to Johnson City and Fredericksburg with a detour to enjoy the Willow City Loop, which is a favorite for motorcyclists.

Cedar Park
Twenty miles north of downtown Austin, Brushy Creek Lake Park is a perfect spot for family picnics. The park includes a lake, nature trails, picnic areas, and, yes, plenty of wildflowers.

McKinney Falls State Park
If sleeping among the wildflowers appeals to you, this park is a 726-acre preserve with cascading waterfalls, hiking and cycling trails, picnic areas, playgrounds, limestone swimming holes, and fishing in Onion Creek and a campground.

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For more information, photos, and reports, check out Texas Wildflower Sightings. The Texas Department of Transportation also operates a Wildflower Hotline (800-452-9292) for updated information on all locations.

bests parks nature

Airline mayhem

Passenger who was duct taped on Milwaukee-to-Dallas flight arrested

Courtesy photo

Duct tape

An unruly man who was duct-taped by fellow passengers on a flight from Milwaukee to Dallas has been charged for assaulting a flight attendant.

According to a release from U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton, Abdul-al-Jabbar Oloruntoba Olaiya, 29, was charged via criminal complaint with interfering with a flight crew by assault or intimidation within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States.

Olaiya injured a flight attendant in an attempt to exit the plane mid-air.

According to court documents, on November 19, roughly two hours into the flight from Milwaukee to Dallas, Olaiya became frustrated with the flight attendant as she worked the forward galley.

Witnesses told law enforcement they heard Olaiya say he was “captain of this flight” and needed to “get off the plane.”

He then allegedly charged the flight attendant in an attempt to access the aircraft exit door. The flight attendant, identified in court documents as S.J., used her body to shield the door and was injured in the scuffle.

Other passengers rushed to assist, tackling Olaiya and duct-taping his wrists and ankles, then keeping him subdued for the rest of the flight. With only 30 minutes left, the pilots continued to DFW, calling the tower for priority landing and taxing. The incident made national news.

Once they landed, Olaiya was removed from the plane by officers and taken in for a mental evaluation. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Levi Thomas is prosecuting the case.

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In Bloom

The best places to see wildflowers in the Texas Hill Country

Airline mayhem

Passenger who was duct taped on Milwaukee-to-Dallas flight arrested

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