Wildflower Wonders: Road Trip Through America’s Spring Blooms

When spring settles in, everything seems right in the world. The air feels fresher; the breeze feels calmer; the birds sound happier. As the days get longer and we shed a few layers, there’s only one thing left to do: take a toad trip. 

What if we helped you design a road trip based on the blossoming wildflowers popping up all over the country? That would make for one heck of an Instagram reel. Together, let’s travel from coast to coast and see which stops you’d like to make along the way. 

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park | California

We feel like we have to start here, given the irony of a desert being in full bloom. But, boy, is it ever. As March slips into April, you’ll find sand verbena, desert lilies, blooming cacti, and desert gold. And, if you’d like to turn your road trip into an off-road adventure, you can also do that here as you explore the slot canyons. 

Hill Country | Texas

Springtime in Central Texas is, perhaps, the most magical time of year. Seas of blubonnets cover the land in unstoppable beauty. You’ll also find lots of Indian paintbrush and pink evening primrose blanketing the roadside. While you’re here, stop in Fredericksburg for a wine tasting or Luckenbach for some live music and small-town charm. 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park | Tennessee

Further east, the Smokies are just waiting to dazzle and delight us. From mid-April to May, you’ll find trillium in full bloom, lady’s slipper orchids, and plenty of violets dancing in the shady forest glades. You can hike up to Clingman’s Dome for sweeping views of the seas of flowers or meander along the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. 

Carrrizo Plain National Monument | California

Back over in California, you can experience a technicolor carpet of tidy tips, goldfields, and phacelia stretching all across the valley floor. When you’re here, keep your eye out for petroglyphs at Painted Rock, or spot pronghorn and tule elk roaming the plain. Seeing the wildlife out and about like this is the perfect pairing for a road trip centered around spring’s blossoming wildflowers.