It’s still only mid-February here in the Big Bend, but you would never know it by the weather. So far, this is the second consecutive mild winter in a row, and I was fearing a lack of wildflowers again this year, after a total bust last spring. However, my wife and I took a backroads trip through Big Bend National Park on Valentine’s Day, and the profusion of early wildflowers was astonishing. Here is a sample of our day out:
We’re also looking forward to a spectacular blooming of the cactus as we get later into spring, but for now the “hills are alive” with the perfume that is the signature of wildflowers in the Big Bend.
texasflashdude 
Well, aren’t you a sweetheart! The photos are glorious, although I must say I’m surprised to see such a bloom in mid-February. Is this earlier than usual? I think I still have some of the midwestern predisposition to think of ‘spring’ as mid-April, and I have to keep readjusting my mental calendar. Beyond that, we’ve been in such an extended period of fog, cloud, and drizzle, that it’s hard to remember other parts of the state are moving right along into spring.
When does the cactus bloom take place (approximately, of course)? A friend and I have been muttering about how much fun it would be to see some sights like that. She’s a varnisher, too, so any trip would be dependent on finally getting some work done, but maybe….
Linda, the cactus starts to bloom in April and blooms at various stages according to species all the way into July. Best months are typically April and May
Thanks…