FCVB Notes

The annual pilgrimage of wildflower enthusiasts seeking our famous Texas bluebonnets is in full swing.

They come in convertibles and on motorcycles. They come in RVs. They bring bicycles to ride. They drive trucks. They register for special running events and the Bluebonnet Tractor Ride.

At the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau, we try to direct our visitors to roads that have been reported as having nice stands of bluebonnets — usually up Texas 16 North and U.S. 87 North toward Mason, Llano and Burnet. The bluebonnets really do love that granite-based soil!

We try to direct the visitors to areas with public access, like Wildseed Farms, LBJ State and National Parks, Enchanted Rock State Natural Area and the Live Oak Wilderness Trail at Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park.

For over 20 years the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau has not listed a certain “loop” in any of our publicity or publications in an effort to “manage” over-tourism that occurs in April. However, it seems many Fredericksburg residents suggest that visitors go there. That local word of mouth and word of mouth from the thousands who have visited over the years makes it almost impossible to steer visitors away from that drive.

And then, the media spread the love! Austin Monthly just ran an electronic piece touting three great places to see wildflowers west of Austin — Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Wildseed Farms and guess where else? Willow City Loop.

So, we do what we can. Literally hundreds of folks walk in the front door of the Fredericksburg Visitor Information Center in March and April asking for directions to “the loop” or some version of that name. The staff then cheerfully gives directions. However, we never bring “the loop” up as an option unless directly asked.

At the same time, we also try to give out wildflower viewing tips such as:

• Some of our county roads go through private property without a fence along the road. Please do not park and walk into the fields and pastures. And do not cross fences. You will be trespassing and that is illegal.

•Parking on many of our narrow roads can be extremely dangerous due to the speed of vehicles and volume of traffic.

• Watch out for snakes, fire ants and other wild things among the pretty wildflowers.

Not sure if the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau’s ban of promoting “the loop” has made much of a difference for the property owners along Willow City Loop. Hopefully, it has helped lessen traffic on April weekends a bit. We do continue to try to help our visitors, often from urban areas, understand the difference between private property and a park.

I hope our visitors from across the state and the U.S. have a safe and memorable Texas bluebonnet experience. The fragrance of a large field of bluebonnets at my aunt and uncle’s farm east of San Antonio is a cherished childhood memory of mine from the 1950s. And I am sure thousands of Texans have similar memories of spring time in Texas!

Please be extra careful and alert on our county roads over the next couple of weeks as wildflower enthusiasts are out and about in Gillespie County and across the Texas Hill Country.

Loeffler is the president and

CEO of the Fredericksburg

Convention and Visitor Bureau.