Virginia Bluebells in Bull Run Regional Park

April is the best time to get outside and view the lovely Virginia Bluebells.

Last year we missed seeing these pretty blue and pink flowers. I was so curious to see them, I knew we had to go somewhere that would be guaranteed to have them blooming. Bull Run Regional Park is famous for their Virginia Bluebells, so I watched their social media pages closely to see when they would be in full bloom. We went on April 9.

It’s easy to find the Bluebell Trail – it’s just across the road from Bull Run’s Atlantis Waterpark. The Bluebell Trail makes a 1.8-mile loop.

The Virginia Bluebells were quite impressive, carpeting the forest floor with dainty patches of blue.

We arrived bright and early in the morning, around 7:30am. We were mostly by ourselves until about 8:30-9:00am, when people started streaming over to the Bluebell Trail.

Virginia Bluebells

The Virginia Bluebell, Virginia Cowslip, or Mertensia virginica, is a member of the Borage Family (Boraginaceae) and blooms March to June. In Virginia the peak bloom time is in April. These native flowers grow throughout eastern and mid-western North America in floodplains and moist woods.

While most Bluebells are light blue, you can also find rare instances where they are pink.

Recommended as an Easy Hike

I am glad we made a trip out to Bull Run Regional Park to see the Virginia Bluebells.  It’s an enjoyable short walk through the woods and a great way to see these charming blue wildflowers at their finest.