The cherry blossoms have largely faded, but that doesn’t mean your Instagram feed won’t still be sprinkled over the coming days with people posing themselves, their kids, and their pets against a backdrop of flowers.
Enter the bluebell.
If you haven’t had enough of a spring-flower fix, consider a trip to Bull Run Regional Park in Centreville, where just now the Bluebell Trail is peaking. The 1.5-mile loop trail is surrounded almost its entire length by a carpet of the delicate blue buds, which are native to Virginia, along with other wildflowers such as trout lily. Even without the flowers, it’s a nice walk in a park, mostly along water (both Bull Run and Cub Run) where you’ll also spot—and hear—toads and frogs.
There’s a Wonder of Wildflowers guided walk on Sunday, April 14, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. (While it’s too late to sign up for the Bluebell 5K on Saturday, April 13, be aware that it’s happening.) Your best bet for avoiding the heaviest crowds is to visit on a weekday.
Sherri Dalphonse joined Washingtonian in 1986 as an editorial intern, and worked her way to the top of the masthead when she was named editor-in-chief in 2022. She oversees the magazine’s editorial staff, and guides the magazine’s stories and direction. She lives in DC.
