padre-island | TX | Find park

Yellow flowers bloom in the dunes along Malaquite Beach.

Small shell fragments in the sand long the beach.

Depending on the conditions, shells can be found along the gulf beaches.

Two deer feed on grass. Their antlers have velvet on them.

Deer can often be seen foraging in the grasslands.

Several sea turtle hatchlings crawl on the sand towards the Gulf of Mexico.

Attending a sea turtle hatchling release is a popular activity in the mid-summer.

A hawk like bird with an orange beak stands on a fence post.

The crested caracara, also known as the Mexican eagle, can be found year-round in the park.

Small wooden structures are seen looking through a wood fence.

The historic Novillo Line Camp provides a window into the island's past ranching history.

Several brown pelicans stand on the sand next to the edge of the sea.

Brown pelicans can often be seen along the Gulf of Mexico.

Physical Address:

20420 Park Road 22

Corpus Christi, TX 78418

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 181300

Corpus Christi, TX 78480

contact-details

Phone Number: (361) 949-8068 Voice

Email Address: pais_visitor_center@nps.gov
Description: This is the primary park e-mail address for visitors to ask questions and get information about the park.

Fees

Entrance Fees

Commercial Entrance - Sedan: $25.00

Pass is valid for the day of purchase and the next six days for a vehicle carrying the same group of passengers. The entry fees of commercial tours are based upon the total capacity of vehicles that can carry seven or more passengers regardless of the actual number of passengers.

Commercial Entrance - Van: $40.00

Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus: $40.00

Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach: $100.00

Entrance - Private Vehicle: $25.00

Admits the passholder and up to 15 passengers in the same private (non-commercial) vehicle. It expires one week from the date of purchase. For private vehicles, this entrance pass is required for overnight camping. A 1-day entrance pass is available for $10 per vehicle. 1-day entrance passes expire at midnight on the date of purchase and are not valid for overnight camping.

Entrance - Motorcycle: $20.00

Admits the passholder and passenger of one motorcycle. It expires one week from the date of purchase. For motorcyclists, this entrance pass is required for overnight camping. A 1-day entrance pass is available for $5 per motorcycle. 1-day entrance passes expire at midnight on the date of purchase and are not valid for overnight camping.

Entrance - Per Person: $15.00

Admits one individual bicyclist, hiker, or pedestrian visiting the facility without a private vehicle. An individual pass is not required for visitors aged 15 and under. It expires one week from the date of purchase. For an individual, this entrance pass is required for overnight camping. A 1-day entrance pass is available for $5 per person. 1-day entrance passes expire at midnight on the date of purchase and are not valid for overnight camping.

Entrance - Non-commercial Groups: $15.00

Non-commercial groups traveling in a vehicle with a capacity of 16 persons or more are charged per person. This entrance pass is valid for one week from the date of purchase. Fees will not exceed the commercial fee for the same-sized vehicle. Youth 15 and younger are free. Individuals or families with any valid Annual or Lifetime pass may use their pass for entry.

Entrance Passes

Annual Entrance - Park: $45.00

Admits the passholder and up to 15 passengers in the same private (non-commercial) vehicle or motorcycle. It expires one year from the month of purchase.

Protecting sixty-six miles of wild coastline along the Gulf of Mexico, the narrow barrier island is home to one of the last intact coastal prairie habitats in the United States. Along the hypersaline Laguna Madre, unique tidal mud flats teem with life. Native Americans, Spanish explorers and cattle ranchers have walked along its shores. Padre Island National Seashore is waiting to be rediscovered.

park designation:National Seashore

Directions:

The National Seashore is located on North Padre Island, southeast of the city of Corpus Christi, Texas. Visitors to the area should head east through Corpus Christi on Highway 358. After crossing the JFK Causeway onto Padre Island, Highway 358 changes to Park Road 22. Continue about 10 miles south on Park Road 22 to reach the park entrance.

For detailed directions, please visit this link.

Directions

Operating Hours:

Overall park access hours

The park is open 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. However, park facilities are not open 24 hours per day. Hours for the entrance station, where the required entrance pass is sold, vary from day to day. If the entrance station is not open when you arrive, you can proceed into the park. If you are camping, go back to the entrance station the next morning and obtain an entrance pass. If not camping, pay the entrance fee as you leave if the entrance station is open.

Weather Information:

Padre Island has long, hot summers and short, mild winters. Summers are very humid. Winter can bring strong cold fronts and gale force winds. Most rain falls near the beginning and end of hurricane season (Jun 1 - Nov 30). Average seasonal temperatures (Fahrenheit): Spring - high 70s-80s, low 50s-60s; Summer - high mid-90s, low 70s; Fall - high 70s-80s, low 50s-60s; Winter - high 50s-70s, low 30s-40s. Year-round, average wind speed ranges from 5-25 miles per hour. Relative humidity seldom drops below 70%.