Theodore Roosevelt Presidential LibraryPublic Lands Directory

Alerts and conditions

Caution Canine distemper is believed to be present in the park.

Contact with saliva from wild animals can transmit distemper to pets, including from but not limited to water bowls, food bowls, trash etc. Distemper is not a threat to humans but can be deadly to pets. Ensure your pets are vaccinated or keep them home.

Information Be aware of changing beach conditions

Beach conditions are changing frequently. Check current tide charts and weather forecasts before traveling on the beach.

Read the full alert

Information 4-wheel drive recommended for beach driving

4-wheel drive is recommended if driving on North and South Beach.

Weather Small Craft Advisory issued November 8 at 5:16PM CST until November 9 at 6:00AM CST by NWS Brownsville TX

* WHAT...East winds 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt and seas

4 to 7 ft.

* WHERE...All Lower Texas Coastal Waters including the Laguna

Madre.

* WHEN...Until 6 AM CST Monday.

* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.

What to do: Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller vessels, should avoid navigating in hazardous conditions.

Read the full alert · Until Nov 9, 2026, 12:00 PM

Overview

Protecting sixty-six miles of wild coastline along the Gulf of America, the narrow barrier island is home to one of the last intact coastal prairie habitats in the United States. Along the hypersaline Laguna Madre, 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.

From the National Park Service

History

The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.

What to see and do

Activities

  • Arts and Culture
  • Auto and ATV
  • Auto Off-Roading
  • Astronomy
  • Stargazing
  • Biking
  • Boating
  • Camping
  • Backcountry Camping
  • Car or Front Country Camping
  • RV Camping
  • Fishing
  • Saltwater Fishing
  • Paddling
  • Canoeing
  • Kayaking
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Swimming
  • Saltwater Swimming
  • Wildlife Watching
  • Birdwatching
  • Park Film
  • Museum Exhibits
  • Shopping
  • Bookstore and Park Store

Browse hiking, biking and paddling routes on AllTrails

Plan your visit

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.

Fees and passes

  • Commercial Entrance - Sedan — $25.00
  • Commercial Entrance - Van — $40.00
  • Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus — $40.00
  • Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach — $100.00
  • Entrance - Private Vehicle — $25.00
  • Entrance - Motorcycle — $20.00
  • Entrance - Per Person — $15.00
  • Entrance - Non-commercial Groups — $15.00
  • Annual Entrance - Park — $45.00

The America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees at federal recreation lands across all four agencies.

Getting there

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.

Visitor centers

Campgrounds

  • Bird Island Basin Campground (34 sites)
  • Malaquite Campground (48 sites)

Weather

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%.

Phone: (361) 949-8068

Whose lands these are

These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.

Photos

Small shell fragments in the sand long the beach.
Shells on South Beach · NPS Photo/ Sue Wolfe
Two deer feed on grass. Their antlers have velvet on them.
Deer in the grasslands · NPS Photo/ Kara Rogers
Several sea turtle hatchlings crawl on the sand towards the Gulf of Mexico.
Kemps hatchlings · NPS Photo
A hawk like bird with an orange beak stands on a fence post.
Crested Caracara · NPS Photo/ Sue Wolfe
Small wooden structures are seen looking through a wood fence.
Novillo Line Camp · NPS Photo
Several brown pelicans stand on the sand next to the edge of the sea.
Brown Pelican · NPS Photo/ Sue Wolfe

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