Mustang Island State Park: Hours, Camping & Beach Guide

Where the park is and how to get there

Mustang Island State Park sits on the Gulf side of State Highway 361, south of the town of Port Aransas. From town, head south past the airport and the condos at Port Royal — the entrance is on your left, well-signed, with the headquarters building visible from the road. From the JFK Causeway side (North Padre Island), head north on 361.

The park covers and wraps around to Corpus Christi Bay on the back side — surf beach and protected bay water inside the same gate.

Fees, hours, and the State Parks Pass

Fees and hours are set by Texas Parks & Wildlife and shift on their own cycle. The figures below are current at the time of writing in 2026 — verify on the official Mustang Island State Park page before your trip.

• Day-use entry: Small per-person fee for adults (around $5 as of writing); kids 12 and under typically free.
• Gate hours: Registered campers can access the park around the clock; headquarters is staffed during daytime hours. Day-use visitors can typically enter outside staffed hours via the self-pay station.
• Texas State Parks Pass: Annual pass that waives day-use fees for everyone in the same vehicle. Pays for itself in a handful of visits — a no-brainer for any family that touches the Texas coast more than a couple of times a season.
• Reservations: Day passes can be reserved in advance on busy weekends through the Texas State Parks reservation system. Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day.

The contrarian take: skip the beach, paddle the bay

Most visitor guides treat the state park as a beach destination with "also a bay side." We'd flip it. The Gulf beach is excellent, but in-town beaches give you the same Gulf for the same view without the drive. The bay side is what makes the state park worth the trip: 20 miles of marked paddling trail through seagrass flats where tailing reds in two feet of water is a thing. Bring or rent a kayak.

Camping at Mustang Island State Park

Beach camping (primitive)

The classic Mustang Island move: pull onto the sand inside the park's beach camping zone, park, sleep within sight of the surf. No hookups, no marked sites, no power — just a beach permit and a tent or self-contained vehicle. Sites have historically been first-come, first-served once you've checked in at headquarters; verify current availability and rates at the gate or on the TPWD page above.

The catch: zero shade. Bring a sturdy shade structure with deep stakes, double your water estimate, and never leave anything unsecured that can blow away.

Developed campsites (water + electric)

Near park headquarters there are paved campsites with water and 30-amp electric hookups for RVs, travel trailers, or large tents. These require reservations and book out months in advance for spring and fall weekends. The campground typically has restrooms, hot showers, and a dump station — confirm current amenities on the TPWD page before booking.

The bay-side paddling trail

On the back side of the park, the Mustang Island Paddling Trail threads through shallow Corpus Christi Bay seagrass flats, mangrove pockets, and back-bay coves. The trail is marked with numbered posts and split into shorter loops, so you can paddle a 4-mile out-and-back or commit to a full-day route.

This is some of the best sight-fishing water on the Texas coast for redfish — tailing fish in is a thing here. Kayak rentals are easy to arrange in Port Aransas; see our kayaking and paddling guide for outfitters and launch points.

Swimming, surfing, and beach safety

The Gulf beach inside the park is wide, gently sloped, and generally calmer than the cuts near the jetties — one of the better Port A beaches for families with younger kids. Standard Texas Gulf rules apply: rip currents form near the jetty mouth (well north of the park) and along scour cuts; swim between any orange marker posts; and check the flag at headquarters before you get in.

Surfing is doable on a south swell — small longboard waves break along the sandbar — but Port Aransas overall is more longboard and beginner break than serious surf destination.

Fishing inside the park

The Gulf surf fishes for whiting, sand trout, pompano, slot reds, and the occasional black drum or shark. The bay side is the redfish and trout zone — wade-fishing the grass at first light is the classic local play. A Texas saltwater fishing license with a saltwater stamp is required for anglers 17 and older. See our surf fishing for beginners guide for a starter setup and bait list.

Birding and wildlife

The park's mix of dunes, tidal flats, freshwater pond, and bay shoreline pulls a long list of resident and migratory birds — roseate spoonbills, reddish egrets, white pelicans in winter, ospreys on the channel markers, and shorebird migrations in spring and fall. It's a stop on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail and pairs naturally with the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center in town.

What to bring

• Shade and water. No shade trees, limited shelter. Bring a beach umbrella or pop-up with sand-anchor stakes, and plan on a gallon of water per person per day.
• Sun protection. Reef-safe sunscreen, hats, long-sleeve UPF shirts. Gulf sun bouncing off white sand is brutal by 10 a.m.
• Cash or card for the gate. Self-pay station accepts both during off-hours.
• Trash bags. Pack it in, pack it out — limited cans on the beach itself.
• Beach-friendly chairs and a wagon. If you camp on the beach, a wagon with wide tires makes setup ten times easier.

Practical info at a glance

• Address: 17047 State Highway 361, Corpus Christi, TX 78418 (the park sits on Mustang Island; the Corpus Christi mailing address is a mail-routing artifact). Open in Google Maps
• Phone (headquarters): Find current contact info on the official TPWD page.
• Pets: Welcome on leash (6 ft max) on the beach and in campsites. Not allowed in park buildings.
• Cell service: Reliable on Verizon and AT&T; spottier deep on the bay-side trail.
• Nearest gas / supplies: Port Aransas, north. No fuel inside the park.

Frequently asked questions