Padre Island

https://www.nps.gov/pais/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickasaw_National_Recreation_Area Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS) is a national seashore located on Padre Island off the coast of South Texas. In contrast to South Padre Island, known for its beaches and vacationing college students, PAIS is located on North Padre Island and consists of a long beach where nature is preserved. Most of the park is primitive, but camping is available, and most of the beach is only accessible to four-wheel-drive vehicles. All but four miles is open to vehicle traffic. PAIS is the fourth designated national seashore in the United States. North Padre Island is the longest undeveloped barrier island in the world. The national seashore is 70 miles (110 km) long with 65.5 miles (105.4 km) of Gulf beach. PAIS hosts a variety of pristine beach, dune, and tidal flat environments, including the Laguna Madre on its west coast, a famous spot for windsurfing. 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. 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. Malaquite Visitor Center The Malaquite Visitor Center includes an information desk, park store and an exhibit area with information about park history, plants, and animals. Ranger-led programs are available during the summer season. A shaded picnic area is available on the deck. Restrooms are available across the deck from the visitor center. Wheelchair users can borrow a special beach wheelchair from the visitor center at no charge. An accessible ramp goes from the deck down to Malaquite Beach. 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. Bird Island Basin Campground Bird Island Basin lies along Laguna Madre with easy access for fishing, birding, windsurfing, and kayaking. There are 35 RV and tent sites and 10 additional tent-only sites. All sites are side by side on gravel. The tent-only sites are walk up to a sand flat. This area is also for day use activities. Vault toilets are available at the north and south ends with day use areas in between. Standard Tent or RV Site 8.00 In addition to the park entrance fee, a nightly campground fee is required and is paid in the campground at the kiosk. All sites are limited to 2 vehicles, 2 tents, and 8 people. With a valid ID, holders of a Senior Pass (lifetime pass for U.S. residents 62 years and older) and Access Pass (lifetime pass for U.S. residents with a permanent disability) receive a 50% discount on camping fees. Converted Schoolies parked at BIB CG Three converted school buses are parked in a row at the campground. Converted school buses are parked at Bird Island Basin Campgound. BIB CG and Laguna Madre shore camping vehicles in side by side sites facing Laguna Madre Camping at Bird Island Basin is a bit primitive but it offers a relaxed view of Laguna Madre. Campground Registration Three-sided rectangular campground registration kiosk over a concrete pad with an iron money drop. For more information about camping and registration at Bird Island Basin, stop at the kiosk Bird Island Basin Campground A dozen RVs, vans, buses, and trucks parked side by side in designated gravel campsites Camping side by side with unobstructed views of Laguna Madre, its wildlife and windsurfers. Tent camping area for BIB CG An flat sandy area partially covered in grass with a cloudy blue sky over laguna Madre A flat sandy area that juts out into laguna Madre is a place for tent campers to set up camp and day users to fish. BIB CG Vault toilet a brown wood fence outlines the ramp and stairs to a double vault toilet Accessible vault toilets are available at the north and south ends of Bird Island Basin Campground. Malaquite Campground Malaquite Campground is open to tents and RVs on a first-come, first-served basis (no reservations). It is between the dunes with beach access. There are designated paved and gravel camp sites, restrooms, cold water showers, and picnic tables. Some sites have grills and shade structures. No hookups but a dump station and potable water are on the road to the campground. Campers with a paid site in the campground can pitch a tent either at the site or on the beach in front of the campground. Standard Tent or RV Site 14.00 In addition to the park entrance fee, a nightly campground fee is required and is paid in the campground at the kiosk. All sites are limited to 2 vehicles, 2 tents, and 8 people. With a valid ID, holders of a Senior Pass (lifetime pass for U.S. residents 62 years and older) and Access Pass (lifetime pass for U.S. residents with a permanent disability) receive a 50% discount on camping fees. Malaquite Campground Gravel sites Malaquite Beach Campground sign, camping vehicles in gravel campsites, shade covered picnic table. Back-in sites on gravel with a shade-covered picnic bench is a favorite camping choice. Malaquite Campground Paved camp sites and restroom and showre facilities at Malaquite Campground. Malaquite Campground is tucked in the dunes right next to the beach with 48 sites on pavement and gravel.. Gravel sites viewed from boardwalk four camping trailers of different sizes are backed into sites next to a grass covered dune All gravel sites are in a row that back up to a grass-covered dune with the gulf behind it. Boardwalk from Malaquite Campground Two people walk towards the beach on the boardwalk. Every day is a great day to stroll the boardwalk to the beach. Malaquite Campground sites A view down the center road of Malaquite Campgound, paved sites on right and gravel sites on left So many choices from pavement or gravel, to grilling outdoors or eating in. Malaquite Campground offers options. Malaquite Beach Yellow flowers bloom in the dunes along Malaquite Beach. Yellow flowers bloom in the dunes along Malaquite Beach. Shells on South Beach Small shell fragments in the sand long the beach. Depending on the conditions, shells can be found along the gulf beaches. Deer in the grasslands Two deer feed on grass. Their antlers have velvet on them. Deer can often be seen foraging in the grasslands. Kemps hatchlings 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. Crested Caracara 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. Novillo Line Camp 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. Brown Pelican 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. NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Padre Island National Seashore, Texas Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports. [Site Under Development] sand dunes Shark Awareness Before heading into the ocean, review some safety information to further minimize the chances of a shark encounter. Shark and fish in the blue ocean waters Frequent Fuel Treatments Key to Fire Suppression Response at Padre Island Recent wildfires demonstrate that fuels treatments and wildfire at Padre Island NS reduce fire spread and intensity in the area for 1-2 years. But the effectiveness does not last when that time frame is exceeded. The May 2014 28 Mile fire, which burned in the same area as the Turtle fire in 2009, showed no reduction in fire behavior, despite burning in the same area only 5 years later. The Roadside 1 and 2 fires also demonstrate the difference in treatment effectiveness. Wildland Fire: Response to 6 Mile Fire on Padre Island The lightning-ignited 6 Mile fire was detected in Padre Island National Seashore on July 14, 2012. The fire was located south of the park headquarters, visitor center, recreational areas, and primary park improvements. Direct attack tactics were not successful due to fuel loading, so firefighters used burnout operations to help contain the fire on July 16 at approximately 12,998 acres. No structures were damaged or destroyed. fire burning beyond the roadside with lots of smoke Science at Sea in the Gulf of Mexico Science at Sea - Follow along as a research cruise makes its way around the Gulf of Mexico and collects water samples from 4 national parks. ocean view of Florida Bay Module Conducts Wildland-Urban Interface Projects Throughout the Intermountain Region In 2013, the Saguaro Wildland Fire Module (WFM) managed multiple projects simultaneously in AZ, TX, and NM. WFMs are highly skilled and versatile fire crews that provide expertise in long-term planning, ignitions, holding, prescribed fire preparation and implementation support, hazardous fuels reduction, and fire effects monitoring. With their help, fire fulfills its natural or historic role to meet resource and management objectives and create fire-adapted communities. 2014 Sea Turtle Annual Report Cape Hatteras 2014 annual report on sea turtle monitoring at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Green sea turtle returning to sea after laying her eggs. Changing Patterns of Water Availability May Change Vegetation Composition in US National Parks Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios. Green, orange, and dead grey junipers in red soil, mountains in background Girl (Guide) Power Just as the contributions of many women have been overlooked in NPS history, so too have the contributions of girls who held officially sanctioned guide positions. Two girl ranger aides speak with a man across a counter. Dare to Imagine: Dr. Donna J. Shaver Read Dr. Shaver's incredible story from volunteer to Division chief of the Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Restoration and Enhancement Project at Padre Island National Seashore. She has dedicated over 40 years of her life to conservation actions that save Kemp’s ridleys and other sea turtles. This article is part of a National Park Foundation funded project called the Dare to Imagine project dedicated to highlighting women in parks who are breaking barriers. peach graphic with a woman releasing turtle hatchlings on a beach. Text reads: Dr. Donna J. Shaver How an Insect Became a National Park Service Superhero Through the power of partnerships, the Dragonfly Mercury Project elevated the importance of a commonly found insect. It also showed that citizen science can be a potent research tool. A group of young people surround a man in an NPS uniform holding a net next to a stream Helping Islands Stay on a “Budget” National island parks in the Gulf of Mexico are hemorrhaging sand at an increasing rate. Here's how we slow the bleeding. Man in NPS uniform climbs onto a damaged seaside road from the ocean side A Deadly Tumor-Causing Disease Joins the List of Perils for Endangered Sea Turtles Padre Island National Seashore has worked for decades to preserve Kemp’s ridley sea turtles. A new viral disease now threatens them. Nesting Kemp's ridley sea turtle with pink neck tumor Harmful Algal Blooms: Science to Support Solutions from Shore to Shore The 11th U.S. Symposium on Harmful Algae, held October 23-28, in Albany, New York, gathered scientists from a range of disciplines and natural resource managers to discuss Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). National Park Service and U.S. Geological Survey scientists presented on HAB science and management in national parks. six panelists stand in front of a projection screen Despite Heroic Efforts, Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles Remain Critically Endangered A seashore’s extraordinary work to rescue Kemp’s ridley sea turtles from extinction is holding the line for this ancient species. But their numbers are still too low to reclassify them as “threatened.” A large sea turtle with a tag on its front flipper lies on the sand next to green plants. Project Profile: Remove and Restore One Well Pad at Padre Island National Seashore The National Park Service will remove orphaned oil and gas infrastructure from the Lemon Pad oil and gas site at Padre Island National Seashore. The project will address public safety concerns and benefit threatened and endangered species, including the Northern Aplomado falcon. Site restoration will include restoring wetland and wind-tidal habitat and improving of the overall health of the surrounding landscape. a rectangular bare patch of ground with rusted equipment Project Profile: Restore South Spirit Oil and Gas Site The National Park Service will remove orphaned oil and gas infrastructure from the South Spirit oil and gas site at Padre Island National Seashore. The project will address public safety concerns and benefit threatened and endangered species, including the Northern Aplomado falcon. Site restoration will include restoring wetland and wind-tidal habitat and improving the overall health of the surrounding landscape. an oil and gas site with equipment and machinery Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park System To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera. Top Ten Tips for Visiting Padre Island National Seashore Discover the top ten insider tips for making your trip to Padre Island National Seashore a great one! A sand trail lined with flowers leads to a beach. How Pollinator Inventories Can Inform Park Management Decisions Pollinators play a crucial role in national park ecosystems and beyond. In the national parks, species inventories help managers know which pollinators are present, and in what abundance, to better understand the state of park ecosystems and make decisions about how to manage them. From 2024 to 2026, 17 parks across the country will be surveyed for bees and butterflies. Bee laden with pollen sits atop a purple flower.