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Trail Map of Lake Corpus Christi State Park (SP) in Texas. Published by Texas Parks & Wildlife.
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INTERPRETIVE GUIDE
Lake Corpus Christi State Park is a great place to enjoy the
world around you. Try your luck fishing, take a hike or ride
a bike on one of the trails, spend the night at one of our
campsites or shelters, or just explore! Any way you choose
to experience the park, please enjoy it safely and responsibly!
WELCOME TO LAKE CORPUS
CHRISTI STATE PARK! BUILT
BY THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS (CCC) IN THE
1930S, GENERATIONS OF
VISITORS HAVE DISCOVERED
FUN, RELAXATION, AND THE
OUTDOORS HERE. WHILE
THE PARK HAS CHANGED
• Make sure your trash and especially your used fishing
line ends up in the proper waste bin. Trash can hurt
animals and plants in the park.
• The nature and history of the park are here for everyone
to enjoy; please don’t take anything away from future
visitors.
• Please drive, bike, and hike only in designated areas so
you don’t disturb any wildlife or plants. It’s their home,
after all.
NEARBY ATTRACTIONS
Goliad State Park and Historic Sites, Goliad
Choke Canyon State Park, Calliham
Mustang Island State Park, Port Aransas
Lake Corpus Christi State Park
23194 Park Road 25 • Mathis, TX 78368
(361) 547-2635 • www.tpwd.texas.gov/lakecorpuschristi
OVER TIME, ITS HISTORY
AND BEAUTIFUL FEATURES
CONTINUE TO DELIGHT.
© 2022 TPWD. PWD BR P4502-0065G (7/22)
TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender,
pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone
(TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and
Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041.
This publication can be found at tpwd.texas.gov/park-pubs
LAKE
CORPUS
CHRISTI
STATE PARK
L A K E
C O R P U S
C H R I S T I
S T A T E
P A R K
A PLACE WHERE
NATURE THRIVES
L
THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS
AND CAMP KLEBERG
In 1934, Civilian Conservation Corps Company 886 formed Camp
Kleberg, named for local Congressman and King Ranch heir, Richard
Mifflin Kleberg. The company worked at Lake Corpus Christi State
Park until it was transferred to Palmetto State Park in October 1936.
Olin Boese designed the park’s combination building,
now nicknamed “the castle,” and created an architectural
gem. The building’s concrete beams and low stone walls
support cast block walls. The blocks were formed from
caliche, or soil hardened by calcium carbonate, a locally
abundant material. The park’s original boat house and
dock, also designed by Boese, were submerged when the
lake level was increased to meet the growing public
water needs of the City of Corpus Christi. In 1958, a
new dam constructed 1,000 feet downstream caused the
lake to rise 20 additional feet, sealing the fate of the boat
house and dock. When the lake is low enough, you can
still catch a glimpse of the boat house foundation on the
point below the castle.
ake Corpus Christi
State Park is an important place for wildlife,
too! Migrating birds like the
American white pelican rest in
the park during their long trips
north in the spring and
south in the fall. Resident
Green jay
birds like great blue herons
and greater roadrunners feed and raise their young
here. Give them their space and they can be a great
deal of fun to watch.
The thick thorn scrub in the park helps protect
mammals, birds, and reptiles of all types. Without
the food and shelter the brush provides, animals like
armadillos and Texas spiny lizards would not survive.
The lake provides water to the people of Corpus
Christi, but it also travels to Corpus Christi Bay.
There, it ensures the salinity of the water remains
low enough for crabs and fish nurseries.
“The castle” stands as a testament to the strength and beauty of
Civilian Conservation Corps structures.
American coot