Goose Island

Goose Island SP https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/goose-island https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goose_Island_State_Park Goose Island State Park is located north of the city of Rockport, Texas on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The park is surrounded by both St. Charles and Aransas Bays. The park is home to "The Big Tree", a Southern live oak (Quercus virginiana), thought to be over 1000 years old. It has a circumference of 35 feet (11 m), is 44 feet (13 m) in height and has a crown spread of 90 feet (27 m). Although it is located on the seashore, there is no designated swimming area at the park, as the shoreline consists of concrete, oyster shell, mudflat, and marsh grass. Instead, the main park activities include camping, birding, fishing, and boating.

For assistance using this map, contact the park. Goose Island State Park TexasStateParks.org/App PLEASE NOTE • CHECK OUT time is 12 p.m. or renew permit by 9 a.m. (pending site availability). • Public consumption or display of any alcoholic beverage is prohibited. • Gate closes at 10 p.m. except to overnight guests. • An excess parking fee is required at campsites with more than two vehicles (including trailers). • Campsite must be kept clean; all trash must be picked up before leaving. Dumpsters are conveniently located on all camping loops. 151 Bou ARANSAS BAY ry a L a ntan 203 201 202 Recreation Hall 1 104 03 105 Bayberry 119 106 7 10 8 205 10 118 109 7 0 11 11 6 11 5 11 4 11 ST. CHARLES BAY p Loo tana Lan 1 2 3 20 4 5 19 6 18 7 1 8 16 7 9 10 11 1 11 Native Plant and Butterfly Attraction Area 12 7 12 8 et re t tS Parking Wheelchair Accessible Boat Ramp 1514 1312 u 1 13 30 3 13 1 9 o Tr 4 Canoe/Kayak Launch The Big Tree Par N Texas State Parks Store T-shirts, caps and one-of-a-kind gift items are available at the Texas State Parks Store located in our park headquarters building. Bayfront Sites #25 to 44 Boardwalk 44 Fou r This publication can be found at tpwd.texas.gov/spdest/parkinfo/maps/park_maps/ th S tree t Residence Pond PARK ROAD BA Y 13 Goose Island N State Park 43 Maintenance 202 South Palmetto Street Rockport, TX 78382 (361) 729-2858 Nature Viewing Area 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. Fish Cleaning Nature Viewing 25 2 27 6 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 13 ES ry nda Bou © 2023 TPWD PWD MP P4502-064D (2/23) oad RL k Par kR 35 Re s mile Texas sh Tu il Tra Ro ad ap Fishing Pier HA 12 12 5 13 13 Picnic Area 21 0 12 6 13 137 138 Paved Trail Bayfront Sites 24 23 #1 to 24 22 132 op C rks .66 Hiking Trail na Lo Lanta Water Only Sites Water and Electric Sites 11 3 112 2 6 12 1 12 12 3 12 4 12 5 Warbler Way 6 14 139 140 Lantana Loop 3 2 Restrooms Dump Station op Lo 2 14 14 • Permit required for all areas. nda 1 7 Trail Par k t 10 15 Cap tree 10 147 6 15 221222 4 1 224 223 Liveoak 219 Circle 220 5 Tackle Loaner Site ST .C 152 5 148 15 149 150 154 153 206 14 14 211 212 215 210 213 209208 207 Youth Group Area 14 • Numbered sites for overnight camping only. No picnicking in numbered sites. 216 217 13 Turk s tto S 214 PARK ROAD State Parks Store Showers dfi ry nda Bou Par k lme Wooded Area • Valid permit required on windshield of each vehicle in park. • Please stay off of the breakwater. S. P a #101 to 157 #201 to 224 Headquarters • Please follow boat launch protocol. • Only one unit per site is permitted to hook up to utilities. #BetterOutside LEGEND • GRAY WATER AND BLACK WATER MUST BE DISCHARGED ONLY AT DUMP STATIONS. • Pets must be kept on leash no longer than six feet. Please pick up after them. • Eight people permitted per campsite. Quiet time from 10 p.m. – 6 a.m. To T h (Se e Big e In Tree set) #TexasStateParks TexasStateParks.org/SocialMedia PARK RESERVATIONS TexasStateParks.org ParquesDeTexas.org (512) 389-8900 Proud Sponsor of Texas State Parks 

INTERPRETIVE GUIDE THINGS TO DO The coastal beauty of Goose Island State Park awaits you. Enjoy your visit! • Try your luck fishing the waters of St. Charles Bay or Aransas Bay for spotted seatrout, red or black drum, or a myriad of other fish. The 1,620-foot lighted pier offers great access and the best fishing in the park, especially at night. You don’t need a fishing license if you stay on the pier or shore of the park. • Launch your boat or kayak to explore, birdwatch or fish the marsh habitats surrounding the park or in the nearby Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. • Take your pick of camping in the nearly constant sea breeze on the island or under the shelter of the live oak forest. Each offers a unique experience. • Grab your binoculars and camera to see the hundreds of bird species in the many varied habitats found in and around the park. The oyster reefs and edges of the water are filled with shorebirds at certain times of year; the woodlands are a favorite stopover for migrating warblers in the spring and fall; and the marshes are patrolled by wading herons, egrets and spoonbills all year long. The “Big Tree” circa 1935. THANKS TO THE WORK OF THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS AND STEWARDS THAT FOLLOWED, GOOSE ISLAND STATE PARK ENDURES. TODAY, YOU CAN STILL STAND IN THE SHADE OF THE ANCIENT “BIG TREE,” FISH IN SAINT CHARLES OR ARANSAS BAYS, AND WATCH WHOOPING CRANES FEED IN NEARBY MARSHES, ALL OF WHICH HAVE BEEN DONE However you enjoy your state park, please help us care for it by leaving things where you found them and staying out of closed areas. All animals, plants, fossils and artifacts are protected by state law so that everyone can enjoy them. For more information about programs or volunteering, contact the park or visit our website. Goose Island State Park 202 S. Palmetto St, Rockport, TX 78382 (361) 729-2858 • www.tpwd.texas.gov/gooseisland/ BY OTHERS FOR CENTURIES. © 2019 TPWD. PWD BR P4502-064K (7/19) In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. 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. Texas State Parks is a division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. GOOSE ISLAND S TAT E PA RK G O O S E I S L A N D S T A T E P A R K THE MAN BEHIND THE DREAM A COASTAL RETREAT G oose Island State Park is located on the Lamar Peninsula and surrounded by the MissionAransas Estuary. Estuaries are bodies of water along the coast where freshwater from rivers meets the ocean. This mix of fresh and saltwater leads to diverse habitat types both on land and in the water. Civilian Conservation Corps Company 1801 in December 1934 park facilities. The structures were built using local materials including shellcrete blocks which the CCC made on site. Blocks were composed of crushed oyster shell, sand and Portland cement. A HISTORY OF CONSERVATION In 1931, previously donated lands on the Lamar Peninsula were set aside by the Texas Legislature for development as Goose Island State Park. Two years later, President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a depression-era public works program, and Texans welcomed it as an opportunity to preserve natural resources and develop park lands. CCC Company 1801 arrived the following year and spent 18 months shaping the land into a park. CCC enrollees were young, unmarried and unemployed men who were supervised by army officers and experienced craftsmen. They received housing, food, wages (most of which went directly to their families back home), and they also learned trades. Companies were up to 200 men strong, and Company 1801 spent its time at Goose Island State Park clearing brush, digging drainage ditches and building THE BIG TREE One of the things the CCC protected was the “Big Tree.” Having survived many floods, droughts, wildfires, and hurricanes in its lifetime, the exact age is unknown, but it is estimated to be centuries old. The tree stands 44 feet tall, has a trunk that is 35 feet in circumference and a crown that is 89 feet across. The height of the tree has been limited by Gulf Coast breezes, but the over 11-foot diameter of the trunk makes it one of the largest live oaks in the United States. Shown here shortly after completion, the Recreation Hall is the only intact CCC struc

TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE BIRDS OF GOOSE ISLAND S T A T E P A R K A FIELD CHECKLIST 2016 checklist area map Cover: Illustration of Reddish Egret by Jeremy Boehm. INTRODUCTION G oose Island State Park, Aransas County, is situated in the great Central Flyway at the southern tip of Lamar Peninsula. It is on the shores of Aransas and St. Charles Bays just west of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Park habitats include shallow waters of the open bays, shorelines and mudflats, marshes, meadows, live oak mottes and dense shrub thickets with yaupon, American beautyberry, agarito, redbay, grape, poison ivy, bumelia, prickly-ash, greenbriar and others. A paved park road traverses several of these habitats and leads to the Big Tree, The State Champion coastal live oak. The habitat variety at Goose Island State Park makes it a good place to observe water birds, waterfowl, shorebirds and passerines both in migration and in residence. During spring migration, the live oaks attract many passerines; warblers can be especially abundant. Hawks and falcons can be seen flying overhead. Bird observations may be particularly rewarding during the wet cold fronts of spring. During migration periods and low tide conditions, marshes and shores are especially good for shorebird sightings. St. Charles Bay, the shallowest of the area bays, provides good feeding for shorebirds. The marshes are good for rails and gallinules. Swallows can be observed flying overhead. The winter bird population is excellent and varied. Aransas Bay has goldeneyes, Lesser Scaup, various other ducks, Common Loons, Eared Grebes and Double-crested Cormorants. St. Charles Bay, being shallow, attracts the dabblers: gadwalls, pintails, teals, wigeons, shovelers, and redheads; American White Pelicans are found across the bay on sand spits near the Aransas Refuge. On occasions, a family of Whooping Cranes can be seen feeding. Snow and Canada geese feed and rest in the bays; Herring, Ring-billed, Bonaparte’s and Laughing gulls are found in winter over the water, as are Forster’s, Royal and Caspian terns. Some of the breeding birds in the marshes and on the shores and islands are: Pied-billed Grebe, Least Bitterns, herons and egrets, 1 Roseate Spoonbills, Mottled Ducks, Black-belled Whistling-Ducks, Clapper Rails, Killdeer and Willets, Wilson’s Plovers, Laughing Gulls and six species of terns, Seaside Sparrows and Red-winged Blackbirds. Some of the birds that nest in the Oaks and open areas are: Inca Doves, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Purple Martins, Black-crested Titmouse, Carolina Wrens, White-eyed Vireos, Northern Cardinals, Painted Buntings, Lark Sparrows, Eastern Meadowlarks and Great-tailed Grackles. Bird observation and study at Goose Island State Park is always good, but is especially rewarding during low tides or during migration. This checklist includes only those species that have been observed in the park or passing overhead or from Lamar Peninsula and the immediate environs of Aransas, St. Charles and Copano Bays. Nomenclature and organization follow the A.O.U. Check-list of North American Birds, 7th edition (1998) as supplemented. This list was compiled by members of the Audubon Outdoor Club of Corpus Christi, who made spring and winter counts of the area for several years, and includes many sightings turned in by park visitors. The Checklist Committee included Dennis Haessly; Ray Little; Hilde Kaigler; Jim and Sally Lockwood; and Cullen S. Reeves. Jr. A special note of appreciation is extended to Ruthie Melton for her contribution to the 1993 checklist from which the current edition is based. Because we are interested in maintaining and revising this checklist, we solicit your help and ask that you share new and unusual sightings and/or comments on the status of the park’s birdlife with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. You may leave your sightings at the park headquarters or mail them to the Natural Resources Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744. Please help protect natural avian communities by refraining from using playback tapes of bird songs. Frequent use of these tapes alters normal avian activity patterns, disrupts essential territorial behavior, and may lead to nest failure. Thank you for your cooperation. 2 LEGEND Season/Abundance S = Summer – birds that come in summer and are presumed to breed – March through October. W = Winter – birds that come for the winter season – November through March. Some arriving as early as July and some leaving as late as June. R = Resident – the bird is found throughout the year. M = Migrant – a bird whose stay may be brief in spring and fall, while enroute between its summer and winter homes. c = common – should be seen in proper habitat during season noted. u = uncommon – may be seen in proper habitat during season noted. r = rare – unlikely to be seen even in proper habitat during season noted. ca = casual – a few records per deca

-Official- FACILITIES Get the Mobile App: MAPS ACTIVITIES TexasStateParks.org/app 2025 Toyota Tacoma From scenic trails to serene lake shores, the Toyota Tacoma is your ultimate companion for exploring the untamed beauty of Texas wildlife. With its redesigned interior and powerful performance, you’ll be ready for any excursion. Adventure. It’s what we share. | toyota.com/tacoma Options shown. Official Vehicle of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation 8 Places to Stay 10 Recreational Vehicles 12 Tips for Time in Nature 14 Visitor Fees & Passes DIRECTORY TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT 52 68 20 38 60 30 84 20 Big Bend Country 60 Pineywoods 48 State Parks Map David Yoskowitz, Ph.D. Executive Director Rodney Franklin State Parks Director Mischelle Diaz Communications Director TPW COMMISSION Jeffery D. Hildebrand, Chairman Houston Oliver J. Bell, Vice-Chairman Cleveland James E. Abell Kilgore Wm. Leslie Doggett Houston Paul L. Foster El Paso Anna B. Galo Laredo Robert L. “Bobby” Patton, Jr. Fort Worth Travis B. “Blake” Rowling Dallas Dick Scott Wimberley Lee Marshall Bass, Chairman-Emeritus Fort Worth T. Dan Friedkin, Chairman-Emeritus Houston Special thanks to Toyota and advertisers, whose generous support made this guide possible. Cover Photo: Galveston Island State Park, Chase Fountain Texas State Parks Official Guide, Twenty-first Edition © TPWD PWD BK P4000-000A (4/25) TPWD receives funds from DHS and USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin (including limited English proficiency), disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, visit tpwd.texas.gov/ nondiscrimination or call (512) 389-4800 for information on filing a complaint. To obtain information in an alternative format, contact TPWD through Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989, or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you speak a language other than English and need assistance, email lep@ tpwd.texas.gov. You can also contact Department of the Interior Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Civil Rights, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240, and/or U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL), Mail Stop #0190 2707, Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, D.C. 20528. In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. WELCOME from Rodney Franklin, State Parks Director I am excited about the future for Texas State Parks. I am glad we have been able to highlight past successes like our 100-year anniversary and our Gold Medal win, but it is important that we build on that success moving forward. For 2025, thanks to your support, we embark on a new era for Texas State Parks, and we should all be proud of what we have built and where we are headed. As more and more Texans are discovering the beauty of state parks, it is exciting to have the opportunity to grow our system of parks through the Centennial Parks Fund. This is a huge legacy that will impact outdoor recreation and conservation for years to come and work has begun to identify beautiful properties that will become the next great state park. Adding new state parks will allow Texans to explore new, special wild places in a variety of ways. That said, we will continue to protect and improve existing parks that have served Texans so well. Texas is a big state with lots for our team to steward and visitors to enjoy. Our teams across the state remain eager to welcome outdoor enthusiasts and novices alike, to discover what our parks have to offer. Since 1923, our mission has been to help connect our visitors with the outdoors. As we honor those who have come before us, I invite a new generation to be a part of the story of the heritage that connects us all. You and your family should be a part of the next chapter of Texas State Parks as there is more to enjoy than you may realize. I hope you’ll visit soon and often and bring your friends and family along. Parks are for everyone and we’re looking forward to embarking on the new golden age of Texas State Parks along with you. WHAT’S NEW IN STATE PARKS Balmorhea State Park is fully reopened with renovations to the San Solomon Motor Courts, campsites and historic spring-fed swimming pool. In addition, South Llano River State Park has a new visitor center, amphitheater and river bridge. The Devils River Dan A. Hughes Unit is set to open in 2025, offering new opportunities for camping, hiking and paddling along 10 miles of pristine river frontage. Improvements include Indian Lodge’s renovations, repair and road construction at Garner State Park, and updates at Eisenhower, Lake Corpus Christi, Bonham, Pedernales Falls and several other state parks. 3 PARKS NEAR YOU Where do you want to go? You’ll find many state parks nearby. Dallas/Fort Worth >>

Guía de Parques INSTALACIONES Descarga la Aplicacíon Móvil MAPAS ACTIVIDADES texasstateparks.org/app ¡Los niños entran gratis! La entrada es gratis para los niños de 12 años y menores. Encuentra un parque: parquesdetexas.org Contenido Estero Llano Grande SP 2 Actividades y Programas 4 Parques Cercanos 6 Lugares para Quedarse 8 Tarifas y Pases 9 Directorio 10 Mapa de Parques 18 Instalaciones y Actividades BIENVENIDO Rodney Franklin, Director de Parques Texas tiene algunas de las tierras públicas más diversas del país, con una gran riqueza natural y cultural. La vida silvestre está por todas partes, los paisajes florecen con belleza, y la historia es abundante. Sus parques estatales son parte del legado que nos enorgullece. La gente de Texas ayuda a asegurar ese legado para las generaciones futuras al visitar y ser voluntarios. ¡Gracias! Estos más de 630,000 acres exhiben algunos de los grandes tesoros del estado. Los parques nos ayudan a crear recuerdos con la familia y a encontrar consuelo en la naturaleza. Los parques fortalecen las economías locales y unen a las comunidades. Sobre todo, los parques nos permiten pasar tiempo al aire libre para recargar energías, estar saludables y relajarnos a nuestra manera. Les invito a disfrutar de sus parques estatales, explorando lo mejor de Texas con amigos y familia. Los parques están aquí para todos. Nos pertenecen a todos. ¡Visítelos, diviértase y ayude a protegerlos para siempre! Foto de portada: Estero Llano State Park, Chase Fountain © 2021 TPWD PWD BK P4000-000A (5/21) TPWD recibe fondos del Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de EE.UU. (USFWS por sus siglas en ingles). TPWD prohíbe la discriminación por raza, color, religión, nacionalidad de origen, discapacidad, edad y género, conforme la ley estatal y federal. Para solicitar un acomodo especial u obtener información en un formato alternativo, por favor contacte a TPWD en un Teléfono de Texto (TTY) al (512) 3898915 ó por medio de “Relay Texas” al 7-1-1 ó (800) 735-2989 ó por email a accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. Si usted cree que TPWD ha discriminado en su contra, favor de comunicarse con TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, o con el Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de EE.UU., Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. De acuerdo con la Ley de Depósito del Estado de Texas, esta publicación está disponible en el centro de Distribución de Publicaciones del Estado de Texas y/o las Bibliotecas de Depósito de Texas. ACTIVIDADES Y PROGRAMAS ¿Qué puedo hacer en los parques estatales? ¡Disfruta de un día de campo, visita un sitio histórico o elige entre muchas otras opciones! Bicicletas Pedalea a lo largo de los parques a cualquier velocidad, en cualquier estilo, con cualquier grupo. Elige las rutas, el tipo de terreno y las distancias que cumplan con tu zona de confort. Caminatas Empieza con un circuito más corto, avanza a terrenos más difíciles o únete a una caminata guiada. Pescar Puedes pescar sin licencia en tantos como 70 parques estatales. Muchos parques ofrecen equipo para pescar a manera de préstamo y eventos especiales para aprender a pescar. Barcos Renta canoas y kayacs y explora uno de los senderos acuáticos en Texas. Nadar Animales Silvestres Acampar Descubre aves, mamíferos y plantas que tienen su hogar en Texas. Muchos parques tienen señalamientos y listados que te ayudan a aprender más. Encuentra un lugar que cumpla con lo que quieres. Prueba nuevas recetas, comparte historias favoritas y disfruta de las estrellas. 2 Más información y reservaciones: parquesdetexas.org Escape del calor en arroyos, ríos, lagos, manantiales, piletas y playas del mar. Tu seguridad en el agua es muy importante. Lleva el chaleco salvavidas. Aprende a nadar. Guarda a los niños. (512) 389-8900 ¡Pregunta en tu parque cuáles están disponibles! Los niños de 12 años y menores entran GRATIS Cielos Estrellados Escapa de las luces de la ciudad y goza de maravillosas vistas del cielo que no encontrarás en ninguna otra parte. Ven a una fiesta de estrellas o toma una excursión de constelaciones auto-guiada. Familias en la Naturaleza Elige un taller o diseña tu propia aventura. ¡Monta una tienda de campaña, cocina al exterior, prende una fogata y juega al exterior! Nosotros te Toma una publicación gratuita de actividades o pregunta por los paquetes gratuitos con los parques proporcionamos todo el equipo. No es necesario tener experiencia. participantes. Usa los binoculares, lupas, libros de bosquejos y libros de guías para explorar el parque. Mochilas para Exploradores Soldados Búfalo de Texas Descubre la historia con cuentos, vestuarios y herramientas. Sigue la pista de un animal, pesca con caña, cocina sobre una fogata, visita los fuertes y más. Adéntrate en las historias de vida de aquellos que sirvieron valientemente en los primeros regimientos Áfrico-Americanos de las Fuerzas Armadas. ! Seguridad en el Parque Ten cuidado con el agua Pre