Lake Corpus Christi

Lake Corpus Christi SP https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lake-corpus-christi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Corpus_Christi_State_Park Lake Corpus Christi State Park is a state park located on Lake Corpus Christi in San Patricio County, Texas, southwest of Mathis. The park was constructed by Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Company 886 between 1934 and 1935. CCC buildings included a bathhouse, park residence, boat house and a refectory, but only the refectory remains. Other CCC structures include a lookout tower, Park Road 25, and bridges.

For assistance using this map, contact the park. Lake Corpus Christi State Park TexasStateParks.org/App TexasStateParks.org/SocialMedia #TexasStateParks #BetterOutside LEGEND Lake Corpus Christi Swim at your own risk. NO LIFEGUARD on duty. Alligator Gar Headquarters Crappie State Park Store W AK 66 E 68 57 69 70 71 62 56 54 55 53 59 58 51 52 49 50 To A lice 61 72 60 81 73 74 20 80 Bird’s Nest Shelter Area • CHECK OUT time is noon. • Public consumption or display of any alcoholic beverage is prohibited. • Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. (no music or generators). • GRAY WATER AND BLACK WATER MUST BE DISCHARGED ONLY AT DUMP STATIONS. • Pets must be kept on leash. Please pick up after them. • Gathering of firewood is prohibited. • Stop the spread of invasive species. CLEAN, DRAIN and DRY your boat. Full Hookup Sites Dump Station 4 7 8 5 3 6 2 3 1 N 68 10 FM 25 il horn Tra Long 31 29 27 25 9 11 35 24 37 39 36 Bass Point Day Use Area Opossum Bend Camping Loop 33 30 28 32 34 26 Picnic Area NO WAKE 41 13 45 42 Javelina 44 Camping 46 8 14 47 16 6 18 17 19 21 3 1 4 20 Boat Ramp 2 Kayak & Paddleboard Rental 22 Fishing Pier 23 Fish Cleaning 91 48 92 94 93 95 96 99 101 Whitetail Run Day Use Area 102 is ath To M Sunset Circle Day Use Area Green Jay Lane Day Use Area 90 Nature Playscape 89 Wheelchair Accessible 88 Scenic Overlook 87 Birding Area 105 97 100 104 86 106 85 107 108 Mesquite Camping Area Residence Maintenance 84 23194 Park Road 25 Mathis, TX 78368 (361) 547-2635 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. © 2023 TPWD PWD MP P4502-065E (2/23) Mesquite Group Pavilion Parking 7 5 15 43 38 40 Loop 10 12 103 Park closes at 10 p.m. except for overnight guests. Shelter with Amenities Screened Shelters Cave Swallow Cove Day Use Area 98 PARK ROAD Water and Electric Sites 10 9 77 79 White Bass 11 12 24 PLEASE NOTE 25 Largemouth Bass 14 13 23 Catfish Cove Camping Area PARK ROAD Water Only Sites 15 25 22 76 78 Birding Area 16 21 Wi-Fi Kiskadee Trail 17 19 18 75 82 83 Historic CCC Castle Showers Striped Bass Catfish (Flathead, Blue, Channel) 67 63 Catfish Point Trail Restrooms 65 64 NO WAKE NO This publication can be found at tpwd.texas.gov/spdest/parkinfo/maps/park_maps/ PARK RESERVATIONS TexasStateParks.org ParquesDeTexas.org (512) 389-8900 Proud Sponsor of Texas State Parks 

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 

BIRDS OF LAKE CORPUS CHRISTI STATE PARK A FIELD CHECKLIST 2022 INTRODUCTION T he brush-covered slopes, open waters, and quiet, sometimes marshy margins of Lake Corpus Christi and the lush riparian woodlands along the Nueces River combine to form a localized area whose birdlife is rich and diverse. Lake Corpus Christi State Park represents one of the few remaining stands of Tamaulipan thorn scrub, sometimes called by the local people chaparral, in the nearby vicinity of metropolitan Corpus Christi. The park and nearby natural areas are an important landfall for migrating birds and play an even greater role in the conservation of plants and animals native to the mesquite grassland of South Texas. Indicated abundance refers to species at the proper season in appropriate habitat (see legend). The checklist was compiled by Gene W. Blacklock, co-author, Birds of Texas, A Field Guide, Texas A&M Press, 1994 and Birds of the Texas Coastal Bend, Texas A&M Press, 1985. Nomenclature and organization are based upon the A.O.U. Check-list of North American Birds (7 ed. as currently supplemented). You may contribute to our knowledge of park birdlife by reporting sightings of rare, casual or accidental records to area officials. Please request Bird Sighting Report Forms available at park headquarters. Return the completed forms to the Natural Resources Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744; or leave them at the park headquarters. Please help us protect the natural avian communities in our parks by refraining from using playback tapes of bird songs. Frequent use of these tapes disrupts normal avian activity patterns and essential territorial behavior, and may lead to nest failure. Thank you for your cooperation. 1 LEGEND Abundance A – Abundant: 50+ seen in one day C – Common: 10+ seen in one day U – Uncommon: fewer than 5 per day R – Rare: 1-5 records each season I – Irregular: erratic and unpredictable but can be common Ca – Casual: 5-10 records in a decade Acc – Accidental: not normally expected Seasons SPG – Spring: March 15 – June 15 SUM – Summer: June 15 – September 15 FAL – Fall: September 15 – November 15 WIN – Winter: November 15 – March 15 Migration (Timelines): Spring – March 15 through June 15; Fall – June 15 through January 15 Other Notes O – Overhead: usually only seen flying over * – Has nested Section titles include the bird order (-iformes) until we reach Passeriformes. In Passeriformes, families (-idae) are used due to the breadth of the order. Cover: Illustration of Green Jays by Clemente Guzman III. 2 CHECKLIST SPR SUM FAL WIN ____ Black-bellied Whistling-Duck C C* C C ____ Fulvous-whistling-Duck I I* I Ca ____ Snow Goose R/O R/O U/O ____ Ross’s Goose Ca/O Ca/O R/O ____ Greater White-fronted Goose R/0 R/O U/O ____ Cackling Goose Ca/O Ca/O R/O ____ Canada Goose Ca/O Ca/O Ca/O Anseriformes – WATERFOWL ____ Tundra Swan Acc ____ Egyptian Goose Ca Ca Ca Ca ____ Wood Duck Ca Ca* Ca U ____ Blue-winged Teal A R* A C ____ Cinnamon Teal R R U ____ Northern Shoveler C Acc C C ____ Gadwall C C C ____ American Widgeon C C C ____ Mallard Ca Ca* Ca U ____ Mottled Duck C C* C C ____ Northern Pintail C C C ____ Green-winged Teal A A C ____ Canvasback R/O R/O U/O ____ Redhead R/O R/O U ____ Ring-necked Duck R R C ____ Greater Scaup Ca ____ Lesser Scaup C Ca 3 Ca SPR SUM FAL WIN ____ White-winged Scoter Acc ____ Bufflehead R R U ____ Common Goldeneye Ca Ca Ca ____ Hooded Merganser R R U ____ Red-breasted Merganser Ca Ca R ____ Masked Duck Ca Ca* Ca Ca ____ Ruddy Duck R R* R U ____ Plain Chachalaca Ca Ca Ca Ca ____ Northern Bobwhite R R* R R ____ Scaled Quail Acc Acc* Acc Acc ____ Wild Turkey Ca Ca* Ca Ca ____ Least Grebe R R* R R ____ Pied-billed Grebe U R* U U ____ Horned Grebe I ____ Eared Grebe Galliformes – LANDFOWL Podicipediformes – GREBES R R U ____ Rock Pigeon U U* U U ____ Eurasian Collared-Dove U U* U U ____ Inca Dove R R* R R ____ Common Ground-Dove U U* U U ____ White-tipped Dove C C* C R ____ White-winged Dove A A* A U ____ Mourning Dove C C* C C Columbiformes – PIGEONS and DOVES 4 SPR SUM FAL WIN ____ Groove-billed Ani R U* R Ca ____ Greater Roadrunner U U* U U ____ Yellow-billed Cuckoo C C* C Ca ____ Black-billed Cuckoo R R Cuculiformes – CUCKOOS Caprimulgiformes – NIGHTHAWKS and NIGHTJARS ____ Lesser Nighthawk R R R* ____ Common Nighthawk U U* U ____ Common Pauraque C C* C ____ Common Poorwill I I ____ Chuck-will’s-widow C C ____ Eastern Whip-poor-will R R Ca C Ca Apodiformes – SWIFTS and HUMMINGBIRDS ____ Chimney Swift A/O C/O* C/O ____ Ruby-throated Hummingbird A R A Ca ____ Black-chinned Hummingbird C R* C Ca

-Official- FACILITIES Get the Mobile App: MAPS ACTIVITIES TexasStateParks.org/app T O Y O T A T U N D R A The Toyota Tundra is built to explore the great outdoors. No matter what the weekend throws at you, your Tundra takes it on with ease. | toyota.com/tundra Official Vehicle of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation CONTENTS 4 100 Years of Texas Parks 6 Parks Near You 8 90 Checklist DIRECTORY TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT 52 68 20 38 60 30 84 68 David Yoskowitz, Ph.D. Executive Director Rodney Franklin State Parks Director Mischelle Diaz Communications Director TPW COMMISSION Arch “Beaver” Aplin, III, Chairman Lake Jackson Dick Scott, Vice-Chairman Wimberley James E. Abell Kilgore Oliver J. Bell Cleveland Paul L. Foster El Paso Anna B. Galo Laredo Jeffery D. Hildebrand Houston Robert L. “Bobby” Patton, Jr. Fort Worth Travis B. “Blake” Rowling Dallas T. Dan Friedkin, Chairman-Emeritus Houston Lee Marshall Bass, Chairman-Emeritus Fort Worth 52 Panhandle Plains 48 State Parks Map Special thanks to Toyota and advertisers, whose generous support made this guide possible. Texas State Parks is a division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Cover illustration: Brad Woodard, bravethewoods.com Texas State Parks Official Guide, Nineteenth Edition © TPWD PWD BK P4000-000A (3/23) 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 on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915, by Relay Texas at 7-1-1, (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 This year is very special for Texas State Parks: We are celebrating our 100-year anniversary in 2023. More and more Texans are discovering the beauty of State Parks and exploring the outdoors in new and adventurous ways. Our teams across the state are incredibly excited to welcome outdoor enthusiasts, especially those who have yet to discover what our parks have to offer. The variety of Texas’ lands is unmatched; from the mountains of west Texas to the Gulf shores, the Texas State Park system celebrates and preserves the natural and cultural treasures that make Texas such a special place. The 640,000-plus acres that make up the state park system are nearly as diverse as the people of Texas. 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 lands that connect us all. There is more to enjoy in our parks than you know, so please join us in our celebrations and activities. Every day we look for new and better ways to ensure your state parks are welcoming to every Texan, regardless of their background or experience being outside. I hope you’ll visit soon and often, while bringing your friends and family along. YOU are a natural and we’re looking forward to celebrating the 100-year anniversary of state parks with you! WHAT’S NEW IN STATE PARKS Galveston Island State Park reopened the beachside of the park with a new headquarters, campsites, restrooms, and more. Bastrop State Park unveiled an extensive new group of trails, the “Tree Army Trails,” many of which are ADA-accessible. Improvements and major repairs are planned for Indian Lodge, Tyler, Inks Lake, Cedar Hill, South Llano River, Eisenhower and several other state parks All-terrain “GRIT” wheelchairs are now available at 10 parks with more adaptive equipment on the way to help people of all abilities experience Texas State Parks. Learn more about our accessibility efforts, page 14. More information: TexasStateParks.org/whatsnew 100 Years of Texas Parks The crown jewels of Texas road trips started as an unfunded wish list before the Depression. Back in 1923, Governor Pat Neff realized rising numbers of new car travelers needed places to camp overnight on multi-day trips. Neff convinced the state legislature to create a six-member State Parks Board, half men, half women. Isabella, the Governor’s mother, and her family donated acreage on the Leon

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