South Padre Island - “Tide Is Too High”

After leaving Big Bend NP and following the Birder of Mexico stopping at a few paid and unpaid campgrounds, I headed for South Padre island looking to camp in the beach a couple days.  

I stopped in the visitor center and found out the picture above is basically the city jurisdiction, and the people at the visitor center.  North if the top of the map is County jurisdiction and asking questions about beach camping went without answers.  

To camp on the beach of the city the spots are at the top of the map and you pay to enter the beach to park or camp. 

Google web capture photo

I drove to the city entrance booth to the beach and talked to the attendant and he pointed towards the break in the dune to the beach and ocean was up to the entrance leaving no possibility of beach camping.  

There had been a large storm with southerly wind along with full moon that brought up the tide to 1.7 feet and eliminated the beach.  He was very willing to let me try to get out to camp but he didn’t recommend it, nor did I have interest.

I tried to find county rules and breach access but couldn’t so I found a parking lot on the mainland that night.

Although I wanted to camp on South Padre Island I would not do it with such risk.  

Onwards up the TX gulf coast to Padre Island National Seashore.

Brent

macaloney@hotmail.com