Galveston Island State Park
State park in Galveston County, in the Gulf Coast region. Established 1975. 2,013 acres.
Galveston Island State Park covers both sides of the west end of the island: Gulf beach on one side, bay marsh on the other. You can swim and fish in the surf, paddle the bay on marked paddling trails, and camp on either side. It's about an hour from Houston and often reaches capacity, so reserve campsites and day passes ahead.
Things to do
Beach
Walk the beach and swim in the Gulf. There are no lifeguards, and TPWD asks you to read its water safety tips before you go. Beach wheelchairs (not self-propelled) are available; contact the park.
Paddle the bay
Three paddling trails wind through the bayous: Dana Cove (2.8 miles round trip), Jenkins Bayou (3.3 miles) and Oak Bayou (5.4 miles, rated challenging).
Fish
Fish in the bay, the ponds or the surf. You don't need a license to fish from shore, and the park has canoe and kayak launches and a fish cleaning station.
Trails and birding
Four miles of trails cross the park, with an observation platform, photo blinds and boardwalks over the dunes and marsh. Horseback riding on the beach is allowed November through February only.
Trails
TPWD counts about 4 miles of trails in the park. These are the named trails it lists, with its own distances and ratings.
| Trail | Distance | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Eskimo Curlew Trail | 0.4 mi | Easy |
| Jenkins Bayou Paddling Trail | 3.3 mi | Moderate |
| Oak Bayou Paddling Trail | 5.4 mi | Challenging |
| Dana Cove Paddling Trail | 2.8 mi | Moderate |
| Swale Trail | 1.3 mi | Easy |
| Clapper Rail Trail | 1.2 mi | Moderate |
| Heritage Trail | 0.4 mi | Easy |
| Alligator Loop | 1 mi | Easy |
| Prairie Trail | 3.3 mi | Easy |
| Oak Mott Loop | 0.4 mi | Easy |
| Jenkins Trail | 1.1 mi | Easy |
Source: TPWD trail list. TPWD doesn’t list trail surfaces. Printable trail map (PDF).
Camping
Choose beach-side sites (with electricity, tent-only, or hike-in primitive) or bay-side sites with electricity or water. Larger groups can rent the Stewart House or Ranch House lodges.
| Site type | Sites | Sleeps | Per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campsites with Electricity (Beachside)Water and electric | 8 | 12 | $35 |
| Campsites with Electricity (Beachside)Water and electric | 50 | 8 | $30 |
| Campsites with Electricity (Beachside | Tent Only)Water and electric | 7 | 8 | $20 |
| Primitive Campsites (Beachside | Hike-in)Primitive | 15 | 8 | $15 |
| Campsites with Electricity (Bay Side)Water and electric | 20 | 8 | $20 |
| Campsites with Water (Bay Side)Tent sites with water | 10 | 8 | $15 |
| Primitive CampsitesPrimitive | 10 | 8 | $15 |
| Lodge (Stewart House)Lodging | $250 | ||
| Lodge (Ranch House)Lodging | $200 |
Nightly rates are on top of the daily entrance fee. Book a site with Texas State Parks reservations, or call (512) 389-8900.
Visiting with dogs
Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Like every Texas state park, they can't go into park buildings or designated swimming areas.
Swimming
Swimming is allowed in designated areas. There are no lifeguards at Texas state parks.
Best time to go
- Busy season
- March through October, especially weekends
- Night sky
- Bortle 5
TPWD lists March through October, especially weekends, as the busy season. Winters are mild: the January average is 46°F, and the first freeze usually comes in late November.
Averages and busy season from TPWD. The Bortle scale runs from 1 (darkest sky) to 9 (inner city).
Getting there
Galveston, TX 77554
(409) 737-1222
Open in OpenStreetMap (29.1988, -94.9562)
| From | Approx. drive | Straight line |
|---|---|---|
| Houston | 1 hr 21 min | 48 mi |
| The Woodlands | 1 hr 58 min | 75 mi |
| Austin | 4 hr 20 min | 184 mi |
| San Antonio | 4 hr 48 min | 216 mi |
| Waco | 4 hr 48 min | 210 mi |
| Tyler | 5 hr 11 min | 216 mi |
Nearby parks
- Brazos Bend State Park
- Sheldon Lake State Park & Environmental Learning Center
- Sea Rim State Park
- Stephen F. Austin State Park
- Village Creek State Park
Straight-line distance. See every park in the Gulf Coast.
Questions people ask
Can you swim at Galveston Island State Park?
Yes, in the Gulf on the beach side. There are no lifeguards.
Can you camp on the beach at Galveston Island State Park?
Yes. There are beach-side campsites with electricity, tent-only sites and hike-in primitive sites, plus bay-side sites.
How much does Galveston Island State Park cost?
Day-use entry is $5 per adult, and kids 12 and under get in free.
Photo credits
- Gfp-texas-galveston-island-state-park-lakeshore.jpg by Yinan Chen, Public Domain.
- Gfp-texas-galveston-island-state-park-light-through-the-clouds.jpg by Yinan Chen, Public Domain.
- Gfp-texas-galveston-island-state-park-winding-bay.jpg by Yinan Chen, Public Domain.
- Gfp-texas-galveston-island-state-park-egret-fishing-for-prey.jpg by Yinan Chen, Public Domain.
- Gfp-texas-galveston-island-state-park-inlet-shore.jpg by Yinan Chen, Public Domain.
Sources
Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Galveston Island has current alerts and closures.
- TPWD: Galveston Island State Park, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD state parks map (amenities, contact), retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Public Areas, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Bortle ratings by region, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Galveston Island State Park campsites, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Galveston Island State Park cabins and lodging, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Galveston Island State Park trails, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Galveston Island State Park history, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
- Wikipedia: List of Texas state parks, retrieved October 14, 2026
- OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (approximate drive times), retrieved October 14, 2026
- Wikimedia Commons (photos), retrieved October 14, 2026