Goliad State Park & Historic Site
State park in Goliad County, in the South Texas Plains region. 276 acres.
Goliad State Park and Historic Site centers on Mission Espíritu Santo, a Spanish colonial mission the Civilian Conservation Corps restored in the 1930s. Tour the chapel and exhibits and ring the church bell, then fish or paddle the San Antonio River or walk the 2.5-mile Angel of Goliad Hike and Bike Trail into downtown Goliad.
Things to do
Mission Espíritu Santo
Tour the chapel and exhibits and learn about the mission's ranching heritage. Nearby, visit the ruins of Mission Rosario and the El Camino Real de los Tejas Visitors Center.
Paddle and fish the river
Put in upstream at the Ferry Street Landing or the Highway 59 bridge and take out at the park dock. There are no take-outs downstream. Most people fish from the dock, because the banks are steep.
Walk into town
The 2.5-mile Angel of Goliad Hike and Bike Trail runs from the Angel of Goliad statue to downtown Goliad.
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Camping
Campsites range from water-only to full hookups, plus five screened shelters.
| Site type | Sites | Sleeps | Per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Hookup CampsitesFull hookup | 20 | 8 | $25 |
| Campsites with ElectricityWater and electric | 14 | 8 | $20 |
| Campsites with Water (Walk-in)Tent sites with water | 10 | 8 | $10 |
| Campsites with WaterTent sites with water | 14 | 8 | $10 |
| Screened SheltersScreened shelters | 5 | 8 | $25 |
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
TPWD doesn't list swimming for this park.
Best time to go
- Busy season
- December to March
- Rain per year
- 36.8 in.
- Night sky
- Bortle 4.5
TPWD lists December to March as the busy season. The mission and park headquarters are open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Averages and busy season from TPWD. The Bortle scale runs from 1 (darkest sky) to 9 (inner city).
Getting there
Goliad, TX 77963-3206
(361) 645-3405
Open in OpenStreetMap (28.6565, -97.3873)
| From | Approx. drive | Straight line |
|---|---|---|
| Corpus Christi | 1 hr 40 min | 64 mi |
| San Antonio | 2 hr 3 min | 88 mi |
| Austin | 2 hr 35 min | 116 mi |
| Houston | 3 hr 5 min | 144 mi |
| The Woodlands | 3 hr 40 min | 154 mi |
| McAllen | 3 hr 57 min | 176 mi |
Nearby parks
- Goose Island State Park
- Lake Corpus Christi State Park
- Powderhorn State Park
- Choke Canyon State Park
- Palmetto State Park
Straight-line distance. See every park in the South Texas Plains.
Questions people ask
Can you tour the mission at Goliad State Park?
Yes. Mission Espíritu Santo is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Can you kayak at Goliad State Park?
Yes. Bring your own boat, put in upstream, and take out at the park dock.
Photo credits
- Goliad sp custodians house.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
- Goliad Church 4 (1 of 1).jpg by Renelibrary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Goliad sp entrance portal.jpg by Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0.
- Goliad, Texas (15642515423).jpg by Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0.
- Birthplace of General Ignacio Zaragoza, Presidio La Bahía, Goliad, Texas (16076316689).jpg by Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0.
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Sources
Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Goliad has current alerts and closures.
- TPWD: Goliad State Park & Historic Site, 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: Goliad State Park & Historic Site campsites, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Goliad State Park & Historic Site screened shelters, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Goliad State Park & Historic Site history, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
- OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (approximate drive times), retrieved October 14, 2026
- Wikimedia Commons (photos), retrieved October 14, 2026