Goose Island State Park
State park in Aransas County, in the Gulf Coast region. Established 1935. 321 acres.
Goose Island is a bay-side park north of Rockport, on St. Charles and Aransas bays. It's a fishing, birding and camping park, home to the Big Tree, named State Champion Coastal Live Oak in 1969. TPWD doesn't recommend swimming here, because the shoreline has concrete bulkheads, oyster shells, mud flats and marsh grass.
Things to do
Fish the pier
Fish from shore, a boat, or the 1,620-foot fishing pier. There's a boat launch, a kayak launch and a fish cleaning station, and the park loans tackle.
The Big Tree
The Big Tree has stood on the coast for centuries. In 1969 it was named the State Champion Coastal Live Oak.
Birding and paddling
Watch and photograph birds, or bring a kayak to launch from shore. Alligators are occasionally seen in the park.
Camping
There are 44 bayside sites and 57 sites under the oaks, all with water and electricity and restrooms with showers in every loop. There are also 25 walk-in tent sites and a youth group camp.
| Site type | Sites | Sleeps | Per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campsites with Electricity (Bayfront)Water and electric | 40 | 8 | $25 |
| Campsites with ElectricityWater and electric | 53 | 8 | $20 |
| Campsites with Water (Walk-in)Tent sites with water | 22 | 8 | $10 |
| Group Camp (Youth)Group | 64 | $75 | |
| Premium Full Hookup Campsites (50 Amp)Full hookup | 6 | 7 | $30 |
| Premium Full Hookup Campsites (30 Amp)Full hookup | 1 | 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 recommend swimming at Goose Island. The shoreline has concrete bulkheads, oyster shells, mud flats and marsh grass.
Best time to go
- Busy season
- Memorial Day through Labor Day, October through Thanksgiving, and January through April
- January low
- 45°F
- July high
- 92°F
- Night sky
- Bortle 4.5
TPWD lists three busy seasons: Memorial Day through Labor Day, October through Thanksgiving, and January through April. Wildflowers fill the park in spring.
Averages and busy season from TPWD. The Bortle scale runs from 1 (darkest sky) to 9 (inner city).
Getting there
Rockport, TX 78382-7965
(361) 729-2858
Open in OpenStreetMap (28.1335, -96.9843)
| From | Approx. drive | Straight line |
|---|---|---|
| Corpus Christi | 1 hr 3 min | 29 mi |
| San Antonio | 3 hr 23 min | 131 mi |
| Houston | 3 hr 47 min | 149 mi |
| McAllen | 3 hr 53 min | 153 mi |
| Austin | 3 hr 54 min | 157 mi |
| The Woodlands | 4 hr 22 min | 167 mi |
Nearby parks
- Mustang Island State Park
- Powderhorn State Park
- Goliad State Park & Historic Site
- Lake Corpus Christi State Park
- Choke Canyon State Park
Straight-line distance. See every park in the Gulf Coast.
Questions people ask
Can you swim at Goose Island State Park?
TPWD doesn't recommend it. The shoreline has concrete bulkheads, oyster shells, mud flats and marsh grass.
Where is the Big Tree at Goose Island?
In the park. It was named State Champion Coastal Live Oak in 1969.
How long is the Goose Island fishing pier?
1,620 feet.
Photo credits
- Big tree.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
- Big Tree Texas 2024.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
- Yellowlegs - natures pics edit.jpg by Alan D. Wilson, www.naturespicsonline.com edited by Muhammad, CC BY-SA 2.5.
Sources
Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Goose Island has current alerts and closures.
- TPWD: Goose 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: Goose Island State Park campsites, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Goose 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