Lake Corpus Christi State Park
State park in San Patricio County, in the Gulf Coast region. Established 1934. 390 acres by TPWD boundary data.
Lake Corpus Christi State Park sits on an 18,256-acre lake in one of the last stands of South Texas brush country, near Mathis. You can swim (no lifeguards), jet ski, boat and water-ski, and fish from a lighted, accessible pier. The Civilian Conservation Corps built parts of the park.
Things to do
Camping
Choose full hookup, electric or water-only campsites, or one of 15 screened shelters or 10 cabins.
| Site type | Sites | Sleeps | Per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Hookup CampsitesFull hookup | 26 | 8 | $25 |
| Campsites with ElectricityWater and electric | 23 | 8 | $20 |
| Campsites with WaterTent sites with water | 59 | 8 | $10 |
| Screened SheltersScreened shelters | 15 | 8 | $25 |
| CabinsCabins | 10 | 8 | $50 |
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
- Weekends in late winter through summer
- January low
- 44°F
- July high
- 94°F
- Night sky
- Bortle 4.5
TPWD says weekends are busy from late winter through summer. September is the wettest month.
Averages and busy season from TPWD. The Bortle scale runs from 1 (darkest sky) to 9 (inner city).
Getting there
Mathis, TX 78368
(361) 547-2635
Open in OpenStreetMap (28.0631, -97.8722)
| From | Approx. drive | Straight line |
|---|---|---|
| Corpus Christi | 1 hr 26 min | 48 mi |
| San Antonio | 2 hr 9 min | 104 mi |
| McAllen | 2 hr 50 min | 129 mi |
| Austin | 3 hr 31 min | 155 mi |
| Houston | 4 hr 17 min | 192 mi |
| The Woodlands | 4 hr 51 min | 204 mi |
Nearby parks
- Choke Canyon State Park
- Mustang Island State Park
- Goliad State Park & Historic Site
- Goose Island State Park
- Powderhorn State Park
Straight-line distance. See every park in the Gulf Coast.
Questions people ask
Can you swim at Lake Corpus Christi State Park?
Yes. There are no lifeguards.
How far is Lake Corpus Christi State Park from Corpus Christi?
About an hour and 25 minutes from central Corpus Christi by car, based on OpenStreetMap routing.
Photo credits
- Lake corpus christi sp pier.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
- Lake Corpus Christi2 Nov 2025.jpg by Simiprof, CC0.
- Lake Corpus Christi1 Nov 2025.jpg by Simiprof, CC0.
- Bird Blind Lake Corpus Christi SP Texas 2024.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
Sources
Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Lake Corpus Christi has current alerts and closures.
- TPWD: Lake Corpus Christi 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: Lake Corpus Christi State Park campsites, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Lake Corpus Christi State Park screened shelters, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Lake Corpus Christi State Park cabins and lodging, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Lake Corpus Christi State Park history, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Boundaries (area computed from boundary), 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