Padre Island National Seashore
21 images 2 contributors Shoot with care
Sue Wolfe
Shoot with care
This is a National Park so follow Park rules.
About this spot
Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS) is 70 miles of coastline located on the longest barrier island in the world. Found on North Padre Island, the park is close to Corpus Christi, Texas. Don’t confuse the location with South Padre Island—the two are very different. PAIS is an undeveloped beach where South Padre Island is full of hotels, night life and shopping.
When I sat down to interview the Chief Interpretation Officer of PAIS, he mentioned that 90% of the people who visit PAIS only see 10% of the national seashore. The most popular section of the park is the first 5 miles (Milepost 0 to 5). Anything past Milepost 5 is for 4-wheel drive vehicles only. You should heed the Park’s warning. The remaining 65 miles can be treacherous, and the Park Service will not pull you out if you get stuck in the soft sand. Note: Towing from Corpus Christi can cost up to $1,000.
The Seashore is quiet from October through May. However, starting Memorial Day weekend until after Labor Day the beach will be full of cars, trucks, campers, and motorhomes.
The draw to PAIS: the sand and surf, the fishing, the wildlife, and the seashells. There are more than 450 flowering plant species in the Park and over 380 species of migratory and resident birds. But Padre Island National Seashore is best known as the home to the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, the world’s most endangered sea turtle. One of the most popular events at the Park is the release of the baby sea turtles during the months of June to August. In unseasonably cool winters, you may also be able to attend the release of rehabilitated cold-stunned Green sea turtles back into the Gulf.
The Park is also a coastal prairie. Very few people venture over the sand dunes to the interior. There are beautiful stretches of grassland and ephemeral pools but most of the area is never explored due to one small detail—hordes of mosquitos. If you want to photograph this section of the island, winter is your friend.
When I sat down to interview the Chief Interpretation Officer of PAIS, he mentioned that 90% of the people who visit PAIS only see 10% of the national seashore. The most popular section of the park is the first 5 miles (Milepost 0 to 5). Anything past Milepost 5 is for 4-wheel drive vehicles only. You should heed the Park’s warning. The remaining 65 miles can be treacherous, and the Park Service will not pull you out if you get stuck in the soft sand. Note: Towing from Corpus Christi can cost up to $1,000.
The Seashore is quiet from October through May. However, starting Memorial Day weekend until after Labor Day the beach will be full of cars, trucks, campers, and motorhomes.
The draw to PAIS: the sand and surf, the fishing, the wildlife, and the seashells. There are more than 450 flowering plant species in the Park and over 380 species of migratory and resident birds. But Padre Island National Seashore is best known as the home to the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, the world’s most endangered sea turtle. One of the most popular events at the Park is the release of the baby sea turtles during the months of June to August. In unseasonably cool winters, you may also be able to attend the release of rehabilitated cold-stunned Green sea turtles back into the Gulf.
The Park is also a coastal prairie. Very few people venture over the sand dunes to the interior. There are beautiful stretches of grassland and ephemeral pools but most of the area is never explored due to one small detail—hordes of mosquitos. If you want to photograph this section of the island, winter is your friend.
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