Goose Island State Park

I camped here for 2 weeks in January of 2026 on the beach front. For the cost and the view it is a great bargain. The shelter next to the camp spot is great! The park was clean and the staff friendly. It is a busy park and there are bird watchers that come in tours. I'm more of a private person and like low visibility when I camp so don't expect private spaces here. Also this is just weather related and I don't know if it is typical but I have read some other reviews. The wind is no joke here, the first night I arrived I had winds into the 30mph and gusts up to 45 to 50 mph. The wind was definitely a deterrent during my stay to being out and about as much as I would have liked. It's been a crazy winter season in the US anyway. I did enjoy a handful of beautiful days during my stay. Overall I will definitely stay here again but probably in the more wooded camping area.

Goose Island State Park My visit to Goose Island State Park was the perfect blend of coastal serenity and natural excitement. From the peaceful shoreline views to the vibrant wildlife that calls this area home, every moment felt connected to the beauty of the Texas coast. One of the true highlights was experiencing the park’s spectacular live oak trees, including some of the oldest and most impressive in the state. The combination of birdlife, coastal breezes, and scenic landscapes makes this park an ideal destination for nature lovers, photographers, and anyone looking to unwind outdoors. Goose Island offers a uniquely tranquil Texas coastal experience that’s both relaxing and inspiring. #TravelWithRolando #AdventuresWithBella #GooseIslandStatePark #TexasCoast #NaturePhotography

We had bay front site #3 and it did not disappoint. Showers were clean and hot, we used our RV for toilets but the views were incredible. The water was refreshing. I would recommend water shoes for swimming as it's quite rocky and shells but once in the water it was so nice. No sandy beach so not ideal for kids but hardy kids would enjoy the water which is very shallow for a long way. They allowed us to park our class A face in so we had beautiful views of the sunrise and sunsets even on a cold day

Definitely one of my favorite State Parks in Texas. You have the option for water front or forest camping. Water front are close together and not private, but you have a great shelter. The forest area are large, private and spaced apart really well. The area is beautiful, so much wildlife. Staff are friendly and introduced us to fishing as they let us know, you don't need a fishing license when fishing in a Texas State Park. So we tried it and it's was fantastic!!! And very successful, we ate fish for four days in a row... Delicious Highly recommend a drive into Rockport too. Great town.

I visited this park recently, and I’d say it’s a great spot for relaxing and especially for RV stays. If you have an RV, this is perfect — they have camping spots that face the water. However, if you’re into hiking, it doesn’t offer much. Walking along the shore and around the fishing areas was very pleasant, though. The park is well kept and clean. This is a state park, so there’s an entry fee, but it’s free if you have the State Park Pass. I recommend it mainly for fishing.

This is a beautiful state park with private camp sites amongst the trees, open camp sites butted up to the bay, and plenty of space to walk and ride bikes. There is a wide array of wildlife, especially birds. Theres a long fishing pier, plenty of other places to fish, fish cleaning area, and boat ramps. A great place to visit for the day or night.

We had an amazing time. It's like two parks in one. There are wooded campgrounds and spots alongside the bay. We went to see the Whooping Cranes. It was amazing. Birdwatching in general was super cool. Five stars, would recommend.

Awesome staff, an extremely clean park. The only issues were we came on a monday, and they hadn't gotten to the bathrooms. That was fixed within hours. Love the fishing pier.We caught many and had a great time! Such a relaxing place. Only issue was some of the other campers children, we're feeding the fish to the the waterfowl (Great Blue Heron)which did make it uncomfortable at times.

Heads up this is from a view of an overnight camper- Me and my husband were looking for a place to camp near Houston for Christmas Eve night. We looked around Houston and everything was booked or rained out! So we found Goose Island and it had decent reviews! We decided to book a campsite for one night- our campsite was 201. When we arrived my goodness!! I've never seen so many deer - one minute outside of the park, there were about 5 deers hanging out- not scared of me or my car or the noises. It was beautiful! When we entered the park, we first was looking for our campsite and drove in many circles- it was in the "wooded area" so it was a bit hard to find! When we arrived it was around 3pm And we started setting up camp. I am thankful the parking was right in front of the campsite but also that whole area I think 201-204 Is shared. I was lucky it was Christmas so no one else Booked the area next to us but it wouldn't have been as fun if others did! We stayed overnight- everything went well as planned! One thing I didn't like the restrooms were driving distance or a longer walk away but this was an amazing weekend getaway for us! In the morning we checked out the pier area. It was nice and very different than our campsite area! Highly recommend this park even for a daytime park!

Seeing the Big Tree at Goose Island State Park has been on our wish list for a while, and we finally made the trip. It's an antonishingly old live oak tree with a massive trunk and spreading branches. During our visit, the land under and around the tree was a carpet of wildflowers. Goose Island State Park is smaller than some state parks we have visited but it's full of amenities. There are lots of camping spots for tents and RVs. There are short hiking trails that showcase the local flora . . . but be sure to bring your bug spray if you come during the warmer months. The pier that stretches into Aransas Bay has spectacular views, and the wetlands welcome many types of birds.

I'm writing this review because of a great experience we had with a Park Ranger Officer on April 26th. I would like to mention the name but won't as the "guidelines" suggest not to. At 9pm we accidentally locked ourselves out of our RV AND our vehicle with no phones and no belongings! Our neighbor drove my husband around to someone that has a similar RV to ours in hopes that their key would fit ours! Ha! It didn't! Coincidentally, came across this Park Ranger Officer and they were so unbelievably helpful, friendly, kind and were not going to leave us stranded without finding us a solution. We used their phone to find a locksmith. Closest one was sent from Corpus Christi even though we called a local number. If there truly is one in Rockport please comment below because this cost us $350. If we used a credit card they would have added an extra $28 so we paid cash! This Park Ranger stayed in the area, they were also seeing about another situation, until the locksmith arrived. This Ranger met the locksmith as they couldn't find the right area AND stayed to see us through the situation (we had no phones). Goose Island must be proud of their Park Ranger Officers, competent, caring, friendly. While we were waiting this Officer gave us tips on other Tx Parks with our interests. You don't forget when you are in dire straights and are treated with such professionalism and compassion! Thank You Goose Island Park Ranger Officer! We will be back, the only negatives were the mosquitoes. They said this was their first outbreak because of recent rains. We stayed in the wooded area. We are not fishermen so staying at the bay area didn't appeal to us. We enjoyed the very long pier! Will try the hiking trails next time. Enjoyed all the birds! I like coming here because there is so many things you can do in Rockport! Their Ace Hardware is like no other!!! Truly unbelievable! Has something for everyone! Looking forward to our next trip here! I forgot to mention that the staff in the office during check-in and follow-up questions were awesome!

This was a nice and clean park. The kids enjoyed learning about archery and trying it at one of their sessions. We will be back.

Great little park where you can go fishing, short hikes and chill and have a good time. We did lots of fishing on the great pier. And lots of chilling at our campsite. The park is clean and the staff is super friendly. Can't wait to camp again.

The previous times here have been relaxing. This time, there was early, early boat noise from fishing boats. Then, in the middle of the afternoon, mowing through campsites. More noise! There were sooooi many sand burs.

Visit here while camping out at mustang island for the weekend, with our Troop. We learned when camping out at one state park, you are welcome to visit any state park that day you have access. Nice gift shop. The BEST PATCH was found here! It would've been nice if the park staff would've collect details from when she visit our car at the stopping post, to welcome us in the shop. She was fully aware about our stay at mustang, and had a weekend pass in windshield. verses us having to return to the car to collect the details. The mosquitoes was HIGHLY ACTIVE. When you open your car door dozens fly inside your car. It was war just getting out the car. Those blood suckers literally are waiting to enter inside your car. We didnt see any goose, but we seen plenty of deers. I came here ro collect a patch for my boy scout since mustang didn't have any souvenir to offer st all, since Harvey Hurricane happened in 2017. Not even a sticker.

Great Great park! We have stayed at the bay water front and the wooded areas and we love both! Very relaxing. Rockport is awesome too!

Nice State Park with a really nice looooong fishing pier. It seems that the best area to fish from is the very end, but get there early because it does get crowded.

Goose Island State Park is a wonderful place for camping, fishing, bird watching, boating, hiking, photography, barbecuing, getting drunk or whatever makes you happy. I was really impressed with the beautiful coastline of the bay, the fishing, the facilities, and overall cleanliness of the park. Lots of cool people too. We spent a good amount of time on the bay. It was a great afternoon. Lots of wildlife. Then, we went looking for the 1,000 year old coastal live oak tree. It was a thing of beauty. A nice history lesson can be viewed on the signs. One sidebar note: a few people were on here complaining about mosquitoes. Common sense would tell you that you need to pack some mosquito repellent (Off, Cutter, Deet). This is south Texas and by the coast. Get a clue people. Obviously the complainers don't get out very often. Such people complain about anything and everything. It's a beautiful park. The staff does an excellent job. Tax money well spent.

This is a beautiful place! We will camp here again! One of the best state parks in Texas!

Duck, duck, goose! This is not the same island that Goose Island Beer comes from. This one is in the gnarled oaks and coastal waters of Copano Bay and Rockport/Fulton. This state park is such an amazing place. I love it here! This park has a bunch of great campsites on different loops, each area giving off a different vibe. The park has a few nature trails that take you around. The nature trail goes around what seems to have once been the town of Lamar, a town that was sacked by the Union troops in the Civil War. The trail seems ancient, and is lined with oyster shells. Along the way, there's all kinds of cool old trees to check out, birds, and some waterlands. Unfortunately, the pier is still out of commission, and as of this writing, the island of Goose Island is off limits. They said that they estimate it'll be up and running by October, which is right around the corner. It got messed up in Hurricane Harvey. But they're bringing it back, with a boat launch, and sort of covered shelters out on the beach. The facilities here were nice! Bathrooms were clean, and there was plenty of parking and water and electricity. The dumpsters were conveniently close to the camping, and everything was great! The park rangers were helpful and the signage was great. I can't wait to come back.

Nice quiet place to visit for everyone from young to old. It's a little expensive to enter, but worth it if you stay for a while .

Loved our spot on Bayview loop. The sound of the waves was very relaxing. Only negative is there is no swimming area, but was happy to drive Rockport public beach.

Beautiful place, lots of wildlife to see. We loved seeing all the different birds, we saw alligators and you can pull your camper right up to the water. Very peaceful and clean.

Really cool spot for quick tree climbing and a little history! I would totally bring a picnic and tennis shoes next time. It's so fun, even though I was wearing a dress I attempted a short climb! After, head over to Glow restaurant for a Big Tree drink. Follows signs not yelp directions, it leads you to a gated area so you have to back track. A little busier on the weekends but there are plenty of trees to climb!

I wish the pier was rebuilt, but it is not their fault. I was told it would be another two years until it is finished. Cheap stay, fun, and a great way to support the state/locals/outdoor community. Make sure to schedule early as spots fill quickly. The new TX state park reserve portal is awesome, and you can now reserve individual spots.

Hands down the Friendliest staff in Texas. We come to Goose Island 2-3 times a year and the park staff is always so helpful and accommodating. Highly recommend!!

With both wilderness and waterfront areas this is a great place for outdoor adventures. This place is filled with wildlife. Bunnies, deer, dolphins, and birds of all sorts. We saw so many little creatures! We went for the day and enjoyed fishing at the pier and went for a nice nature walk. They have half shelters with full electricity so that was a great plus. There was plenty to do. From hikes to bird watching. There is even a tree called "the big tree". And it is massive. A huge oak tree estimated to be about 1000 years old and 36 feet in diameter. It was remarkable! They have wonderful friendly staff/guides. They were very helpful and educated.

The fishing pier is nice. If we ever stay again we will camp at the beach area. Even though there is more privacy, the mosquitoes are absolutely HORRIBLE in the wooded part of the campground....Ridiculously horrible.

Entry/overnight price isn't bad and I got to say. The bathroom and shower facilities are topnotch. Of course the scenery is beautiful and the staff is friendly and helpful. This park is super clean, quiet and organized. I also like that the rangers continuously monitor the areas. Raccoons here are very very domesticated. They are not afraid of campers and will practically beg you for food. They'll also steal whatever they can get their hands on. I got 3 been bags stolen form my campsite (playing corn hole) and they of course stole our trash. They also tried to get in our tent.

Great little state park on the water. Lot of animals like raccoons, deer, seagulls, etc Great fishing with a boat dock and a pier. I really wish you could drive golf carts in and out around the peninsula. I pinged them a star for that, it is really annoying that you can't. Cool stuff near by like the Big Tree and the Nun Convent.

I love it here, peaceful and quiet. Birds and deer are everywhere. Park police are very helpful. Come enjoy nature at its best with fishing spots all over!

Went here on a camping trip with my daughter and we had an awesome time! This park has a lot to offer. First let me qualify my review. This is not a huge destination park like Garner where you are going to set up and spend all weekend on any number of activities. There is a short nature trail, fishing and kayaking/paddle boarding. Also despite being on the coast it is not on the beach. Rockport beach, and town, is only about a 15 min drive. Keeping that in mind i still loved it. The staff at the HQ were super friendly and helpful. Our campsite, 144, was clean and with enough privacy we felt like we were alone in the woods - even though there was a huge fifth wheel less than 20 feet away. The bathrooms were clean and easy to find - and there was plenty of parking. My one complaint would be the noise from the fan boats while we were fishing in the morning. I could see how if you had a campsite on the water that would be annoying if you wanted to sleep in. My six year didn't want to sleep in so we were on the pier pretty early. There are two distinct areas to camp, on the water and in the woods. The water is neat because you are on the water. The campsites are stacked on top of each other though. We liked our water/electric spot in the woods. Also there were tent only spots that looked nice and a small area with lots of tent spots all together. Those I think all had water. There was also an in between with not secluded spots in woods large enough for trailers, but still with more space than the water. The Big Tree is worth the short drive, and would probably make a nice bike ride. The Big Tree is off by itself so it is a stretch to spend 20 min there. The nature trail in the park is alright - it is very short. There is a 7/11 about a mile outside the park if you need coffee or fire wood. And no we didn't catch any fish.

I wanted to love this park, and there are good things about it. But there is not enough mosquito repellent in the world to visit in the summertime. Even a relatively cool day in the shade with a nice breeze was uncomfortably sticky. Then made the mistake of using one of their hot showers. Make that scalding. It was too hot to even use. All in all, not a very pleasant experience.

We meandered over to Goose Island while spending the weekend in Rockport visiting my beloved whooping cranes. Goose Island is just a short (under 10 miles) drive away. Go for the big tree. You'll know you've found it because it has a sign that literally says "big tree". It's a thousand years old! Think about that - it's just stood there and taken it for 1000 years. I have nothing but respect.

I loved our stay at this state park! It had all the essentials - clean bathrooms and hot water showers that were pretty clean! The bf caught 10 fish that night! So he was also very pleased. And the park is near enough to Rockport that if you don't feel like cooking for the night or if you've forgotten an essential, you can drive into town with no problem. Where this place really stands out is the scenery. We chose a campsite right on the water. The campsite was covered in lush grass which was wonderful to lay out on in the morning. The camping table was covered which made for nice shade, too. We also stopped by "the Big Tree" and geeked out about standing in front of a 1000+ year old tree. What I loved most about this park was how quiet it was. All I could hear was the sound of the ocean. It was wonderful.

This state park has your choice of waterfront or wilderness camp sites. Either way, most sites are very close together or right on a park road. Staff was helpful and stayed until at least 9pm checking people in on a Friday night. Bathroom and shower facilities were okay, but the men's bathroom had no soap all weekend. Lots of families were camping here. You can fish without a license in some spots, and we saw people catching crabs. There are 2 resident bird expert-types on camp sites here who give guided tours. The hiking trail is 2/3 of a mile and alright. Not too far away there is a 1,000 year old Live Oak tree which is pretty cool. You can't actually go up to it because it's so elderly -- it's fenced off and has support beams for its longer branches.

This is a on the water, coastal camp ground that has it all. Most coastal campgrounds have water front spaces, but little shade or trees. This campground has places right on the water, but other spaces in a beautiful oak hammock with shade and privacy. There is a long, lighted pier for fishing and it is good for fishing. This is a good location for kayak fishermen to have as a home base. The air boats are a bit loud in hunting season, but not the parks fault. If you have not heard of the The Big Tree it is close to but not inside the park. This is where we like to go close to our home.

peaceful place to pitch a tent. well maintained facility,friendly staff, and nice view of the beach. the wooded area is relaxing and quiet

Goose Island State Park- camp site 205- Sepetember 17-19 2015 We headed to Goose Island Park on the recommendation of a park ranger after our desired stay at Mustang Island was thwarted by the toxic Red Tide. We had driven 4 hours to camp on the beach but couldn't so we headed to Goose Island thinking it was a good alternative. Upon arrival the staff was great and staying at the camp ground was pretty cheap. The ranger suggested camp site 205 which is fantastic- it's secluded and private and really pretty, with a marsh lining the northern edge and lots of dragon flies. We had read some reviews about mosquitos but weren't prepared for the onslaught we received upon unloading our car. My guess is that the mosquitos on Goose Island are a special breed, probably pit bull mixed. You can not be there without using a putty knife to apply 40% deet to your entire body. They will bite you through your clothes, they don't care. These are honey badger mosquitos and I'm not kidding. The night sky was gorgeous, but we couldn't enjoy it because we are both a little under weight already and couldn't afford the blood loss. Going to the bathroom at night is like going to fight a war you don't believe in. The second night we brought a bucket into the tent so that we didn't have to go out. The park is no longer allowed to sell firewood, and no one in town sells it if it's not the 'season' which is apparently not September. Bring your own firewood and sit directly in the line of smoke- it helps. There is a big tree there. It's pretty. And old. But there are no hiking trails and the water there isn't for swimming, it's for fishing. If you want to fish a lot, this is the park for you. I saw a 10 year old girl catch a really big flounder. She was really excited. If you bird, it's probably a great place to see birds. if you cover all of your skin. Maybe wear a hazmat suit. But if you want a place to hike around and be active, I'm not sure what you could do here. There are no hiking trails or anything. We ended up driving to Rockport for the beach. It was alright. \ And and don't forget the fire ants. I left covered in about 20- fire ant bites. I'm allergic so my reactions are worse than most people. Be careful when washing your dishes, they've built a hunting resort by the water faucet where food particles accumulate and they consider you food. don't wear flip flops, just don't. cover your feet and wear socks. I've also heard that if you bring a big thing of cinnamon and sprinkle it around it makes them go away, but we did't have cinnamon. We weren't prepared. I won't return. But those who do go there and love it, well- you are a tough breed and you are my heros. Goose Island State park made me feel like an old whiney woman who just wanted to stay at a hotel. And that's really unlike me

We arrived July 2nd and stayed on Trout Street, Bayfront site 20. Clean, grass cut, but horrible, huge mosquitos. Left a day earlier than planned because of this. I wish I would have researched better because there was no playground. We have a 3 and 5 year old and with no beach or playground AND tons of Mosquitos, there was nothing they could do outside. Even the fishing pier over a breezy waterway was loaded with the pests. Maybe it was the time of year, but none the less, not much for little kids to do here.

Have been back since the first review, stayed in the wooded area. It's definitely a better area for tent camping than by the pier. We heard raccoons rustling about in the middle of the night. The park staff advises you to keep all coolers in the car at night, with good reason! We love biking and fishing here. Hope to one day rent the kayaks. Lots of good fun for the family.

My husband and I visit Rockport as often as we can. We happened to stumble upon this state park last year when we were here. We both really love camping out here. Even though we do not have a camper, we rent one of the premium camp sites along the water. Last year we caught a ton of fish off of the pier, not so much this year. Camp sites were clean and well maintained. Pier could use a good scrubbing every now and then. Did not get the chance to check out the kayak rentals or the hiking trails. There are only a couple things that I would change. One being to improve the ventilation system in the shower room. It gets really hot and humid in there making it near impossible to dry off and get dressed. Secondly, I wish the headquarters would advise campers to be considerate of others, especially late at night. One neighbor had an extremely LOUD air-conditioner in his pop up camper that would turn on and off about every 15 minutes the whole time we were there. Also, the campers fishing on the pier late at night drive their huge diesel trucks up and down the road past the camp sites all night long. They also have their headlights on high-beam. Luckily, we placed our tent under the shelter which help block out some noise and headlights. (last year same weekend was much quieter) Lastly, the wi-fi kept dropping the signal. Don't really care about using the internet, but really wanted the wi-fi for iRadio on my iPod. (not really a deal breaker as much as it was annoying) We will definitely be back, as this is our favorite camping spot.

We got here after a morning of successful birding and an afternoon of not so successful birding. First off, to get into the park it cost $5 per person, so we had to pay $25. We were very annoyed with this at first as we drove through the scrub forest, where we saw not a single bird. But then at last we came to the beach at the very end of the place and saw two new species, the Ruddy Turnstone and the Black Skimmer. They were very cool. We also saw Laughing Gulls, Brown Pelicans, a Tricolored Heron, and egrets, as with most places in the area. These birds made it worth it, we supposed. We also went to see the "Big Tree", which was big and old but not very exciting.

We have been here a couple of times. Come see the 1,000 plus year old oak tree. Amazing.

Stayed at Goose island week July 4 2018 and it was a very unpleasant stay. Looked like not much done. Some of employees were very crabby. Not to mention the bathrooms had feces in men's shower for two days . The other bathroom had shower continually running and was still running when we left, Everybody camping were disgusted how the maintenance went down. Drove by Mustang Island and was told by employees that they aren't going to put any money to fix parks until next year. Not to mention mosquitos were unbearable. Apparently they rely on park host to clean restrooms but there were none in wooded area but had a host on waterfront where nobody could hookup. Go figure

Goose Island is a great state park so nice to fish & relax love all the beautiful oak trees & just a short 20 minute drive to Port Aransas & 30 minutes to Corpus Christi !