Mustang Island State Park RV & Campground Guide

One of the best places to go shore fishing at Mustang Island State Park is Fish Pass Jetty, but you must watch your step to fish in this area. Anglers often catch black drum, sand trout, speckled trout, sheepshead, redfish, flounder, jack crevalle, snook, and mangrove snapper. Try fishing with live shrimp under a float. Since you are in the park, you will not need a fishing license.

There is a geocache on the deck of the bathhouse. The box contains small plastic ponies. Use it to remind yourself of the wild mustangs that used to call this island home.

When visiting Mustang Island State Park, you might see opossums, raccoons, coyotes, and white-tailed deer, but you are more likely to see small rodents, like pocket gophers, spotted ground squirrels, grasshopper mice, rice rats, and cotton rats. Over 600 species of fish live in the bay. You will likely see many birds, especially during spring and fall migration. One species you might notice is the Aplomado falcon, which naturalists thought was extinct in Texas before state officials released 65 breeding pairs at the park in 2012 and 2013 to restart the population.

The Corpus Christi Astronomical Society regularly hosts stargazing events at Mustang Island State Park. During these events, they bring telescopes for guests to gaze through. Each gathering has a unique theme, making them terrific opportunities to learn about a specific astronomical topic.

Mustang Island State Park has a fragile coastal dune, and you should not walk on it because it is vital to protect homes and other structures during hurricanes. On top of the dune, you can see cenicilla, beach morning glory, and railroad vines that help to stabilize the dune by trapping the sand when it tries to blow away. You will see seacoast bluestem, Gulf cordgrass, and Gulfdune paspalum on its backside. You will likely see salt marsh cordgrass and black mangroves on the flats.

There are three paddling trails at Mustang Island State Park. The Ashum Trail follows the shoreline of Corpus Christi Bay over a firm sand bottom. This 6.8-mile-long trail can be a terrific option for birdwatching. The North Trail runs through the East Flats until it reaches Port Aransas. The Shamrock Loop Trail circles Shamrock Cove, and paddlers can use it to connect to the North Trail.

The water near the beach area at Mustang Island State Park is a fantastic place to swim. Officials test the water at least twice weekly to ensure it is safe to swim in, but there are no lifeguards on duty.