A Goose Island State Park Camping Trip: Everything to Know

If you’re looking for a great getaway location, you will love taking a Goose Island State Park camping trip!  Located in the town of Rockport, just north of Corpus Christi, TX, you’ll find the perfect park for fishing, paddling, hiking, birding or just relaxing around a fire.  

This 321 acre park is located on both the Aransas Bay and the St. Charles Bay.  Both offer great opportunities for fishing, boating and paddling. 

So let’s take a deep dive into the park and all the ways you can go camping in Goose Island.  There’s a few things you should know about the park, and then we’ll compare the ways to stay. 

Important Links

• Goose Island State Park website
• Goose Island State Park Camping – Make Reservations Here
• Day Passes (Recommended)
• All You Need to Know About Goose Island State Park
• Park Map PDF
• Texas State Park Pass
• Camping Journal – Never Forget Your Camping Trips Details Again!

Hours

The hours for Goose Island State Park are 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. Daily.

Location

Goose Island is just 45 minutes north of Corpus Christi and makes for a great fishing day-trip location.  Or if you need a few more days away from the city, you’ll love either of their camping areas!

But if you are serious about making a weekend trip to Goose Island State Park, you’ll probably want to know these travel distances.  Goose Island State Park is 3 hours from Houston, TX, 6 hours from Dallas, TX, and about 2.5 hours from San Antonio, TX.  

Address: 202 S. Palmetto St. Rockport, TX 78382-7965

Fees

Goose Island State Park has a daily entrance fee of $5 per adult (age 13+) and is free for children.  This fee is charged to each adult, each day you enter the park.

And unfortunately, to take a Goose Island State Park camping trip you will have to pay that daily entrance fee each day that you are camping there.  In other words, even if you have paid for your camping trip in full, you will have to pay the daily fee per adult per day that you are camping there.  This will be charged when you check in.

And you might be thinking “there has to be a way around that fee!”  There is!  You can purchase a Texas State Parks Pass for $70.  It’s good for a year and grants you and a car-full of guests free entry into all 88 Texas State Parks.  This is how we were able to camp at these parks for multiple days in 2025.  

Know Before You Go

Goose Island State Park does not have a beach, despite the island in the name.   The expected “beach” area is made primarily of bulkhead concrete walls or is just a rocky section.  

To ensure that you don’t think you’re getting a beach vacation, there are warnings on the website before you reserve a campsite.  Even the bayfront campsites don’t have any sandy shores for you to enjoy.   

Time to Spend Here

With only 320 acres, there are just 2 short walking/hiking trails that won’t even take a half hour to complete.  Paddling can take as little or as much time as you like, but there aren’t specific paddling trails to complete here.  And unless you plan to sit out all day in search of birds, their nature sections aren’t particularly large either.  

The campground areas themselves are very nice and well-maintained, so this is a great place to spend a weekend away.  You might want more than a weekend if you plan on fishing day after day in the bays.  

In short, Goose Island State Park is a great place to spend a weekend, but it’s not a multi-day park unless you plan to do a lot of fishing here.

Things To Do In The Park

Goose Island has great fishing, 2 hiking trails, The Big Tree, paddling and boating opportunities, and some great nature viewing areas.  Each of these are a great way to spend a few days and you can learn more about all there is to do at this link.  

This post All You Need to Know About Goose Island State Park, is a great place to get started with your day trip, or camping trip to Goose Island.  

Campground 

When you decide to book a Goose Island State Park camping trip, you’ll start on this website and choose the type of site you’ll want to book.  They offer a few options, from basic tent sites, to wooded campsites with electric/water, and then their beautiful bayfront sites with electric and water.  

You can’t go wrong with any of their camping options, but let’s dive into the facts a little bit!

Details

• 22 Basic Campsites (Water Only)
• 39 Wooded Campsites (Water/Electric)
• 34 Bayfront Campsites (Water/Electric)
• 1 Group Campsite
• Dump Station
• 3 Bathhouses/Restrooms
• Campground is Dog Friendly
• 2 Hiking Trails
• Nature Viewing Areas
• Day Use Picnic Tables
• Fishing Pier
• Boat Ramp/Fish Cleaning Station

Walk-In Sites (Water)

First up is the cheapest way to take a Goose Island State Park camping trip and that is their walk-in sites.  These sites allow a maximum of 8 people to camp on them, and they are dog friendly.  You will have to carry your gear up to 150 yards from where you will park your car.  

These sites are tent-only and all vehicles must be parked in the assigned parking lot.  These sites are in the Wooded area, where you will find the shade from the large Oak trees very refreshing!

Wooded Sites (Water/Electric)

The next way to take a Goose Island State Park camping trip is by booking in a wooded site with electricity.  These sites are the middle-ground when it comes to price, and they are perfect for those of you camping in a camper of some sort.  

Each site is dog friendly, has a picnic table and fire ring, and can accommodate up to 8 people.  These sites are all varying sizes, so be sure that your rig will fit before you hit that confirmation button when booking.    

Bayfront Sites (Water/Electric)

Finally we have the best way to book a Goose Island State Park camping trip (in my opinion).  There are 34 Bayfront sites that are right on the bay.  These sites have electricity, water, a pavilion and a picnic table for you to use.  

Camping on the bay will give you a sunny and breezy camping experience, while also being just 1 minute from the fishing pier.  Each site is right on the water and is a beautiful way to camp!

Group Site

Before we start comparing prices, there is one more way to take a Goose Island State Park camping trip. That is by group camping.  The group camping site can accommodate up to 63 people and has 9 parking spots.  The area is ½ acre, has a covered pavilion, a group fire ring, 2 regular fire rings, and water is in the area.  Restrooms/Showers are located in the nearby campground, just a short walk away.   

However, not just any group of random people can book this site.  You must be part of a sponsored youth group (scouts, church youth groups, etc.) in order to book this site.  This site is not reservable online. Please call 512-389-8920 to reserve.

Price Comparison

Alright, let’s get to the area of price comparison.  We all know that there is a budget for any weekend trip, so let’s take a look and see if a Goose Island State Park camping trip will fit into your budget!

**Disclaimer: These were the prices of the campsites as of 4/2025.  Prices are subject to change depending on the day, week, or holiday that you book.

Walk-In Sites (Water)

• $10 per night 
• $70 per week

Wooded Sites (Water/Electric)

• $20 per night 
• $140 per week

Bayfront Sites (Water/Electric)

• $25 per night 
• $175 per week

Group Camping (Sponsored Youth Groups Only)

• $75 per night
• $525 per week

Remember, these are ballpark prices, they do not include taxes/fees.  Nor do these prices include the daily fee that is charged to you when you arrive.  So don’t forget to account for that!

Conclusion

A Goose Island State Park camping trip is a great way to get away for a weekend!  Whether you plan to go fishing, paddling, hiking, or just relax around the campfire. This little park is perfect for anyone looking to unplug.  

With their wooded campsites and their bayfront campsites to choose from, you’ll love camping at either location.  And with great shower/restroom facilities, plenty of great fishing, and the beauty of this park, you’ll love taking a camping trip here.  

As always, feel free to reach out to me at averagewildexperience@gmail.com with any camping questions.

-Happy Camping!