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Goose Island State Park
Goose Island State Park is a premier coastal camping destination on the shores of Aransas and St. Charles Bays. Home to the famous Big Tree — a 1,000+ year-old live oak — and adjacent to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, it offers world-class birding, fishing, and waterfront camping. Whooping cranes winter here from November through March.
122 campsitesGulf Coast3 hr 15 min from Austin$5/person entrance fee
Short answer
Goose Island State Park campsites release on a rolling 5-month window at 8 a.m. Central. Popular dates sell out fast. If your dates are already taken, privately-owned cabins and vacation rentals around Rockport are bookable today.
Getting a site at Goose Island State Park
Texas state parks release campsites on a rolling 5-month window at 8 a.m. Central, and Goose Island State Park fills up fast for weekends and holidays. Popular dates can be gone within minutes of the window opening. If your dates are already taken, the surest way to lock in a place to stay is a cabin or vacation rental nearby.
Places to stay near Goose Island State Park
Aransas Bay cabins and coastal homes await, near ancient oaks and marsh wildlife.
See cabins & rentals near Rockport →We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Prefer to try for a state park site? Book direct on ReserveAmerica →
Texas state parks don’t have live cancellation alerts yet — but most sold-out sites free up 1–2 weeks before the date. We’ll email you the booking playbook (exact release times, the cancellation window, how to pounce) and tell you first if live Texas alerts launch.
Get the Texas state-park booking playbook
Campsite Types
Water + Electric
$25/night*40 sites
Water, 20/30/50-amp electric (bayfront)RV OKTent OK
Water + Electric
$20/night*53 sites
Water, electric (wooded oak area)RV OKTent OK
Full Hookup
$30/night*7 sites
Water, sewer, 30/50-amp electricRV OK
Walk-in Tent
$10/night*22 sites
Water nearby - no electricTent OK
Goose Island State Park fills up fast — lock in a cabin nearby
Aransas Bay cabins and coastal homes await, near ancient oaks and marsh wildlife.
See cabins & rentals near Goose Island State Park →We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Guide to Goose Island State Park
Best Campsites
For Families:The bayfront water/electric sites have bay views and easy access to the pier and shoreline — great for families.
For Privacy:The walk-in tent sites are set away from the parking area and offer the most solitude.
For RVs:Book the full-hookup sites first — there are only a handful and they go fastest; the bayfront water/electric loop handles larger rigs too.
When to Go
November through March for whooping cranes and winter Texans. Spring and fall are also popular. Summer is hot and buggy.
Tips
- →Visit the Big Tree — it survived Hurricane Harvey and is still standing
- →Take a whooping crane boat tour from Rockport (November-March)
- →Bayfront sites are exposed to wind — bring extra stakes and a wind screen
- →Rockport has excellent seafood restaurants — make it part of your trip
Highlights
The Big Tree — 1,000+ year-old live oakAdjacent to Aransas NWR (whooping cranes)Bayfront campsites on the waterWorld-class birding and fishingLighted fishing pierKayaking and paddleboarding on the bay
Goose Island State Park — Frequently Asked
Is Goose Island State Park hard to book?+
Yes. Goose Island State Park is one of the more popular Texas state parks and fills up quickly, especially on weekends and holidays. November through March for whooping cranes and winter Texans. Spring and fall are also popular. Summer is hot and buggy. If your dates are already full, book direct on ReserveAmerica the moment the 5-month window opens, or reserve a cabin or vacation rental nearby that you can book today.
How many campsites does Goose Island State Park have?+
Goose Island State Park has 122 campsites, including Water + Electric, Full Hookup, Walk-in Tent. Sites start at $10/night plus a $5/person entrance fee.
What is the entrance fee at Goose Island State Park?+
The entrance fee at Goose Island State Park is $5 per person per day. A Texas State Parks Pass ($70/year) waives entrance fees for you and all passengers in your vehicle.
How far in advance should I book Goose Island State Park?+
Texas state parks open reservations exactly 5 months in advance, at 8 a.m. Central. For Goose Island State Park, popular weekends can sell out within minutes of the window opening, so book the instant it opens. If your dates are already full, a cabin or vacation rental near Rockport is the quickest place to stay you can lock in today.
How can I get a last-minute campsite at Goose Island State Park?+
Cancellations at Goose Island State Park happen regularly, most often 1 to 3 weeks before the date, so it is worth checking ReserveAmerica directly for openings. If nothing is available for your dates, privately-owned cabins and vacation rentals near Rockport are bookable today as a backup.
Cabins & vacation rentals near Goose Island State Park
Privately-owned cabins and rentals around Rockport are bookable today on Vrbo.
See cabins near Rockport →