| Goose Island State Park | |
|---|---|
The "Big Tree" at Goose Island State Park is thought to be 1000 years old. |
|
|
|
|
| Location | Aransas County, Texas |
| Nearest city | Rockport |
| Area | 321.4 acres (130 ha) |
| Established | 1931-1935 |
| Governing body | Texas Parks and Wildlife Department |
Goose Island State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Texas, located north of the city of Rockport on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The park covers 321.4 acres (130 ha). It is surrounded by both St. Charles and Aransas Bays.
The park was established on land acquired from private owners between the years 1931–35. The Civilian Conservation Corps built the earliest facilities.
The park is home to "The Big Tree", a Southern live oak (Quercus virginiana), thought to be over 1000 years old. It has a circumference of 35 feet (11 m), is 44 feet (13 m) in height and has a crown spread of 90 feet (27 m).
Although it is located on the seashore, there is no designated swimming area at the park, as the shoreline consists of concrete, oyster shell, mudflat, and marsh grass. Instead, the main park activities include camping, birding, fishing, and boating. The park averages more than 60,000 overnight campers each year and has about 200,000 visitors annually. There are 45 shade shelters with electricity and water on the island. There are 57 shelters with electricity and water and only 27 with no electricity, and just water. Speckeled trout, red fish, drum, flounder, and sheepshead are a few fish that you can fish for.