Aransas National Wildlife Refuge

P.O. Box 100

Austwell, Texas 77950

361/286-3677

361/286-3722 FAX

http://southwest.fws.gov

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

P.O. Box 117

Port O’Connor, Texas 77982

361/983-2215

361/983-4404 FAX

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us

Texas State Relay Service

1 800/735-2989

For information on the

National Wildlife Refuge System

1 800/344-WILD

October 2000

Black-necked Stilts

Photograph by F.G. Prieto
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Matagorda Island

National Wildlife Refuge ildlife Refuge

and State Park and State Park
The Matagorda Island

National Wildlife

Refuge is part of the

Aransas National

Wildlife Refuge

Complex, one of more

than 500 refuges

throughout the United

States managed by the

Fish and Wildlife

Service.

The National Wildlife

Refuge System is the

only national system

of lands dedicated to

conserving our wildlife

heritage for people

today and for

generations yet

to come.
On the Edge

Sunset over Mesquite Bay

Photograph by F.G. Prieto

Spectacular sunrises and sunsets.

Billowing cloud banks. An endless

horizon. The limitless Gulf of Mexico.

A bright beach beckoning to the

vanishing point. Tiers of wind

sculpted sand dunes. A smell of salt,

rasp of sand, caress of onshore

breeze. A thunder of wings, the wail

of a coyote, the recurrent shush of

the surf. An island universe bent on

its own course. Matagorda Island.

Matagorda is a 5,000-year-old ribbon

of sand, piled in place and held poised

there by the sea. Contoured by

prevailing south-easterly breezes

and opposing gusty northers,

Matagorda Island is reshaped by

occasional violent storms.

The island is 38 miles long and varies

from 3/4 to 4 1⁄2 miles in width. Along

its outer shore, the clean slash of

white beach meets the waves rolling

in from the Gulf of Mexico. On the

opposite side; quiet bays lap into the

labyrinth of inlets and oyster reefs

that border the salt marsh. Tidal

passes define the tips of the island:

Pass Cavallo on the north and Cedar

Bayou on the south.
Laughing Gulls

Photograph by F.G. Prieto

Tidal passes serve as migration

routes for aquatic creatures whose

life cycles span both Gulf and bays

(brown and white shrimp, blue crabs,

southern flounder, and red drum).

These passes convey Gulf water to

refurbish and cleanse the land-locked

bays, and they act as escape routes

for marine life when the shallow bays

get too cold or too salty. Cedar

Bayou is a designated fish pass by

Texas Parks and Wildlife

Department. As such special

regulations apply.

Built by the sea, Matagorda Island is

divided into a series of distinctive life

zones oriented parallel to the beach.

Salt marsh is intertwined with mud

flats; oyster reefs and shallow open

water stretch along the bay side.

Both finfish and shellfish abound in

marsh shallows, providing food for

clapper rails, long-legged wading

birds, shorebirds, and other

migratory birds.

From Bay to Surf

Giant Land Crab

Photograph by

F.G. Prieto
Magnificent Frigatebird

Photograph by F.G. Prieto

At the high tide line, marsh meets

grassland. The interior of the island

is carpeted with a stunning waisthigh sea of grasses: Gulfdune

paspalum, marshhay cordgrass, Gulf

cordgrass, and seacoast bluestem,

blend with some 80 other species.

The grasses are intermixed with a

variety of herbs, trailing vines,

sedges, and wild flowers. Whitetailed deer, eastern meadowlarks

and wolf spiders populate the humid

grasslands.

Between grassland and beach lies

the dune field. This undulant zone of

shifting sand is sparsely vegetated.

The dunes are capped with

picturesque clumps of sea oats,

swaying upon 20-foot peaks.

Goatsfoot morning glory and

evening primrose trail down the

dunes toward the beach. Sand

wasps, horned larks, and occasional

badger live in the desert-like dunes.

Goatsfoot

Morning Glory

Photograph by

F.G. Prieto
Crested

Caracara

Photograph by

F.G. Prieto

On the Move

The sand dunes are separated from

the sea by a gently sloping sandy

beach about 250 feet wide. Tough

pioneer plants like sea purslane,

beach fimbry, and sea rocket dare to

colonize the inland edge. Ghost crabs

and sanderlings scurry across the

sand. Coquina clams burrow in the

surf zone and Portuguese man-owars ride the Gulf swells.

Positioned in a bottleneck on the

Central Flyway, Matagorda Island is

a critical staging area, a stopping off

place, for flocks of migrating birds.

In autumn the island is a springboard

from which many southbound species

launch across the Gulf of Mexico; in

spring it is the sought-after landfall

for exhausted northbound migrants.

At the peak of bird migration the

numbers of birds on the island

can change dramatically in just a

few hours.

Aplomado

Falcon

Photograph by

F.G. Prieto
Species diversity is at its highest

during the spring and fall migrations.

Spring migration is more intense

because birds are driven by instinct

to reach their nesting grounds.

Clumps of salt cedars and scattered

mesquite trees suddenly come alive

with colorful songbirds: tanagers,

grosbeaks, buntings, orioles, vireos

and a bewildering array of wood

warblers. Swallows and goatsuckers,

flycatchers and kingbirds, kinglets

and gnatcatchers, thrushes and

thrashers, and waves of hurrying

sparrows can all be found.

Twelve endangered or threatened

bird species and seven species of

reptiles occur on Matagorda Island.

The best known of these is the

whooping crane. From late October

to mid-April, thirty or more of these

stately birds stalk the salt marsh.

Brown pelicans, reddish egrets, and

white-tailed hawks all maintain

stable populations. Northern

aplomado falcons have been

reintroduced on the island since

1996. The first successful nest

occurred in 1999.

Endangered/

Threatened

Species

Yellow-breasted Chat

Photograph by F.G. Prieto
Although the Texas horned lizard

has declined enough to be ranked as

threatened by the State, these

unusual creatures scamper blissfully

along shell roads on Matagorda.

Alligators can be found in nearly all

freshwater ponds, and five of the

world’s eight species of sea turtles

cruise the offshore shallows.

The Karankawa, who lived along the

coastline between Galveston and

Corpus Christi, were probably the

first human inhabitants on

Matagorda Island. When La Salle’s

ship, the L’Amiable, sank in Pass

Cavallo, in 1685, he and his crew

came ashore and planted the French

flag on the island. Spanish

exploration occurred in 1793 when

Captain Juan Cortez found the island

inhospitable because of mosquitos

and flies, and called the island

“purgatory”.

Matagorda In

History

Horned Lizard

Photograph by

F.G. Prieto

Matagorda Island lighthouse at sunset

Photograph by Lynn B. Starnes
Two towns, Calhoun and Saluria,

were established on the north end

of the island. Calhoun, established

in 1839 as a customs port, quickly

declined. The town of Saluria,

established in 1847 survived the

Civil War, but later succumbed to

hurricanes in 1875 and 1886. The

Matagorda Island lighthouse, built

in 1852, stands as a reminder

of yesteryear.

Originally constructed near the town

of Saluria, on Pass Cavallo, the

lighthouse guided ships through the

pass into Matagorda Bay. The

lighthouse was not tall enough and

an additional 24 feet of height was

added in 1859. During the Civil War,

the Confederate Army was ordered

to destroy all the lighthouses in Pass

Cavallo. The Matagorda lighthouse

proved a formidable opponent. The

light was removed and charges were

set to blow up the structure. Only

two plates were damaged in the

explosion. In 1872, the lighthouse

was restored and moved 1.5 miles

inland because erosion threatened to

undermine the foundation. Relit on

September 1, 1873, the lighthouse

shone until 1995. With modern day

navigational aids the lighthouse no

longer served its intended purpose.

On December 31, 1999, through the

efforts of the Matagorda Island

Foundation, Calhoun County, Texas

Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish

& Wildlife Service, the lighthouse

was relit, and restoration began.

White pelicans

Photograph by F.G. Prieto
Wildlife Watching Tips

Dawn and dusk are the best times

to see wildlife.

This is a warm climate, so little is

moving on hot summer afternoons

or on windy days.

Observe from the sidelines. Leave

“abandoned” young animals alone.

A parent is probably close by

waiting for you to leave. Don’t

offer snacks; your lunch could

disrupt wild digestive systems.

Ride slowly, stopping to scan

places wildlife might hide. Use

binoculars or a long lens for a

closer look.

Try sitting quietly in one good

location. Let wildlife get used to

your presence. Many animals that

have hidden will reappear once

they think you are gone. Walk

quietly in designated areas, being

aware of sounds and smells. Often

you will hear more than you will

see.

Teach children quiet observation.

Other wildlife watchers will

appreciate your consideration.

Look for animal signs. Tracks,

scat, feathers, and nests left

behind often tell interesting

stories.
Access to the island is by boat only.

Texas Parks and Wildlife

Department operates a passenger

ferry to and from Matagorda Island

four days a week and on some

holidays. The ferry will carry

passengers, bicycles and kayaks.

The voyage is approximately 25

minutes.

From the Island’s dock, visitors can

walk or ride bicycles along the roads.

A beach shuttle is available to take

visitors to and from the beach

located 1.5 miles from the dock. A

number of special tours are available,

including history, whooping crane

and birding tours.

Boats docks are available for private

boats.

Matagorda Island Ferry Schedule

Visiting

Matagorda Island

The North End

Days of Operation Depart Depart

Port O’Connor Matagorda Island

Thursday & Friday 9:00 am 4:00 pm

Saturday & Sunday 8:00 am 9:00 am

10:00 am 2:00 pm

3:00 pm 4:00 pm

Environmental education class

Photograph by W.H. McAlister
Visitors can wade fish in the surf or

in the bayside marshes. Bayside

fisherman are encouraged to watch

for whooping cranes during the

winter and keep a distance from

them so not to disturb these

endangered birds.

Twenty-five miles of shell roadways

and beach centered around the

Island’s Visitor Center are available

for exploration. The lighthouse trail

leads from the beach access road

across the civil war trenches to

the lighthouse.

Beach conditions change throughout

the year. Sometimes it is wide and

smooth and at others it can be

heaped with sargassum making

travel difficult. Pick up a few shells

or that “treasure” (hard hat, buoy,

drift wood etc.) you just can’t pass

up. Just remember, if you take it off

the beach, you take it off the island!

Things To Do and

See

Fishing

y

Beach Combing

Walking/Biking

kU

Viewing Whooping Cranes from

a distance

Photograph by

F.G. Prieto

Coyote pups

Photograph by W.H. McAlister
Texas Parks and Wildlife

Department Park rangers can point

you toward “hotspots”, including the

“golden triangle” and Lighthouse

Pond. Northern aplomado falcons,

black-shouldered kites, scissor-tailed

flycatchers, and roseate spoonbills

will catch even a novice birder’s eye.

Birding tours are available in the

spring by Texas Parks and Wildlife

Department.

Primitive camping on the beach or

dock at the north end or at Cedar

Bayou is available. Potable water is

not available on the Island, so bring

plenty.

Call Texas Parks and Wildlife at

512/389-8900 for information and

reservations.

The bayside marshes are open for

waterfowl hunting. Opportunities for

hunting dove, quail and deer on the

Island are available. Contact Texas

Parks and Wildlife Department at

512/389-8900 for information and

regulations.

Birding

145

Camping

w

Bunkhouse

o

Hunting

E

Black-shouldered

Kite

Photograph by

F.G. Prieto
To get to the ferry landing from

Galveston, take I-45 west to Texas

City and State Highway 6 to Alvin.

Turn left on SH 35 and follow it

south to the intersection of SH 35

and SH 185, at Green Lake. Turn left

and follow SH 185 to Port O’Connor.

Turn right on 16th Street and go two

blocks to the ferry landing. From

Corpus Christi, take SH 35 north to

SH 185. Turn right and continue the

above directions to Port O’Connor.

1971

56,000 acres

To protect critical coastal wetlands

for migratory birds and other

wildlife.

Matagorda Island

NWR Facts

Where is it?

When was it

established?

How big is it?

Why is it here?

For reservations call 361/983-2215.

Adults: $10.00

Children (12 and under) $5.00

Kayaks $5.00

For reservations call 512/389-8900.

Per Person: $12.00 per night plus tax

Per Site: $4.00 per night

4 person maximum

$25.00 per half day

$35.00 per whole day

Bunkhouse

Primitive

Campsites

Kayak Rental

Fees

Passenger

Ferry

Killdeer

Photograph by F.G. Prieto