- State: TX
- NPCA Region: Texas
- Est. Date: 1968
Air & Climate Data
View the Polluted Parks ReportVisibility
Moderate Concern
Health
Moderate Concern
Nature
Significant Concern
Climate
Significant Concern
Travelers might not picture stunning beaches and undisturbed lagoons, marshlands, and coastal prairies when they think of Texas, but Padre Island National Seashore preserves the largest undeveloped barrier island in the world with a range of unspoiled natural features. The varied types of geography at the park make it an ideal stopover for a range of migratory birds on the Central Flyway seeking food and shelter, and the American Bird Conservancy has designated the park a Globally Important Bird Area. An estimated 380 different types of birds inhabit Padre Island over the course of a year—nearly half the total number of bird species in the entire country.
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Magazine Article
Turtle Troubles
New research from Padre Island National Seashore highlights the toll that ingesting plastic is taking on green sea turtles.
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Blog Post
Your Favorite Park Photos and Stories
People around the country have shared some of their most poignant and intriguing moments in national parks on NPCA’s recently relaunched MyParkStory site.
More about Padre Island
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Read more about 11 of America’s Best National Park Beaches
Blog Post 11 of America’s Best National Park Beaches Need some sun and surf in your travel plans? NPCA staff highlight top beach vacation spots at national parks around the country.
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Read more about A Legacy Threatened
Report A Legacy Threatened NPCA's photo book shows the damage to parks caused by the 2017 hurricanes.
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Read more about Fleeting Beauty: 9 Natural Phenomena You Won’t Want to Miss
Blog Post Fleeting Beauty: 9 Natural Phenomena You Won’t Want to Miss National parks offer remarkable experiences no matter the hour or the season. Sometimes, though, it helps to be in the right place at the right time to witness something extraordinary. You have to think ahead to catch these nine ephemeral delights — so start planning now!
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Read more about Working Like a Dog: See How Pups Help Park Rangers in These 12 Unusual Jobs
Blog Post Working Like a Dog: See How Pups Help Park Rangers in These 12 Unusual Jobs From sniffing out turtle eggs to keeping mountain goats out of parking lots, four-legged rangers carry out many duties that help preserve national park resources and make sure visitors have a pleasant and safe park experience.
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The national parks are the hearts of every community, they are parts of the history. More so every park relates to the culture of the people. They are the real beauty within ... — Edita Samson
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Read more about Get Your Binoculars: The 25 Best National Parks for Birding
Blog Post Get Your Binoculars: The 25 Best National Parks for Birding Find out which national park sites have the most bird species, with a highlight of what you might see at each place.
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Read more about Trivia Challenge: The Longest Stretch of Undeveloped Barrier Island in the World
Blog Post Trivia Challenge: The Longest Stretch of Undeveloped Barrier Island in the World Q: Barrier islands make up about 10 percent of the world’s coastline, and the United States has the greatest number of them with more than 400. The U.S. also holds the world record for the longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island, which happens to be located in a national park. Can you guess which park?
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Read more about Texas Pride
Report Texas Pride This report profiles the 13 national park sites here in Texas, visited annually by nearly 5.5 million people. They are the pride of our state and economic boons to local communities, with national park tourism providing nearly 5,000 jobs and $308 million annually for state and local economies.
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