Galveston Island State Park
- Status
- Open (per official listing)Open daily; hours not posted
- Entrance fee
- $5 per adultAnnual pass available
- Day-use reservations
- RecommendedCan reach capacity
- Dogs
- Statewide rule — see below
- Camping
- 120 campsitesAlso cabins
- Official site
- tpwd.texas.gov(409) 737-1222
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. Details last changed Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Current alerts 1
Alert High Tide NoticeSept. 28, 2026 - High tides are predicted over the next week. Check back or contact the park for potential road closures. Water Outage Notice July… (more)
Sept. 28, 2026 - High tides are predicted over the next week. Check back or contact the park for potential road closures. Water Outage Notice July 2, 2026 - The drinking fountains near campsites 71-95 have no water due to a water line break. Check with park staff for the nearest water source. Trail Closures Jan. 19, 2026 - Some boardwalks are closed due to flood damage. Please observe closure signs for your safety. Check back for updates.
Posted by the park. Official alert
Overview
Covering about 1,934 acres, Galveston Island State Park lies in Galveston County, in Galveston.
Visitors come for horseback riding, canoeing and kayaking, boating, swimming, and biking. Water access includes a swimming beach and boat or kayak rentals. Overnight options include 120 campsites across 7 camping areas, with RV sites with electric hookups, tent sites, primitive or hike-in sites, and showers. There are also cabins for rent.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Open daily (hours not posted) | ||
Official wording
Open daily. We often reach capacity and highly recommend reservations for both camping and day use. To guarantee entry, reserve passes online or by calling the customer service center, before you visit. Busy Season: March through October, especially weekends
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/Chicago).
Pets
Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet at all times and are not permitted in any buildings at Texas State Parks. Some parks restrict pets on certain trails.
Statewide rule from Texas's park system (source). This park’s page doesn’t state its own pet rules, so check for local restrictions.
Fees and passes
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Adult | $5 |
| Child 12 Years and Under | Free |
Official wording
• Adult: $5 Daily • Child 12 Years and Under: Free
Texas park passes
- Texas State Parks Pass — $70 per year. Free entry for the holder and guests at the state parks it covers, plus camping and store discounts; a second pass for someone at the same address is $25 Details
- Texas Parklands Passport. Discounted or free entry for qualifying seniors, people with disabilities, veterans and Gold Star family members Details
From the Texas state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- Recommended
- Camping
- Recommended
- Booking system
- Texas State Parks reservation system (ReserveAmerica)
- Phone
- (512) 389-8900
We often reach capacity and highly recommend reservations for both camping and day use.
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Camping
| Campground or site type | Sites | Hookups / features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campsites with Electricity (Beachside) Sites have a 12-person occupancy which can be increased to 16 people for an extra fee. Four of these sites are ADA accessible. | 8 | Water; 20/30/50 amp hookupsShowersPicnic tableFire ring | $35 Nightly Plus daily entrance fee |
| Campsites with Electricity (Beachside) | 50 | Water; 20/30/50 amp hookupsShowersPicnic tableFire ring | $30 Nightly Plus daily entrance fee |
| Campsites with Electricity (Beachside | Tent Only) These sites have platforms for tents. Parking is nearby; vehicles are not allowed at the tent platform site. Sleeping in vehicles or campers in the parking lot is not allowed. One ADA site is available. | 7 | Water nearby; ElectricityShowersPicnic tableFire ring | $20 Nightly Plus daily entrance fee |
| Primitive Campsites (Beachside | Hike-in) These sites are for tents only. | 15 | Water nearbyShowersPicnic tableFire ring | $15 Nightly Plus daily entrance fee |
| Campsites with Electricity (Bay Side) These sites are on the bay side of the park, and are 1.5 miles from the beach. Sites are close together with a communal pavilion and shared ground fire rings. Picnic tables are not available for each site. Only two vehicles are allowed per site. An RV or trailer counts as one vehicle. If at least two wheels of a vehicle won't fit on the paved parking site, you must move it to the closest overflow parking area. Weekly and monthly rates are available from November to February. | 20 | Water; 50/30-amp hookupShowersPicnic tableTents allowed | $20 Nightly Plus daily entrance fee $120 Weekly Non-peak $500 Monthly Non-peak |
| Campsites with Water (Bay Side) These sites are not on the beach side of the park. Only two vehicles are allowed per site. If at least two wheels of a vehicle won't fit on the paved parking site, you must move it to the closest overflow parking area. No vehicles over 18 feet allowed. Quiet time is at 10 p.m.; generators must be turned off at that time. | 10 | WaterShowersPicnic tableShade shelterFire ring with grill | $15 Nightly Plus daily entrance fee |
| Primitive Campsites Dry camping for tents, trailers, or motor homes. These sites have no utilities or shade. | 10 | Water nearbyPicnic tableFire ring | $15 Nightly Plus daily entrance fee |
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
BikingBoatingHikingHorseback ridingFishingCanoeing and kayakingPicnickingSwimmingCamping
Trails
Explore four miles of trails through the park’s varied habitats. Stop at the observation platform or photo blinds, and stroll boardwalks over dunes and marshes.
Borrow a beach wheelchair to use in sandy areas of the park. These chairs are not self-propelled. Contact the park for more information.
Beach horseback riding is allowed November through February, only.
Boating and paddling
Take your kayak or canoe on one or all of our paddling trails!
Take a virtual tour with our Interactive Trails Map.
Fishing
Try your luck fishing in the bay area or beach-side. We have canoe/kayak launches and a fish cleaning station. Remember, you do not need a fishing license to fish from shore in a state park.
A state fishing license is usually required.
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Showers
- Picnic areas
- Nature center or museum
- Park or camp store
- Restaurant or food service
Water
- Swimming beach
- Boat, canoe or kayak rentals
- Fish cleaning station
Camping
- RV dump station
- Tent camping
- RV camping
- Electric hookups
- Primitive or backcountry camping
Lodging
- Cabins
Recreation
- Horse trails
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Accessibility
All restrooms in the park have accessible facilities, including parking, paved sidewalks, and bars in toilet stalls. The campground and day-use restrooms also have showers with bars, a fold down seat, and hand-held shower head.
The park has four beach wheelchairs at headquarters. We loan these for use in the park; email or check at headquarters to ask about borrowing. These chairs are not self-propelled – you will need a companion to push.
Beachside
Day-use Area
The day-use area has paved sidewalks from parking to picnic areas to beach. Drifted sand may cover portions of the beach sidewalk.
Picnic pavilions and some picnic tables are on concrete slabs with sidewalk access, but no other accessible features.
Read more from the park
Campsites
Four campsites (12, 19, 24 and 5) are considered accessible, with paving throughout and raised grills. These sites do not have extended picnic tables.
One tent site with a tent platform has some accessible features, with dedicated parking and a paved sidewalk to the platform. The extended picnic table is not on the paved surface and there is a drop-off from the sidewalk to its location.
Bayside
Day-use Area
The park’s trails are on this side of the park. None are considered accessible but are mostly level with hard-packed sand surface in dry times. Some rough boardwalks cross water bodies along the trails.
One of the observation towers (#3 on the Trails Map list of points of interest) is accessible with ramps leading up to a viewing platform. The trail to the platform is very short with hard-packed caliche and loose gravel that may be difficult for some people to traverse.
Lodging
Both lodges have accessible parking, paved sidewalks to entry ramps, an accessible bathroom in each, wide doorways and hard surface floors. The accessible bathrooms are large with bars for the toilets and showers and hand-held showerheads.
Campsites
None of the tent or RV campsites on the bayside are considered accessible. However, most are level with hard-packed sand and grass, at least in dry weather.
The tent loop has an accessible bathroom with parking.
For more information about trails and the park’s points of interest, visit the trails information page.
Conditions can change quickly. Contact the park for more information and to ask about the status of particular accessible features.
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 14901 FM 3005
Galveston, TX 77554 - Nearest town
- Galveston
- Coordinates
- 29.1988, -94.9562
- Phone
- (409) 737-1222
- GalvestonIslandSP@tpwd.texas.gov
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- Texas State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- TPWD state parks map (embedded park data)
- Wikidata
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. “Last changed” (Oct 29, 2026) is when the information shown here last differed from the previous check. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology