Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
For bird-watchers, the 115,000-acre
Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
(
www.fws.gov/refuge/aransas
;
FM
2040; per person/carload $3/5; 6am-dusk, visitor center 8:30am-4:30pm)
is the premier site on the Texas
coast. Even people who don't carry binoculars and ornithological checklists can get
caught up in the bird-spotting frenzy that peaks here every March and November and is
great throughout the year.
The scenery alone is spectacular - the blue Aransas Bay waters are speckled with green
islets ringed by white sand. Native dune grasses blow gently in the breezes while song-
birds provide choral background music.
On the ground, you may well see some of the refuge's wild boars, alligators, arma-
dillos, white-tailed deer and many more species. Everywhere you will see birds - close to
400 bird species have been documented at Aransas. None are more famous, more fol-
lowed or more watched than the
whooping cranes
. Some of the rarest creatures in North
America, about 250 survivors of the species spend summer in Canada and November to
March in this refuge. Spotters and scientists come from all over the world to study the 5ft-
tall birds.
The
visitor center
should be your first stop. You can borrow binoculars here for free. A
40ft
observation tower
is 5 miles from the visitor center and overlooks much of the refuge
with its free telescopes. The
Auto Tour Loop
covers 16 miles, so allow two to four hours.
Among several looped walks,
Birding Trail #2
is less visited and has some nice shady por-
tions and beach frontage.
Bikes are a good way to explore the many hiking trails. Boats tour the estuaries from
about mid-November to mid-April to spot whooping cranes, and this is easily the best way
to get a good view of the rare birds. The three- to four-hour tours usually leave from
Rockport or Fulton in the mornings and afternoons and cost about $50. There's no camp-
ing anywhere in the park, but Goose Island State Park is a good option.
Aransas Refuge is easily reached: coming from the south (it's 31 driving miles north of
Goose Island State Park), take curving FM 774 off of TX 35 and continue on to FM 2040.
From the north, take TX 239 off of TX 35 and continue via the tiny town of Austwell and
FM 2040.
Rockport Birding & Kayak Adventures
BIRD-WATCHING
