So just avoid doing stupid things and you should be fine. What often happens is that a person leaves the car on the beach at low tide and either goes for a walk or passes out drunk while fishing, and when the tide comes in, the vehicle ends up in the water and is quickly buried up to the body in the sand. Typical vehicles at Mansfield Channel, Padre Island National SeashoreĪnother question that is on the minds of those driving on soft sand for the first time is, “How easy is it to get stuck?” Truth be told, from my experience driving on the two barrier islands at Cape Lookout National Seashore, which are comprised of nothing but soft sand, you pretty much have to go out of your way to get stuck. If you get stuck, you know you went a little too far. If you insist on driving farther in your 2WD than the five-mile point, just keep going until you first encounter soft sand. However, keep in mind that conditions change all the time, and the drivability is determined by storms, tides, and other natural factors. When I visited, I didn’t hit anything remotely soft for 20 miles. Second, the National Park Service couldn’t care less if you get stuck driving a 2-Wheel Drive (2WD) vehicle beyond this point. Phooey!! First off, you drive on the beach at your own risk. In fact, at the five-mile mark is a sign stating that only 4WD, high clearance vehicles are allowed beyond this point. The National Park Service claims that the first five miles are typically hard and passable by all vehicles. The entire North Beach is drivable by any vehicle, but the sand on South Beach is not hard-packed for the entire 60 miles, which means at some point you’ll need a 4-Wheel-Drive (4WD) vehicle to proceed farther. If you’ve ever been to Daytona Beach on the east coast of Florida, it’s the same thing. The reason why there are very few restrictions to beach driving at Padre Island National Seashore is because the beaches are hard-packed sand, the equivalent of a dirt road. Sports cars, RVs, vehicles pulling trailers, motorcycles-if you have a driver’s license and your vehicle is street legal, you can drive it on the beach…up to a point. Unlike most other National Seashores that require fee-based permits, a checklist of equipment you must carry, and a safety inspection to drive on the beach, there are no requirements or restrictions at Padre Island. Only the aptly named Closed Beach, which lies between North and South beaches, is closed to vehicle traffic. Continue about 10 miles south on Park Road 22 to reach the park entrance.Driving on the beach at Padre Island National Seashoreĭriving is allowed on the 60-mile-long South Beach and the 1-mile-long North Beach at Padre Island National Seashore. After crossing the JFK Causeway onto Padre Island, Highway 358 changes to Park Road 22. Visitors to the area should head east through Corpus Christi on Highway 358. The National Seashore is located on North Padre Island, southeast of the city of Corpus Christi, Texas.
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