Aransas National Wildlife Refuge — Attraction in Port Lavaca

Update January 30, 2024 - I've been to this park 3 more times since my original review in August 2022. And absolutely LOVE IT every single time! No matter how many times you go, it's always a new experience. Many of the birds you see there are migratory, so if you go during different seasons, you're likely to see different animals. Note that the endangered Whooping Crane is one of those migrants & is only around during winter.

I'd also like to address another review where the person made complaints regarding some lacking comforts. Aransas National Wildlife Refuge - It is a REFUGE/RESERVE and : No one will be spraying for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are FOOD for many of the animals that live there! Nope. No trash cans. You take it in. You take it out! No food vendors either. And not much nearby. Eat beforehand or better yet, pack a picnic lunch! (along with your bug spray)

Adding several new pics from February 2023. .......................... Went to Aransas National Wildlife Refuge yesterday August 14, 2022). Stopped at the brand new Visitor Center & the employees were quite helpful on the best places to spot the wildlife. The weather cooperated & the rain mostly stopped while we were there. Did the auto loop & walked a bunch of the paths. Saw tons of wildlife! (Most at Jones Lake) 2 BIG alligators. Several doe, fawns & 1 buck that was 6-8 points! Several breed of birds, including gorgeous Rosette Spoonbills! A small herd or family group of Javelina (7 that we could count) A stunning Live Oak Tree that the sign said was at least 500 YEARS OLD! An armadillo walking on the roadside. And even a few frogs crossing the road! (one appeared to be trailing a LOT of water as s/he was leaping)

The pics are mostly maxed out on magnification, so not great. But...

We stopped by the refuge on our way back home from Rockport, intending a couple of hours but ended up staying most of the day. Beautiful place. We went in the first week of March so the weather was cool, no mosquitos and hardly anyone there. Perfect!

We took several hiking trails, as well as walking along the boardwalk and observation deck area. The boardwalk continues into a long and a short hiking trail too. There's restrooms at the picnic and observation tower areas, but just toilets only, no running water. If you're in a regular vehicle just take a jug of water to wash your hands.

We saw gators, cranes, egrets, pelicans, deer, pigs and a lot of other wildlife. Visited their 400 year old oak that looks amazing. They also have a 9 mile auto tour loop that gives a great perspective of how these shallow marshlands protect the inland areas. The auto tour sign has a vehicle size limit of 25 ft long x 7 ft wide x 8 ft tall but there were no clearance issues with our 9 ft tall van. What they're essentially telling you is not to drive your 35 ft bus through there.

Lots of fishing if that's what you like, but for us rv travelers its a wonderful stop. We ended having a late meal in their picnic area before hitting the road. Quiet and serene sitting under the oaks looking out at the bay.

They're also finishing a visitor center that looks pretty nice, with gift shop etc. Highly recommended if you're anywhere...

My daughter and I visited the wildlife refuge this evening. We were at the visitor center to use the restroom and leave before dark. It was sunset as we came out. The moon was coming up so we stopped to take a few quick photos. Upon reaching the gate, we found it locked. We searched for help for approximately 30 minutes, all of this started before the designated time to be out. There was nobody anywhere except a young man who answered the door to my daughter in his boxers. He proceeded to tell her that the officer wasn’t there tonight but that we should be ticketed for not being out. He was very rude and repeatedly told her we should be ticketed. We were literally at the visitor center before sunset. SInce when does the main gate lock and not open upon arrival? There are no warning signs, no signs throughout the park, no person anywhere to tell you to leave, no check that the park is empty before locking people in, since when? We have been visiting this park since 2008. This has only happened once before and that was a few months ago. The “officer” then gave us the code to get out, no ticket or repeated warnings of a ticket. How is someone supposed to exit if they have a flat or get stuck and cannot get out before dark? This is absolutely ridiculous and I do not appreciate being treated the way that man in the brick house treated us. He was very rude to two women locked in the park...