Southwest Boondocking on Padre Island - anyone?

[Tin Diesel]

Has anyone ever gone boondocking on the beach on Padre Island National Seashore? Any tips or hints? Can you actually get onto and camp on the beach (with a 31' AS?).
I have a buddy with a big MoHo but he's worried about going on the beach. Should he be (and should I?)
Thanks.

[ArtStream]

Hi KJ,
I visited last year at this time of the year. I intended to boondock, but the rules require you to move every 2 days or so, but to where?

My next thought was to park in the designated primitive area for a moderate daily fee. The beach sand looked ominous to me so I drilled the ranger "see my rig, it's big and heavy, are you sure I can drive it on the sand" "sure" she assured me, "even bigger rigs drive all over the place" I guessed there was some force of nature at work that my puny brain just could not get it's little gray arms around. Not caring if I sounded stupid I asked again "Are you sure, can you see my rig out there?" "No problem, just find a nice spot"

It was very hot, I walked down the wooden stairs of the ranger station un-convinced.
Once in my TV, I fired it up and hit it.

Within 20 yards my Tow Vehicle had sunk to within a few inches of its frame.

Did I mentioned it was hot.

I walked the short distance back to the ranger station.

"So what do you do when you do GET stuck" "Oh, just wait for a 4 wheel drive to pass by, most have a tow strap and they will pull you out"

That's a 15 foot E350 box truck loaded with a motorcycle along with all my worldly possessions, plus there is a 8,000 lb Airstream attached to it.

I'm wondering just what it would take to pull it out and to where exactly it can be pulled out too? Should I un-hitch the trailer, not?

An F250 4WD with a winch passes by within the hour, did I mention it it hot, and after a number of trailer damaging ideas are suggested by the driver we settle on him getting in the moist sand for traction with the winch attatched to the front frame of my TV while I put the rig in low and assist.

It works and I drive on the moist sand and out to the blacktop IN FRONT of the ranger station. I booked a site behind the dunes at a camp site

Had a great time, yes there were people with MH's on the beach, saw a few cars have the tide come up on them, caught some great fish and met some nice folks.

I look forward to returning.


On the beach, It's your call. The few times I drove my TV alone on the sand was scary enough.



Michael

[2airishuman]

very funny artlink...

i'm pretty sure that ranger's family
owns the local towing, backhoe and excavation company...

i'm gonna try a week or 2 on padre this year...
we should have a forum rally there!


cheers
2air'

[Calvin]

Hi KJ, 2Air, and all;
The National Sea Shore is a National Park. The beach area there is pretty much natural. The beach conditions change daily, depending on wind, rain and traffic.Wet sand is more supportive, but if you do get stuck at the waters edge, there is the chance of the tide comming in past your vehicle ( an experience you really don't want to have!). On the National Sea Shore, beginning at the point where the pavement ends, there is about ten miles of beach that is ussually passable in two wheel drive, and maybe with a light trailer. The sand in this area can be packed and solid at times, which would support a heavier trailer. The beach does continue a long ways after the four wheel drive signs, almost to Brownsville.

There are two other parks in the Corpus Christi area. One is the county park where Bob Hall Pier is located. The other is Mustang Island State Park. The state park has sites with water and electric and does have a dump station. It also has public restrooms and showers. These sites are on the back side of the sand dunes. A short distance through the sand dunes takes you to the beach, where you can use primitive shelters on a first come basis. (They are only a covered roof to block some of the sun. There is fishing in the surf or on some short jetties that were left over from an old man made fish pass. (Check, but I don't believe a license is required to fish on the state park property). A new pass has just been completed in this area and has jetties going quite a ways into the surf; but this is not in the park.

Port Aransas has several RV resorts ranging from public parks to Gulf Waters Beachfront Resort Community ( where you can rent a site or purchase your own; for a hefty price). I have stayed at most of these resorts, and the best managed is the Gulf Waters, which also has the best sites and is less crowded.

Should you decide to camp on the beach, take along a large cat litter size plastic container. Keep this by your door with fresh water in it. Before entering your trailer, take off your shoes and step into the pan of water to rinse the sand off. I always carried a short shovel and a bucket in case I got stuck, even with a 4X4. Wetting the sand around your tires can help get you out. The main thing to remember is not to spin your tires.( that only digs you deeper).

Good luck on your camping and I hope you have a pleasant trip.
Calvin

[bake315]

Calvin's given some great info. I've camped twice (in tents) on Padre at the National Seashore. Usually you can venture a couple of miles past the "4X4 Only" sign, but wouldn't recommend it. One year about 25 miles down I had to run in 4-low because of the shell content of the sand. Then a couple of years later I was able to drive the length of the beach all the way to the jetty without 4wd at all. So it can vary. I've seen 18-wheelers parked a couple of miles down the beach with no trouble, and stayed closer to the dunes. Personally I'd rather boondock there than mess with Mustang Island where you're paying to park in a long skinny parking lot. Fresh water is key. You literally can't have too much down there, both for cleaning the feet, and rinsing the salt and spray off of just about everything - and I do mean everything! It'd be good to have a couple of those collapsible 5 gallon jugs just for that purpose.

Oh and keep an eye out for tar balls. You can ruin a carpet in short order if you get one on your shoe and then get in the trailer or your truck.

[Tin Diesel]

Artlink... that was really funny! So far, we're gonna try the beach. We've got a 4x4 250 Ford as a TV, and my son has a 4x4 with no trailer... so we figure we've got the horsepower to get the A/S out of trouble.

Big question for our MoHo buddies... where was the RV parking? Was it really right at the National Park entrance? Was it nice?

Thanks.

[uwe]

I learned how to drive on sand, even loose sand, many years ago from a sergeant ( or equivalent) of the Mexican army while desperately trying to cross a patch of powdered sand with a CJ7 in 4wd low in the middle of the upper Sonoran desert in Baja....to no avail, btw.
The sergeant was underway in a lousy Chevy S10 2wd pickup passing right by me without a problem. See white guy's jaw drop much deeper than normal.
Airing down the tires to about 12lbs of pressure will make your tires ride on top of the sand, without digging into it. Kind of like the sharp knife/dull knife comparison. Most any vehicle can drive on loose sand, the kind you would sink into when walking barefoot. The key is to steer in wide radiuses, avoid harsh throttle applications, and take it easy. We have towed and parked Airstream trailers on loose sand in Baja numerous times. Oh, and it's ok to drive with almost flat tires on asphalt for a few miles to a filling station with an air hose, as long as you go slow. Done that a few times as well.

[uwe]

Originally Posted by kjmorle

Artlink... that was really funny! So far, we're gonna try the beach. We've got a 4x4 250 Ford as a TV, and my son has a 4x4 with no trailer... so we figure we've got the horsepower to get the A/S out of trouble.

Big question for our MoHo buddies... where was the RV parking? Was it really right at the National Park entrance? Was it nice?

Thanks.

4x4 in loose sand is really 2x4, as the differential will only spin one tire at at ime when you're stuck.
2x4 would then be 1x4, I guess. Unless you have differential lockers or limited slip diffs.

My advice is still to air down, take it easy, and get where you want to be without much drama. 4x4 is ususally not even necessary, but nice to have just in case.

I know of a particular instance where an F250 4x4 got stuck in Baja..... no trailer, just 6 people on board checking out teh world biggest Cactii..... Roger, you reading this?

[Airstream25]

Originally Posted by kjmorle

Has anyone ever gone boondocking on the beach on Padre Island National Seashore? Any tips or hints? Can you actually get onto and camp on the beach (with a 31' AS?).
I have a buddy with a big MoHo but he's worried about going on the beach. Should he be (and should I?)
Thanks.

It certainly can be done. I have done it with a Ford Explorer pulling a 20' Avion single axle trailer. I have also seen many other trailers & motorhomes on both the Gulf side beach and the bay side beach. The bay side looked like firmer sand the day I was there.
A 4x4 with a running start to cross the loose dry sand is recommended. Once you reach the firm damp sand, you can drive along the beach until you find a location that suits you. Having extra water on board is an excellent suggestion.
Here is a picture of us on the Gulf side in 2001.

[69 Silverback]

that picture looks like a comercial to me. gonna have to check it out sometime.

[clancy_boy]

A lesson I learned from a Mississippi Fish and Wildlife officer who happened along and pulled me out when I was 16 years old and about 8 miles from the nearest blacktop - "Never use 4-wheel drive until you need to get out!". It only gets you in further from help. Once you use it and get stuck there is no backup option. Been hunting all over Mississippi, Louisiana, Colorado, and Alabama - and have keep this information in the back of my mind as I drive through some sticky stuff - it's gotten me out more than once.

I must say, the payoff for the drive is a great view. I agree on the picture - it's priceless.

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by clancy_boy

A lesson I learned from a Mississippi Fish and Wildlife officer who happened along and pulled me out when I was 16 years old and about 8 miles from the nearest blacktop - "Never use 4-wheel drive until you need to get out!". It only gets you in further from help. Once you use it and get stuck there is no backup option. Been hunting all over Mississippi, Louisiana, Colorado, and Alabama - and have keep this information in the back of my mind as I drive through some sticky stuff - it's gotten me out more than once.

I must say, the payoff for the drive is a great view. I agree on the picture - it's priceless.

All four wheel drive does is get your further in...before you get stuck

Aaron

[Boondocker]

Originally Posted by kjmorle

Has anyone ever gone boondocking on the beach on Padre Island National Seashore? Any tips or hints? Can you actually get onto and camp on the beach (with a 31' AS?).
I have a buddy with a big MoHo but he's worried about going on the beach. Should he be (and should I?)
Thanks.

Did you ever go? How was it?

[Melody Ranch]

A point to remember about the Island.....There is a BIG Difference from the north end in the Aransas/Corpus area and the south end a Port Isabel. The getting stuck when remote...true story. There are many boondockers and just weekend campers at both ends. Now is the time to go...in a month the Winter Texan crunch hits the lower Valley area and the Island and nearly ruins it.

[Fyrzowt]

Pismo Beach, CA is a popular camping and off road vehicle area around here. It is done here quite safely, even by large motorhomes, our sand may have a different consistancy. The problem usually comes when they try to get too far away from the water in dry sand and get stuck.
Just one bit of info that I didn't see mentioned is the need to thoroughly wash your vehicles after being on the beach. Especially the undercarriage. The salt tears them up, as does the sand. A build-up of sand on horizontal surfaces such as frames, crossmembers will start a rust project that you don't need. Just be careful when spraying - don't direct a pressure spray toward seals, bearings, etc. No need to drive the sand into places it shouldn't be.

[CanoeStream]

Fyrzout, you are absolutely right to repeat the salt issues of beach camping. Salt spray on the wind will end up getting to the frame even if one parks only on pavement near the shore.

Originally Posted by Fyrzowt

Pismo Beach, CA is a popular camping and off road vehicle area around here. It is done here quite safely, even by large motorhomes, our sand may have a different consistancy. The problem usually comes when they try to get too far away from the water in dry sand and get stuck.

I have tent camped at Port Aransas, Mustang Island, and near Port Isabel multiple times. The car would stay on the damp sand near the high water mark -- there really isn't an abundance of area where one could park on the beach. An occasional person would take their car above that and it would sink to the frame in dry sand. We went to bed one breezy evening only to awake at 2:00AM with a storm rising and the waves within 10' of the tires. Did a quick drive down to the beach and rode out the storm in the back of the wagon in a paved parking area.

[Boondocker]

Originally Posted by Melody Ranch

A point to remember about the Island.....There is a BIG Difference from the north end in the Aransas/Corpus area and the south end a Port Isabel. The getting stuck when remote...true story. There are many boondockers and just weekend campers at both ends. Now is the time to go...in a month the Winter Texan crunch hits the lower Valley area and the Island and nearly ruins it.

Would the week between Christmas and New Years be a looney time to go there?