Park #13
April 20th, 2024
Distance: Running – 1.12 miles
Weather: Overcast, 76 degrees with 96% humidity, 11 mph breeze
Goose Island State Park is just north of Rockport, TX, sitting on a balmy bay before you hit Mustang Island. My husband and I arrived on a Saturday morning, itching to run a short trail and a bit of park road, and to check out the fishing pier.
Goose Island SP has two camping locations. One is inland, away from the water. I recommend this first camping spot if you are fond of heat, humidity, and mosquitoes. Otherwise, the second camping area is next to St. Charles Bay, with a healthy offshore breeze that keeps the bugs in check. It is close enough to involve sand, so keep that in mind as well. Or, do as we urban folks do, get a hotel room!
I started my run on the Turks Cap Trail, a nicely shaded jaunt through some thick brush. However, I felt heavy raindrops during my walk breaks, which struck me as odd. Turns out, those weren’t raindrops but massive mosquitoes, swarming to my overheated body. Yikes! Increasing my speed threw them off my trail for approximately three seconds. Therefore, I sprinted for that 0.6-mile length of trail.
The trail opened up to the road, and a hearty wind pushed the mosquitoes back to their evil lair. I climbed a ramp up to a platform to get a nice view over the marsh and to the bay. I passed a picnic area and, lucky for me, there was a birding festival in progress. Multiple booths were scattered in the park, providing educational information on different birds and birding societies. I wasn’t planning on attending any event, but I dug deep for my social skills and dove into the festivities.
The festival had just started when I showed up. I appeared to be the first person to visit any of these booths, as most of the birders were attending a guided hike. I schmoozed, inquired, talked, and visited my way through most of the tables. I had everybody’s attention. I lapped it up.
When my husband finished his own run at the bay, I was still gabbing away. He came to pick me up, and we drove out to the little island where the bayside camping is located. At the end of the road is a long pier jutting into the bay. Already, plenty of fishermen/women lined along the edges, casting their fishing lines into the saltwater. Only one family attempted to swim in the area, but the edges of the shore are covered in sharp oyster shells. At the pier, a self-serve kayak rental kiosk captured my interest, but I had to pass on the adventure. We had a long ride to the second park we were visiting for the day.
But you can’t leave this park without visiting The Big Tree! This tree was advertised all over the park map. And I can confirm there is a Big Tree three miles outside of the park boundary. It was a colossal and ancient oak. The limbs were so heavy that personnel had placed support struts under them. Other limbs were amputated. It dwarfed all other nearby trees. A small plaque stood in front describing the history, and a sidewalk circumnavigated the trunk. Wildflowers covered the ground. It was a nice setup. But as amazing as the size of this tree was, I felt it was limping along. Like the state park couldn’t part with The Big Tree and let nature take its course. I wondered if trees felt pain.
After visiting the Big Tree and experiencing my mid-morning existential deliberation about its death, hubby and I traveled to the next park scheduled for the day, Mustang Island State Park. I will describe that visit in my next post.
Until then, see you on the trails!