🌤 Weather at Matagorda Island State Park by season
| Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 57–82 °F | 77–90 °F | 55–88 °F | 47–68 °F |
Each range runs from the coldest monthly average low to the warmest monthly average high in that season (1991-2020 climate normals), measured at Port O'Connor, 12 mi away, elevation 5 ft. Conditions at the park can differ from the station, especially where elevation differs — check a forecast before you go.
Matagorda Island State Park is now Matagorda Island Wildlife Management Area in Calhoun County, run by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The wildlife management area covers 56,688 acres of the island and of marshes in Espiritu Santo Bay.
Quick Facts
| State | Texas |
| County | Calhoun County |
| WMA Size | 56,688 acres |
| Established | 1983 |
Location & Getting There
Matagorda Island is a barrier island off Port O’Connor on the Texas coast, about 38 miles long, and you can reach it only by boat. The park’s coordinates are 28.2841, -96.5291.
Things to Do
Texas Parks and Wildlife lists the wildlife management area as open year-round for camping, biking, hiking, wildlife viewing, fishing and hunting. The island supports many migratory birds, 19 threatened or endangered species, a large herd of white-tailed deer and alligators, and a lighthouse from 1852 still stands there. The Sunday Beach area is open to the public with no fees, permits or restrictions. Source: Texas Parks and Wildlife, as of October 2026.
Visitor Tips
Matagorda Island is now a Texas Parks and Wildlife wildlife management area, not a state park, and you can reach it only by boat. No permit is needed for day use. Camping and duck hunting require a Limited Public Use Permit or an Annual Public Hunting Permit. Personal motorized vehicles are not allowed, and hiking and biking are limited to daylight hours.
Explore More Texas State Parks
Looking for state parks in Texas? Discover them in our Best State Parks in Texas guide, or use our Park Finder to search by activity, location, or features.
Nearby parks: If you have extra time, Goose Island State Park is within about an hour’s drive.
🐾 Dogs & Pets at Matagorda Island State Park
Park policy: Matagorda Island is no longer a state park. It is a wildlife management area and national wildlife refuge, jointly owned by the Texas General Land Office and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with Texas Parks and Wildlife running public use, so the Texas state park pet rules do not apply. TPWD's general rules for public hunting lands make it unlawful to keep dogs in camp that are not confined or leashed (31 TAC § 65.199), and federal refuge rules bar unconfined domestic animals (50 CFR § 26.21).
- Pets allowed?
- Keep dogs leashed or confined; no separate pet policy is published for the wildlife management area
- Park-specific rules
- Hunting with dogs is allowed on Texas public hunting lands only where a unit's legal game legend permits it, and the 2026–27 legend for Matagorda Island (Unit 722) does not list it.
Are dogs allowed at Matagorda Island State Park?
Keep dogs leashed or confined; no separate pet policy is published for the wildlife management area.
More: Texas state parks guide · Dog rules in all 50 states compared
Park Map
Plan your gear for Matagorda Island State Park
From our editorial guides, matched to this park’s activities:
