Texas RV Travel : Texas Maps and Trails

Texas Waterways : Kayak, Canoe and Float Trails

Texas has over 3,700 streams, 15 rivers and over 3000 miles of shoreline along the Gulf Coast. Texas offers many opportunities for paddling adventures of all types.

Texas Paddling Trails is a new program to develop public paddling trails throughout the state to provide well-mapped accessible day trips for novice to experienced paddler.

Coastal Paddling Trails

Lighthouse Lakes Trail

The Lighthouse Lakes Trail meanders through a black mangrove estuary into sloughs and back lakes near the historic Lydia Ann Lighthouse on North Harbor Island, west of Port Aransas and north of Hwy 361 causeway.

Trails to Texas Tranquility : Kayak Fishing shines at the Lighthouse Lakes Trail by Robert Sloan is a wonderful article about kayak fishing on the Lighthouse Lakes Trail.

Mr. Sloan paddles and fishes a wondrous wetland of Mangroves hiding fish darting in crystal waters under the watchful eyes of the majestic mavens of the coast: heron, spoonbill and crane.

These sites below might be helpful to you if you want to paddle the Lighthouse Lakes Trail.

Order a map of the Lighthouse Lake Trails from Shoreline Publishing (713-973-1627). The owner, Mr. Moulden, said that the Lighthouse Lake Trails are an incredible experience for fisherman, kayaker or naturalist.
Download a free GPS map of Lighthouse Lake Trails from the Travel by GPS site. Evidently, you NEED a guide or GPS to find your way out of the maze that is the Lighthouse Lakes Trail.
TexMaps has wonderful aerial photographs of the Texas coast, in which the coast and barrier islands in the photographs appear as exotic jewels. View this trail from above.
View a close-up map of the Lighthouse Lakes Trail at the Sea Kayak Texas webpage.

Safety Notes: Pack hat, sun block, water, map and life jacket, camera and GPS optional. Check wind speed and tide while planning your trip. You do not want to paddle in high wind or to be left behind when the tide goes out. Access the trail from the north side of the causeway and paddle across Aransas Pass. Follow the trail markers.

South Bay Paddling Trail

South Bay Paddling Trail is an eight-mile loop through shallow, tropical water at the very tip of Texas. The trail is bounded by the Rio Grande River, the Brownsville Ship Channel, spoil banks, and Brazos Island.

Christmas Bay Paddling Trail

Christmas Bay Paddling Trail offers outstanding coastal angling and bird watching opportunities within easy commute of Houston. Paddle loops of 3.8, 10.3 and 19.1 miles through the largest stand of sea grass on the upper Texas coast.

Galveston Island State Park Paddling Trail

Galveston Island State Park hosts three paddling trails. Dana Cove (Lake Como) Trail begins at the end of the main park and continues 2.6-miles through the sea grass beds. Jenkins Bayou trail begins at the western end of Clapper Rail Road and takes paddlers 2.8 miles along the bayou and out to the marsh restoration terrace field. The 4.8 mile Oak Bayou Trail, accessed from the park road, covers areas of natural high marsh.

Mustang Island Paddling Trail

The Mustang Island Paddling Trail consists of the North Trail (8.5 miles), the Shamrock Loop (5.24 miles) and the Ashum Trail (6.8 miles). All of the trails follow the western shoreline of Mustang Island in Corpus Christi Bay, and cover some of the best shallow-water fishing areas in Texas.

Armand Bayou Paddling Trail

The Armand Bayou Coastal Preserve hosts the Armand Bayou Paddling Trail, which wanders through the Armand Bayou Nature Center. Where coastal flatwoods forest and a coastal tall grass prairie meet. View 220 species of birds and alligators up to 10 feet long.

Port O’Connor Paddling Trail

The Port O’Connor Paddling Trail consists of three trails (25+ miles). The Fishpond trail (12.3 miles) travels the edge of Espiritu Santo Bay to Saluria Bayou, where it joins South Loop Trail (8.28 miles). From Mule Slough, the Fish Pond and North Loop (4.82 miles) trails continue east toward the Gulf of Mexico and Lighthouse Cove, near the historic Matagorda Island Lighthouse.

Inland Paddling Trails

Luling Zedler Mill Paddling Trail

The Luling Zedler Mill paddling trail the first inland paddling trail. Download a PDF map of the Luling Zedler Mill paddling trail by clicking here. Parking is available at the entry and take out points and a shuttle vehicle can be left free of charge at either site.

Texas Water Safari Maps

Download PDF Driving Map for Texas Water Safari (for crew members) from the unofficial Texas Water Safari website

Updated 02/18/2011