The campground is located in Padre Island National Seashore at the north end of Padre Island. Access to both the National Seashore and the campgrounds are from Corpus Christi, Texas.

Malaquite Campground is one of five campground in the national seashore, two of which have overnight fees and three that are free.

For more information, see below at section: The Camping.

Birding, camping in the sand dunes, hiking, kayaking, swimming, sunrise and sunsets, wildlife viewing, wade fishing, surf fishing, and wind surfing.

Cowboys (vaqueros in Spanish) herded cattle on this island for over 100 years. The photo below is one of the remaining line camps or overnight stop built by Patrick Dunn, an Irish immigrant. His crews moved cattle from the south end to the north end for a round up twice a year.

The cowboy′s day begins at four each morning and they did not arrive at a line camp until sunset or later, after they moved the cattle into corrals, they would use the line camp to sleep for the night.

Patrick Dunn acquired ownership of most all of Padre Island and prospered longer than any other of the cowboys who ranched this land.

Corpus Christi

North on the coast is Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.

At most of the above listed federal park locations, Federal Parks Pass holders will receive half off camping fees.

All campgrounds are open year-round and first-come, first-served. All campers, including beach campers, must have a camping permit, which is available at the park entrance and from the kiosks at the entrances of each campground.

Camping permits are required for all sites including free camping areas. A fourteen day camping limit is in effect for all camping areas.

Generators not allowed between the hours of 10 pm and 6 am.

There are NO hookups in the national seashore but there is a water filling station and dump station in the park.

There are NO provisions provided in the park including: firewood, food, gasoline, ice or other camping items.

The closest locations to purchase all such camping items is outside the national seashore and about 12 miles to the north.

50 campsites: $14.00 per night

Eight of the campsites are for tents only.

Access, Senior and Veteran Pass Holders receive half off.

Stay Limit: 14 Day

Malaquite Campground has rest rooms with flush toilets and cold water showers.

Picnic tables, paved parking.

Sites on the Gulf side have Shade structures and a grill.

$8.00 per night

Access, Senior and Veteran Pass Holders receive half off.

Stay Limit: 14 Day

This campground has chemical toilets only.

Free

Stay Limit: 14 Day

No facilities and primitive camping.

Free

Stay Limit: 14 Day

No facilities and primitive camping.

Free

Stay Limit: 14 Day

No facilities and primitive camping.

4-wheel Drive Area

Awake, dress in my fall blues, open the jammer, put out my fourth solar panel and the adjust all the panels to point directly at where the sun will rise. Then, I take out my camera and begin photographing the sunglow and suntouch. Methinks, the experience I enjoy the most here in Texas are the beautiful sunrises.

Awake, dress in my fall blues, drive back across the street to the w-mart for coffee, com and computer. I continue here working on my computer until just before ten this morning when I use my zoom-app to connect to the Centerville, Tennessee Congregation for the weekend meeting. After the meeting, I leave the connection, pack out of the cafe, get into the jammer and continue south on SH 35 and soon come to the Port Aransas Ferry landing where I am directed right onto the ferry without any waiting. (Methinks this is a first.)

Once I am across the bay and in Port Aransas, I then I continue west on SH 361 right down the middle of Mustang Island until I cross over a bridge onto Padre Island. This highway then comes to a tee and instead of turning right towards Corpus Christi, I turn left onto Park Road 2 and drive towards the national seashore. Then after about ten miles, I arrive at the entrance to the park, continue into the national park for a couple more miles and finally turn left onto the campground road.

Awake, dress in my fall blues, drive to the place called What for a free senior coffee, the to the hf-mart for groceries. Then, after shopping, I drive to the highway and turn north on IH 69C which soon after it leaves the city turns into US 281 on which, I drive to Alice, Texas where I turn east on SH 44, drive through Robstown and then once arriving in Corpus Christi, Texas, I turn right on SH 358, also known as the Padre Island Drive. I continue east on this drive to the water and cross over the inter-coastal waterway on the high elevated bridge and onto Padre Island.

Immediately, I notice that upon arriving on the island, the area is beginning to be built with carnival like businesses, much like Gatlinburg is just east of and outside of the Great Smoky Mountains. The stores include fast food, souvenir shops, entertainment venu and even a Starbucks cafe. Every one is trying to make a buck. How I do pray that God′s Kingdom comes soon.

I drive right past this growing carnival and continue south on Park Road 22 another ten miles to the entrance station,

Too, I notice that the park deemed it necessary to do a prescribed burn of the tall grass. I do not see what is the purpose for that and methinks, it must be some man made design.

Once in the park, drive first to the visitors center for a couple of stickers and finally, I drive to the campground to claim my space for the evening.

This campground is a first come, first serve which I prefer because I do not have to deal with making reservation, nor compete with all the weekend warriors.

It is because the water in the shower house is only cold that I decide to take my shower during the mid day while it is still warm outside.

After my shower and donning clean clothes, I take a walk down the boardwalk for some photos of the beach along the Gulf of Mexico.

Returning to work on my computer, I notice that the moon is already one hand above the eastern horizon so I pick up my camera, walk to the boardwalk and take some photos.

Later, I show my moon photos to someone that I am talking with and he asks me how I am able to take a moon photo with black around it when it is still daylight outside. I explain to him the only conclusion that I have been able to come up with which is that by zooming into the moon, I am also zooming outside of the atmosphere.