tide chart padre island national seashore

Tide chart padre island national seashore license#

The main difference is that if you get stuck in the sand in your AWD, you are out of luck. It is beyond the scope of this article to explain the difference between an AWD and a 4WD, but for the most part, when driving on a beach such as those at Padre Island National Seashore, AWD is pretty much the same as standard 4WD (4WD High, when activated). However, those in an AWD SUV that has decent ground clearance shouldn’t have any trouble. Even if you don’t get stuck, you certainly don’t want sand getting scraped into the undercarriage. Also, drive in the tire tracks of previous vehicles, as this sand is more packed down.Īnother common question is, “Can an All Wheel Drive make it across the soft sand all the way to Mansfield Channel?” If you have an AWD sports car, probably not, but only because the wheels might sink in the sand deep enough that the body of the vehicle hits the ground. Refrain from slamming on your brakes when on soft sand in fact, try not to stop at all on the soft sand unless you have reached your destination. You should also carry equipment such as a shovel, traction boards, and a tow rope, and having a winch wouldn’t hurt either. So just avoid doing stupid things and you should be fine. What often happens is that a person leaves the car on the beach at low tide and either goes for a walk or passes out drunk while fishing, and when the tide comes in, the vehicle ends up in the water and is quickly buried up to the body in the sand. Typical vehicles at Mansfield Channel, Padre Island National SeashoreĪnother question that is on the minds of those driving on soft sand for the first time is, “How easy is it to get stuck?” Truth be told, from my experience driving on the two barrier islands at Cape Lookout National Seashore, which are comprised of nothing but soft sand, you pretty much have to go out of your way to get stuck. If you get stuck, you know you went a little too far. If you insist on driving farther in your 2WD than the five-mile point, just keep going until you first encounter soft sand. However, keep in mind that conditions change all the time, and the drivability is determined by storms, tides, and other natural factors. When I visited, I didn’t hit anything remotely soft for 20 miles. Second, the National Park Service couldn’t care less if you get stuck driving a 2-Wheel Drive (2WD) vehicle beyond this point. Phooey!! First off, you drive on the beach at your own risk. In fact, at the five-mile mark is a sign stating that only 4WD, high clearance vehicles are allowed beyond this point. The National Park Service claims that the first five miles are typically hard and passable by all vehicles. The entire North Beach is drivable by any vehicle, but the sand on South Beach is not hard-packed for the entire 60 miles, which means at some point you’ll need a 4-Wheel-Drive (4WD) vehicle to proceed farther. If you’ve ever been to Daytona Beach on the east coast of Florida, it’s the same thing. The reason why there are very few restrictions to beach driving at Padre Island National Seashore is because the beaches are hard-packed sand, the equivalent of a dirt road.

Tide chart padre island national seashore license#

Sports cars, RVs, vehicles pulling trailers, motorcycles-if you have a driver’s license and your vehicle is street legal, you can drive it on the beach…up to a point. Unlike most other National Seashores that require fee-based permits, a checklist of equipment you must carry, and a safety inspection to drive on the beach, there are no requirements or restrictions at Padre Island. Only the aptly named Closed Beach, which lies between North and South beaches, is closed to vehicle traffic. Driving on the beach at Padre Island National Seashoreĭriving is allowed on the 60-mile-long South Beach and the 1-mile-long North Beach at Padre Island National Seashore.