Padre Island National Seashore

Padre Island National Seashore
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
Show map of Texas Show map of the United States
Location	Padre Island, Texas, United States
Nearest city	Corpus Christi, Texas
Coordinates	26°59′04″N 97°22′50″W / 26.98444°N 97.38056°W / 26.98444; -97.38056
Area	130,434 acres (527.85 km2)
Established	September 28, 1962
Visitors	650,000 (in 2015)
Governing body	National Park Service
Website	Padre Island National Seashore

Padre Island National Seashore (PINS) is a national seashore administered by the National Park Service, located on Padre Island off the coast of South Texas, USA. In contrast to South Padre Island, known for its beaches and vacationing college students, PINS is located on the north end of Padre Island and consists of a long beach where nature is preserved.

Most of the park is primitive, but camping is available, and most of the beach is only accessible to four-wheel-drive vehicles. All but four miles is open to vehicle traffic. PAIS is the fourth designated national seashore in the United States.^[1]

Padre Island is the longest undeveloped barrier island in the world. The national seashore is 70 miles (110 km) long with 65.5 miles (105.4 km) of Gulf beach. PAIS hosts a variety of pristine beach, dune, and tidal flat environments,^[2] including the Laguna Madre on its west coast, a famous spot for windsurfing. It is located in parts of Kleberg, Kenedy, and Willacy counties, with Kenedy County having the majority of its land area.