Padre Island Flats

The Padre Island Flats, 25 miles beyond end of pavement on the four-wheel drive only wilderness beach, 2015. At mile 25 there is a single giant sand dune that rises twice as high as the rest for miles. It’s a favorite camping spot and a half mile inland across the back island salt grass the flats begin. Just inches above sea level the flats border the Laguna Madre, a 115 mile-long bay between 2 and 7 miles wide that parallels Padre Island. Historically the flats are caused by hurricane overwash and the persistent winds that drive sand farther and farther inland from the beach. The flats are up to two miles wide depending on the tide, or once dependent upon the tides. The flats are covered by water much of the time these days, and will be completely gone in a matter of years.