Port Aransas beach access roads
You reach most of these beaches by driving onto the sand, and you get onto the sand through a numbered access road. The problem is that map apps route you to a marker's coordinates without telling you which ramp to use. This is the missing half: which access road brings you out at which marker.
Access roads and the markers they land at
| Access road | Comes out at | Surface |
|---|---|---|
| Access Road 1 | marker 26 (90 ft away) | asphalt, sand |
| Access Road 1A | marker 17 (320 ft away) | asphalt, sand |
| Access Road 1B | marker 46 (170 ft away) | concrete, sand |
| Access Road 2 | no mapped marker close by — nearest is 97, 950 ft off | concrete |
| Access Road 3 | no mapped marker close by — nearest is 189, 1.1 mi off | not recorded |
| Access Road 3A | marker 213 (190 ft away) | not recorded |
| Access Road 4 | marker 228 (220 ft away) | asphalt |
| Access Road 5 | marker 230 (500 ft away) | asphalt |
| Access Road 6 | marker 234 (350 ft away) | not recorded |
Access road positions come from OpenStreetMap contributors. We match each road to the closest marker we have surveyed. Two roads have no mapped marker nearby — either their mapped route stops short of the sand, or they come out on a stretch we have not surveyed yet. Rather than guess a marker for them, we say so.
How to use this
- Find the marker you are heading for on the map.
- Check that marker's page — it names the nearest access road and how far along the beach you will have to drive.
- Navigate to the access road, then drive the sand to the marker.
For example, marker 46 sits right by Access Road 1B, while marker 26 is closest to Access Road 1.
Before you drive on the sand
- A parking permit is required between markers 0 and 62.
- Soft sand is real. Two-wheel-drive vehicles get stuck here regularly, especially away from the packed track.
- Down on North Padre Island, beach maintenance stops around marker 235 and a 4x4 is recommended south of it.
- Ramps close. Weather and beach conditions shut access roads with no notice, so confirm locally before you count on one.
Open the full marker map to see all 7 confirmed access points alongside every marker.