See all hotspots at Matagorda Island Wildlife Management Area
The Matagorda Island WMA consists of 56,688 acres of offshore barrier island and bayside marshes which is operated as a wildlife management area, jointly owned by the Texas General Land Office and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is cooperatively managed as the Matagorda Island National Wildlife Refuge and State Natural Area. Texas Parks and Wildlife manages the Area for public use and the Fish and Wildlife Service has the main responsibility for managing the wildlife and habitat on the island.
The island is 38 miles long and varies in width from less than a mile to about four and a half miles. The island supports a wide variety of migratory birds, some 19 state or federally listed threatened or endangered species. A lighthouse dating from 1852 still stands at the north end of the island. Matagorda Island is known for its seclusion and untouched natural beauty.
An Annual Hunting Permit or Limited Public Use Permit is required to camp in the campground adjacent to the check station.