Lighthouse Lake Trail

The Lighthouse Lakes Paddling Trail was the very first Texas Paddling Trail and is actually a series of four loops ranging in length from 1.25 miles to 6.8 miles.  The rails meander through an extensive black mangrove estuary, into sloughs and back lakes near the historic 1857 Lydia Ann Lighthouse on North Harbor Island.  Paddlers can glide through mangroves and seagrass flats that provide outstanding birdwatching and fishing for red drum, spotted seatrout and flounder in the maze of tidal channels and flats. 

The 45 minute to three hour long trail is unique among coastal paddling trails in that kayakers (because of the strong, prevailing southeasterly winds, canoes are not recommended) paddle through a seeming maze of several different habitats. 

The Lighthouse Lakes Paddling Trail is part of Redfish Bay, a minor bay straddling Aransas and Corpus Christi Bays. All five species of seagrasses found in Texas are present in this area and comprise of some 14,000 acres of high-quality nursery and forage habitat for fish, shrimp, crabs and other marine life.  Other wildlife seen on this trail include feral hogs, raccoons, deer, coyotes and several species of reptiles.