Boca Chica Beach Dispersed Camping
Dept. Fish & Wildlife
Write a Review Boca Chica Blvd. Brownsville, TX 78521 956-546-3721 Official WebsiteGPS: 25.9969, -97.151
Overview of Boca Chica Beach Dispersed Camping
Be aware of the tides and high tide line when choosing a beach campsite. Strong winds or storms can significantly elevate tides and create hazardous conditions along the Gulf Coast. Accessibility is not guaranteed, always scout ahead before driving on sandy beaches. Learn more: Boondocking 101
Last Price Paid: $0
Reported by Happy_Trails_Family on 1/21/2024
Longest RV Reported: 43 feet (Toy Hauler Fifth Wheel)
Reported by parisot on 2/6/2023
Elevation 0 ft / 0 m
Max Stay 14
Tent Camping Yes
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Q&A - Ask the Community about Boca Chica Beach Dispersed Camping
To ask questions of the owner or manager please contact the campground directly. (956) 546-3721
camper-771159 asked on 12/15/2022
Does anyone know how the fishing is at Boca Chica Beach?
sdbpost asked on 5/21/2021
Planning to pass through in a couple of weeks. Are campers allowed during road closures for SpaceX? Or is the beach c...
Bill asked on 3/3/2021
We plan to take a small truck camper to Boca Chica Beach. I’ve heard that the sand can be too soft. Is that a problem...
Nina Herzig asked on 12/18/2020
Weather forecast says one morning of scattered and isolated thunderstorms - would you still camp on the beach with yo...
Reviews of Boca Chica Beach Dispersed Camping 8 people have reviewed this location.
“Beautiful Spot Overlooking The Starbase Launch Site BUT Was Not Able To Stay”
Reviewed 1/21/2024
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 0 |
RV Length: | 22' (Travel Trailer) |
This beach boondocking spot is really nice. To get here you pass through the new Starbase facilities and get to see all the rockets and launch facilities up close! It’s really cool and once you arrive to the beach it’s beautiful and spacious. We found a great spot right by the launch pad and there was enough shoreline to turn around wi... more
This beach boondocking spot is really nice. To get here you pass through the new Starbase facilities and get to see all the rockets and launch facilities up close! It’s really cool and once you arrive to the beach it’s beautiful and spacious. We found a great spot right by the launch pad and there was enough shoreline to turn around with our Silverado and 22 foot travel trailer. We checked the tides and wind and would have had plenty of beach to stay the night however, a police officer was driving along the beach telling us and all the other RVers and fishermen that they had to leave due to rocket testing after a few hours of us getting there. We asked how long testing would be and they said they weren’t sure but usually lasts a few hours and would probably be testing each night for the next few nights. We left since it was almost 7pm and if we left the area we knew we weren’t going to come back since the uncertainty of when testing would be finished. It’s pretty far out there so if you do go, plan ahead and have everything you need. Also, be sure to have a backup plan incase they do testing again you have to vacate the beach. There is one gas station 40ish minutes away and it’s the closest thing but it is stocked well.
Stay Safe & Happy Trails!
Happy_Trails_Family would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Busy”
Reviewed 2/6/2023
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 1 |
Site Number: | 0 |
RV Length: | 43' (Toy Hauler Fifth Wheel) |
We showed up on Sunday Feb 5th 2023, the access road leading to the beach, directly across from spacex was covered with people and cars. The actually access to the beach was extremely rutted up from the 4x4 trucks and fishermen playing in the sand. Me made it through using a bit of momentum. Once set up for the night felt unsafe access... more
We showed up on Sunday Feb 5th 2023, the access road leading to the beach, directly across from spacex was covered with people and cars. The actually access to the beach was extremely rutted up from the 4x4 trucks and fishermen playing in the sand. Me made it through using a bit of momentum. Once set up for the night felt unsafe accessing the beach because of all the vehicle traffic using the beach as a highway. I spoke to a couple other campers there and they claimed that the traffic was unusual, and that it is typically much calmer. We probably had no business having that size rig there, but we made it in and out just fine. Seen several others getting stuck and helped a few out while we were there.
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Narrow Beach, too much trash, and sand fleas”
Reviewed 1/9/2023
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 0 |
Site Number: | n/a |
RV Length: | 34' (Fifth Wheel) |
We arrived 12/21/22 hoping to stay through to the New Year, but with the tide at its year high point, there was too little room to park the trailer perpendicular to the ocean. Also, a storm had washed up a whole bunch of trash along the dunes. I walked alone the dunes for about a mile (no trailer), and I didn't see enough room to turn-... more
We arrived 12/21/22 hoping to stay through to the New Year, but with the tide at its year high point, there was too little room to park the trailer perpendicular to the ocean. Also, a storm had washed up a whole bunch of trash along the dunes. I walked alone the dunes for about a mile (no trailer), and I didn't see enough room to turn-around without getting into soft sand, so we decided not to stay after all. Also, while walking I was bit in a bunch of places by sand fleas, so walked back close to the water to avoid them. I did not look for cellular service levels. Any other time things may have been fine, but not at this time. We headed to Padre Island National Seashore (south shore) after staying at the Walmart in Brownsville.
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Free Beach Camping Administered by Cameron County in TX”
Reviewed 3/11/2021
RV Length: | 36' (Fifth Wheel) |
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Free beach camping in Texas doesn’t get much better than the free camping available on Boca Chica Beach in south Texas. Boca Chica Beach is cooperatively administered by Cameron County in Texas and provides free beach camping with no amenities directly on the Gulf of Mexico. A video is uploaded here on Campendium for your immediate r... more
Free beach camping in Texas doesn’t get much better than the free camping available on Boca Chica Beach in south Texas. Boca Chica Beach is cooperatively administered by Cameron County in Texas and provides free beach camping with no amenities directly on the Gulf of Mexico. A video is uploaded here on Campendium for your immediate reference. No ATVs or Off-Road Vehicles (ORV) are allowed on the beaches or dunes. Verizon cellular service clocked in at 1.83 Mbps download speed and 0.30 Mbps upload speed. AT&T cellular service clocked in at 53.3 Mbps download speed and 19.5 Mbps upload speed. T-Mobile cellular service clocked in at 9.47 Mbps download speed and 0.11 Mbps upload speed.
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Great deserted beach... BUT watch wind and tide and DO put boards under your wheels! We had to evacuate.”
Reviewed 12/24/2020
Days stayed: | 9 |
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The beach is fantastic, and the proximity to the starship launch facility truly exciting. As remarked by others, there are parts with much more trash than on other beaches. Park your vehicle high enough, way away from the water! We had a windstorm one night and our awning of the RV got ripped to shreds, the metal arms bent and blown on... more
The beach is fantastic, and the proximity to the starship launch facility truly exciting. As remarked by others, there are parts with much more trash than on other beaches. Park your vehicle high enough, way away from the water! We had a windstorm one night and our awning of the RV got ripped to shreds, the metal arms bent and blown onto the roof! Worse though was the tide - it came in one day unexpectedly high, without any warning of the local tide watch website. We had to flee and literally drove through the waves... the photo is just a few minutes before all wheels went under water. Boards under the wheels saved us! Otherwise we would never have made it out. So we just made it back, but it was a close call!
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“It's campable”
Reviewed 1/21/2020
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 1 |
Just had to see the southern tip of Texas for myself, and this spot is overdue for a review. Not sure if this is typical or not, but I arrived to find the water practically lapping at the end of the road, so that's where I stopped and camped. A Border Patrol truck came by while I was setting up, but left without comment so I guess tha... more
Just had to see the southern tip of Texas for myself, and this spot is overdue for a review.
Not sure if this is typical or not, but I arrived to find the water practically lapping at the end of the road, so that's where I stopped and camped. A Border Patrol truck came by while I was setting up, but left without comment so I guess that's okay. Some trucks drove onto the beach to fish during the day but I wouldn't risk hauling my trailer out there. I was nervous enough trying to get turned back around.
There was strong wind down from the North. I was the only camper. One group came in at sunset, built a fire and hung out til around 9 or 10 but otherwise, no action at night. Plenty of daytime traffic. Mostly people jumping out, taking selfies and leaving.
I hiked 2-3 miles from where the road ends to take a look at Mexico. I encountered nobody on the walk there. As has been commented, the Rio Grande border is basically a stream. There was one guy standing outside his truck on the Mexican side. I waved. He didn't. There was also somebody who looked like they were collecting trash on the Texas side. They both looked a little curious at seeing me, but I never felt in any danger. There is some trash on the beach washed up from the shore, but nothing unusual for a public beach. The previous horrified reviewer may not get out much.
Verizon cell service was flaky. About a half mile from Mexico, it's gone.
WoofPack would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Lots of trash, and questionable security”
Reviewed 9/30/2019
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 0 |
Site Number: | N/A |
RV Length: | 33' (Fifth Wheel) |
FYI we were really looking forward to camping here, but in the end we didn't stay. First off, there is more trash washed up on this beach than we've ever seen anywhere. It's really most unfortunate, but I suspect that much of it washes down the adjacent Rio Grande River, for none of the other beaches we've seen in this area of South Te... more
FYI we were really looking forward to camping here, but in the end we didn't stay. First off, there is more trash washed up on this beach than we've ever seen anywhere. It's really most unfortunate, but I suspect that much of it washes down the adjacent Rio Grande River, for none of the other beaches we've seen in this area of South Texas seem to have that much rubbish.
The other big concern that arose was for our personal safety. At the southern end of Boca Chica Beach, the only thing that separates it from the Matamoros, Mexico side is about 50 feet of waist deep, placid water. Walking across the border here would be a trivial exercise. See the photo that we're attaching to this review, and then check out this article from 8/2019 in USA Today: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2019/08/27/playa-bagdad-us-mexico-border-town-occupied-drugs-crime-cartel/2131161001/ If the article is to be believed, the drug cartels maintain complete control of this exact corner of beach adjacent to Boca Chica Beach, and at the time I took the photo I was wholly ignorant of just how dangerous taking that photo was.
Boca Chica Beach would be an absolutely spectacular place to boondock, were it not for the prodigious trash and the drug running immediately adjacent to it. It's a shame, but it wasn't for us, and we moved to Isla Blanca County Park on South Padre Island instead.
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“private and quiet beach camping”
Reviewed 5/16/2015
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 7 |
Site Number: | n/a |
We have stayed here twice during our annual winter trips to south Texas and camped on the beach for 7 days both times. There are NO services and no dump station in this state park and shopping is 25 minutes away, so pack everything you will need for your stay. On both of our stays we were virtually the only ones camping on the beach.... more
We have stayed here twice during our annual winter trips to south Texas and camped on the beach for 7 days both times. There are NO services and no dump station in this state park and shopping is 25 minutes away, so pack everything you will need for your stay. On both of our stays we were virtually the only ones camping on the beach. The few people that drove the beach there to either fish, site see or picnic. The beach was well patrolled by US Boarder Patrol and so we felt safe the entire time, even when we were the only ones camping. This is one of our favourite spots in south Texas to free beach camp.
charlie166 would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
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Boca Chica Bust – Aluminarium
Yesterday, we drove to the tip of Texas in hopes of doing some beach camping. As we pulled into Boca Chica State Park I checked the tide tables. Years ago, we camped on the...
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Amenities
Hookups
- dry camping
- Dispersed Camping
Recreation
- fishing
- swimming beach
- water access
Facilities
- trash
Pets
- pets
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