Great Texas Wildlife Trails

06/17/2026

One of the most unique wildlife viewing experiences offered in Texas is a sea turtle hatchling release. If you’re in the Coastal Bend this Thursday, head over to Padre Island National Seashore to enjoy this awesome experience!

A Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchling release is scheduled for Thursday, June 18, 2026, at 6:45am on Malaquite Beach. Here are a few things to consider!

⚠️ IF THERE IS NO UPDATE TO THIS POST, THAT MEANS THAT THE HATCHLING RELEASE IS HAPPENING AS PLANNED. ⚠️

📞 Call the Hatchling Hotline at (361) 949-7163 before you drive out to the seashore to make sure the release is happening. The hotline is a recorded message you can call anytime day or night.

🌩️ Hatchling releases may be cancelled if the turtles have not hatched on the expected date, due to bad weather (ex. pouring rain, lightning on the beach, high winds), extreme high tides, or flooding over roadways, etc.

💲 Park entrance fees are required to enter the park year-round. To save time, purchase your entrance pass online BEFORE coming to the park.

🎟️ The $10 per vehicle one-day pass expires at midnight on the date of purchase. Do not purchase this pass the night before the hatchling release as it will be expired in the morning. Purchase your $10 per vehicle one-day pass the morning of the hatchling release only AFTER calling the calling the Hatchling Hotline to verify the release is happening.

🪪 Annual and lifetime pass holders do not need to pay the park entrance fee but must present their pass and ID at the entrance station.

🚗 Expect delays of up to 30-minutes entering the park. Hatchling releases take place on Malaquite Beach in front of the Malaquite Visitor Center. The visitor center is located 15-minutes south of the park entrance station. Once you arrive at the release site, you must park in a parking lot, walk across the visitor center deck, down the ramp and out to the beach. Driving on Malaquite Beach to the hatchling release site is not permitted. If you have not been to the park before, take some time to look at a map of the park.

🐕‍🦺 Please leave your pets at home. Trained service animals, authorized under the ADA are allowed.

🛍️ Looking for a souvenir? The park store only accepts credit and debit cards or mobile phone payments.

❓ For more information about how to prepare to attend a release, please visit go.nps.gov/HatchlingRelease

05/13/2026

Have you seen these hawks? Please report your sightings to assist with our research study with Texas Tech University.

Specifically, we’re seeking sightings of these 3 species of at-risk hawks (or their nests): Gray Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk, and Common Black Hawk.

Here’s how to report:
HILL COUNTRY: [email protected]
TRANS-PECOS: [email protected]
or send a message to the Boal Wildlife Research Lab (https://www.facebook.com/CWBoal)

Thank you!

04/03/2026

Sea turtle nesting season has begun! If you see a nesting turtle, please call the number below.

03/30/2026

This Wednesday is the final day to register for the 30th annual Great Texas Birding Classic! You’ll get a 30th annual t-shirt, support conservation projects with your team entry, and have a chance at directing grant money to awesome habitat projects. Win-win-win!!

Check out this video of the Big Sit! Tournament category, following along with one of last year’s teams:

Birding is a great outdoor hobby that’s easy for anybody to get into, especially during events like the Big Sit, where birders of all skill-levels come toget...

03/19/2026

2026 marks the 30th anniversary of the Great Texas Wildlife Trails, which kicked off with the unveiling of the first site on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail back in 1996. Celebrate the year by participating in the 30th annual Great Texas Birding Classic which helps highlight the trails and raise money for conservation grants along the trails each year. Learn more here:
https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20260319a

03/11/2026

Have you ever viewed wildlife from a canoe or kayak? Texas Co-op Power magazine just shared a great piece on several of our paddling trails throughout the state - and many overlap Great Texas Wildlife Trail sites! Learn more at the link below in comments.

03/04/2026

Internships are a great way to start a career! The coordinator for the Great Texas Wildlife Trails got her start way back in the 1900s working on birding materials for kids, the Great Texas Wildlife Trails, and the Great Texas Birding Classic!

Thankful these trails still exist to give outdoor enthusiasts ideas of the best places to go wildlife viewing in our great state.

Great Texas Birding Classic
Great Texas Wildlife Trails

02/07/2026

New: A Texan’s Guide to Birding out from Texas Highways is full of great tips, places to go, and what to expect. Check it out - the Great Texas Wildlife Trails get a shout-out!

The go-to companion for curious newcomers and longtime birders alike

01/14/2026

Do you love spring migration? Do you explore the Great Texas Wildlife Trails mainly to enjoy the birds? Then the Great Texas Birding Classic is for you. Registration is now open! Make plans now to register your team (by April 1st!) and join the 30th annual Birding Classic!

30 Years of Birding in Texas!
Registration is now OPEN for the 30th annual Great Texas Birding Classic at BirdingClassic.org

Celebrate a milestone year with all your favorite tournament categories - plus a brand-new 2-person team option, the Lone Star Duo Tournament!

Whether you’re a first-timer or a longtime Classic regular, we’d love to have you join us this anniversary year as we celebrate birds, conservation, and community.

👉 Register now: www.birdingclassic.org

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving!

In the early 1900s, wild turkeys were nearly extinct. Thanks to conservation efforts, their population count today is approximately 6.5 million, with ranges expanding in many areas. Next time you spot a wild turkey, remember this amazing rebound!

Happy Thanksgiving!



Photo by Courtney Celley/USFWS