Port Texas: Wayfinder

Explore the East End Lagoon! 

Notable Resources for the Nature Trail!
Audubon Society : https://www.audubon.org/#

Donate to the East End Lagoon Nature Park and Preserve : http://www.eastendlagoon.org/support

The Preserve at the East End Lagoon
"It is a curious situation that the sea, from which life first arose, should now be threatened by the activities of one form of that life. But the sea, though changed in a sinister way, will continue to exist: the threat is rather to life itself"  Rachel Carson

Galveston is a 27-mile long spit of land wedged between the Gulf of Mexico and the upper Texas coast. at its highest natural elevation, Galveston is 7 feet above sea level. The incorporated area of the City of Galveston is 80% water. 

The East End Lagoon Nature Preserve, situated at the eastern end of the island, is a microcosm of the island as a whole. The 685-acre Preserve includes the East End Lagoon. The Lagoon is a slender finger of water that is bordered by several zones of land that are defined by elevation (measured by inches!), tides, and salinity. Although the Preserve is almost entirely wet, the slight variations of elevation can determine what can grow and, by extension, the wildlife that can inhabit each zone. 

To see the greatest diversity of plants and animals at the Preserve, you will need to visit a cross-section of these zones and habits. The East End Lagoon Nature Trail snakes through  upland habitat, and offers easy access to the lower marshes that border the trail. You will need a canoe or kayak to access the Lagoon as a whole. There are several access points around the Lagoon where you can walk to the shore. 

East End Lagoon
The waters of the Lagoon vary in salinity based on the rainwater runoff. Since the Lagoon is connected to the Gulf, saltwater regularly enters the lagoon with high tides. However, freshwater also drains into the lagoon, and therefore the salinity of the lagoon can vary day-to-day. These brackish waters are perfect for a diversity of sea life, especially juvenile fish, crabs, and oysters.

Pimple Mounds
Pimple Mounds dot the preserve but are easy to overlook. These mounds are often small(usually only a few feet in diameter) and slightly elevated (a foot or less). The large pimple mounds are covered by shrubs like wax myrtle (morella cerifera) and yaupon (Ilex vomitoria) . These trees and shrubs are used by a variety of birds such as herons and egrets for roosts. 

Salt Marsh
Virtually all of the land within the preserve is salt marsh. There are several types of salt marsh around the Lagoon, including low salt marsh that is dominated by smooth cordgrass. Other habitats in this zone include high salt marsh, salt pannes, and algal flats. Many species such as the Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus) are only found in salt marsh. 

Explore the East End Lagoon! 

Notable Resources for the Nature Trail!
Audubon Society : https://www.audubon.org/#

Donate to the East End Lagoon Nature Park and Preserve : http://www.eastendlagoon.org/support

Nature and Man at the East End Lagoon
"The oceans deserve our respect and care, but you have to know something before you can care about it" - Sylvia Earle

The East End Lagoon borders the Bolivar Roads, one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. Bolivar is protected by two jetties. The North Jetty connects to Bolivar Flats, while the South Jetty connects with East Beach. Here, nature and man coexist.

Bolivar Roads is the entrance to the Port of Galveston, Port of Texas City, and Port of Houston. The Port of Houston is one of the largest port complexes in the world and one of the busiest in the United States.

The jetties that protect Bolivar Roads also trap sand that flows southward along Galveston's coast. The Sediments captured by the North Jetty create Bolivar Flats, and sediment trapped by the South Jetty feeds into East Beach. As a result, the beaches and the flats in this area are expanding unlike much of the upper texas coast, which is eroding due to a sand deposit deficit.

As a result of accretion (growth), the East End Lagoon Nature Preserve is well protected from wave action by the extensive East End Beaches. Additionally, sand is continuously blowing into the preserve, adding sediments to the scattered pimple mounds. Even though the preserve abuts one of the busiest sea lanes in the U.S., nature continues to thrive at the East End Lagoon!

South (Galveston) Jetty
There are two jetties that protect the mouth of the Bolivar Roads; the North, or Bolivar Jetty, and the South, or Galveston Jetty. These jetties were completed in 1897. The South Jetty extends 2 miles into the Gulf, and helps protect the ship channel from being filled with sand and silt. These sediments are deposited at and around the base of the jetty, contributing a steady flow of sand to East Beach.
 
Galveston Seawall
You will reach the East End Lagoon Nature Preserve by driving, riding, skating, biking, or walking along the Galveston Seawall. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the Seawall after the 1900 storm, the deadliest  hurricane in U.S. History. With the extensions, the Seawall is now over 10 miles long and it continues to protect the city from devastating storms.

Fun at the Lagoon
The Lagoon is ideal for a variety of recreations. Birders and photographers enjoy the opportunity to walk along the nature trail. Anglers fish around the mouth of the Lagoon, and kayakers can paddle the calm waters along the entire length. Whatever your interest, take advantage of one of Galveston's most easily accessed natural areas!

Explore the East End Lagoon! 

Notable Resources for the Nature Trail!
Audubon Society : https://www.audubon.org/#

Donate to the East End Lagoon Nature Park and Preserve : http://www.eastendlagoon.org/support

Welcome to the East End Lagoon ADA trailhead!

Welcome to the East End Lagoon Nature Trail! You are probably wondering; what is a lagoon? A Lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by barrier islands or reefs. The East End Lagoon runs parallel with the Galveston Seawall along the east end of Galveston Island. The only outlet runs under Bodecker Drive, emptying into Bolivar Roads and the entrance to Galveston Bay.

The East End Lagoon Nature Preserve is dominated by the open waters of the lagoon and by the surrounding alt marsh. Salt marshes serve as the transition from the Gulf of Mexico to the land, an area where fresh and saltwater mix. The protected waters of the lagoon, fed by dead vegetation from the bordering salt marsh, create a perfect nursery and refuge for many types of marine life such as fish, crabs, and shrimp. Therefore, the lagoon teems with a diversity of sea life. 

Fishermen often wade in the shallow waters at the mouth of the lagoon, and the calm waters are perfect for kayaking and canoeing. Birdwatchers and photographers discover spectacular birds such as the roseate spoonbill and the brown pelican, and there is never a day in the year when the surrounding flats, marsh, and prairie are not ablaze in wildflowers. Enjoy your walk along the trail and remember that nature changes every day. To get to know the Preserve you will need to visit again, and again!

Cabbage Palm
As you walk along the Trail, you will see palm trees. These are cabbage palms (Sabal Palmetto). Cabbage palms are shown to be native in Texas only in Cameron County, but they have become naturalized along the Galveston coast. These hardy pals thrive in Galveston's hot and humid summers, they are immune to salt spray, and they are freeze tolerant down to 10-15 degrees. 

Queen Butterfly
The Queen Butterfly (Danaus Gilippus) is our local version of the well known Monarch. Monarch Butterflies do migrate through our area, and a smaller number even stay through the winter. The common milkweed butterfly in our area is the queen and they can often be seen along the Trail feeding on vine and milkweed (Cynanchum angustifolium).

Large Milkweed Bug
One of the vines that proliferates along the trail is the Vine Milkweed (Cynanchum angustifolium) The Milkweed vines attract butterflies and other insects that feed on the leaves. You may spot large milkweed bugs as you walk along the trail. 

Explore the East End Lagoon! 

Notable Resources for the Nature Trail!
Audubon Society : https://www.audubon.org/#

Donate to the East End Lagoon Nature Park and Preserve : http://www.eastendlagoon.org/support

Coastal Prairie and Salt Marsh at the East End Lagoon
"As to scenery (giving my own thought and feeling), while I knew the standard claim is that Yosemite, Niagara Falls, the Upper Yellowstone and the like afford the greatest natural shows, I am not so sure but the prairies and plains, while less stunning at first sight, last longer, fill the esthetic sense fuller, precede all the rest, and make North America's characteristic landscape." - Walt Whitman, Specimen Days (1879)

Trees were scarce on Galveston Island at the time of settlement; in fact, only one stand of trees (Three Trees) Broke the monotony of the endless coastal prairie and the salt marshes. At first glance the Preserve might seem like a flat featureless landscape. However, at a closer look, you will find a richly diverse ecosystem.  

The land that surrounds the Lagoon remains as salt marsh and coastal prairie and offers a fascinating contrast to the waters of the Lagoon. A number of species around the lagoon are grassland or marsh specialists. Some are tiny, and difficult to see even with binoculars. Others, such as hawks and owls, are often seen coasting over the prairie in search of prey. Mammals in our prairie are scarce, but coyotes and raccoons, along with a variety of rodents, do proliferate in these habitats.

Eastern Meadowlark
The flute-like song of the Eastern Meadowlark (sturnella Magna) is one of the characteristic sounds of the coastal prairie. The bird often sings from perches at the highest points on the prairie. 

Citrine Forktail
The Citrine Forktail (Ischnura hastata) is a thread of a damselfly that is difficult to see as it floats among the prairie and marsh grasses. This forktail is the smallest damselfly in North America, yet it prospers in the wind-swept, oft-flooded coastal prairies around the lagoon. 

American Bittern
The American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) is a wading bird in the heron family, usually found skulking through the wet prairie around the lagoon. 

Seaside Sparrow
The Seaside Sparrow is one of the birds that is a salt marsh specialist. It thrives in the smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) that borders the Lagoon. 

Explore the East End Lagoon! 

Notable Resources for the Nature Trail!
Audubon Society : https://www.audubon.org/#

Donate to the East End Lagoon Nature Park and Preserve : http://www.eastendlagoon.org/support

Wildflowers of the East End Lagoon
Few days in years pass when the Lagoon is not accented by the color of Wildflowers. 

Wildflowers here are not oppressively seasonal; never is there a time when some plant or shrub isn't blooming. From the salt tolerant plants that flourish on the salt pannes, to the prairie plants that only grow in the uplands, the Lagoon is embellished by the blush of coastal wildflowers. 

The key to learning coastal wildflowers is to first learn about their preferred haunts. A few inches can make the difference given the lack of elevation along the coast. Only a few plants can tolerate the salinity of the salt pannes and flats. Along the roads that circle the Lagoon, however, rainwater draining front the pavement creates a unique roadside habitat vegetated by the plants often found farther inland. 

Many of the flowers along the East Lagoon Nature Trail are large and brightly colored. Others, though, are small and obscure. The key to finding a diversity of flowers along the trail and around the a=lagoon is to be patient and look closely. Also, remember that different flowers bloom at different times of the year. You will need to visit the Lagoon frequently to see them all!

Maritime Plants
Only a handful of plants can tolerate the high salinity of the Lagoon waters. The pannes and flats that surround the Lagoon are perfect for salt-tolerant grasses and plants such as smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) and glasswort (Salicornia sp.)

Black Mangrove
Black mangroves (Avicennia germanians) are only found along the GUlf coast and the Florida Atlantic coast in the United States. IN, Texas, this mangrove only spread north to Galveston. In cool winters, black mangrove will freeze back to the roots, only to sprout with even greater vigor the following spring.

Explore the East End Lagoon! 

Notable Resources for the Nature Trail!
Audubon Society : https://www.audubon.org/#

Donate to the East End Lagoon Nature Park and Preserve : http://www.eastendlagoon.org/support

Wildlife at the East End Lagoon
"Because there's nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it's sent away." - Sarah Kay

The wildlife of the lagoon is generally obscure and easy to overlook. Although Audubon found white-tailed deer to be common on the island, by the late 1800's deer were wiped out here. Now, except for the odd coyote or raccoon, the wildlife is generally composed of insects, reptiles, and amphibians.

If you look closely, the lagoon teems with butterflies, dragonflies, robber flies, and a breathtaking variety of brilliantly colored insects. Some of these are among the smallest of their kind in the world. Others have adapted to the salinity of the lagoon and its marshes and are found nowhere else except in these special places.

You will find many of these insects and other wildlife along the East End Lagoon Nature Trail. The flowers that bloom along the Trail attract  clouds of butterflies as well as the dragonflies that prey on the butterflies. The key to uncovering the wildlife along the trail is to walk quietly and to look very, very closely at what is around you.

Eastern Pygmy-Blue
Some of the smallest butterflies are the toughest! The eastern pygmy-blue (Brephidium pseudofea) is one of the smallest butterflies in the world, yet it proliferates here in the salt marsh. This butterfly lays its eggs on Salicornia and Batis, plants that only live in the most saline soils.

Seaside Dragonlet
The Seaside Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax berenice) is the only dragonfly in the Western Hemisphere that can breed in seawater. The lagoon is a perfect place for this dragonlet, and it can be seen commonly in warmer months.

Explore the East End Lagoon! 

Notable Resources for the Nature Trail!
Audubon Society : https://www.audubon.org/#

Donate to the East End Lagoon Nature Park and Preserve : http://www.eastendlagoon.org/support

Nature Photography at the East End Lagoon
"I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn't photograph them."- Diane Arbus

The east end lagoon nature trail is a perfect venue for nature photography. Yet, it helps to know when and how to use this venue. Great pictures are not accidental, and we want to help you take advantage of what the trail has to offer.

On Galveston Island, the sun rises over the Gulf and sets over the Bay. The best time for photography along the trail is sunrise and sunset. take advantage of "Golden Hour," that period before sunset when daylight is redder and softer than when the sun is higher in the sky. The trails run east to west, so position yourself so that you can photograph with the sun at your back during the Golden Hour.

Birds are forced to roost during high tides. When the tide drops, they swarm to the exposed sand and mud.

Also, remember that birds are most active in the early morning. Many of the most photogenic birds such as herons, egrets, spoonbills, and pelicans are most active when feeding at sunrise. So, get out of bed and out to the Trail!

Macro Photography
Many of the animals and plants along the trail are small. A normal lens will not do them justice. Using a macro lens, you will be able to photograph the most miniscule insect or diminutive flower.

Telephoto Photography
Birds are wary, and they will startle and fly before you can photograph them with a normal lens. You need a telephoto or a zoom lens that will magnify the subject (i.e., the bird) from a distance. Dress subtly (not bright colors) and stay silent along the Trail. in the early morning birds are focused on feeding, and with a little practice you will be able to approach them for that perfect photograph!

Nature photography Ethics
Always remember that the subject and the habitat are more important than the photograph. Always show respect and consideration for the environment, for the photographic subjects, as well as for other people who are using the Trail. Please stay on the designated pathways. Thanks!

Explore the East End Lagoon! 

Notable Resources for the Nature Trail!
Audubon Society : https://www.audubon.org/#

Donate to the East End Lagoon Nature Park and Preserve : http://www.eastendlagoon.org/support

The Birds of the East End Lagoon
Ah, my dear friend, would that you were here just now to see the Snipes innumerable, the Blackbirds, the Gallinules, and the Curlews that surround us; that you could listen as I do not, to the delightful notes of the Mockingbird, pouring forth his soul in melody as the glorious orb of day is fast descending towards the western horizon; after spreading their broad wings, croak aloud as if doubtful regarding the purpose of our visit to these shores!

- James Audubon, in a letter to Reverend John Bachman, on visiting Galveston in April 1837

John James Audubon waded ashore on Galveston Island near the East End Lagoon in April 1837. In the ensuing years, Galveston has become a major port along the Gulf Coast, and a destination that attracts over 7 million tourists annually. Yet, the Lagoon still attracts the "Snipes innumerable," and early morning visitors can still hear the "delightful notes of the Mockingbird."

The birds of the East End Lagoon are stitched together by a common thread- water. The Lagoon's birds are those of open water, shore, and wet coastal Prairie. During storms and high tides, there is no land in or around the Lagoon that remains dry. Birds of the lagoon have adapted to these wetlands, and prosper in conditions that elude most land and forest birds.

Shore Birds
A number of bird species are limited to feeding along the shore or on the beach. These sore birds include sandpipers, plovers, herons, and egrets.

Water Birds
Birds of the open water are usually seen in the Lagoon itself, rather than feeding along its shore. Waterfowl (ducks and geese), grebes, loons, cormorants, and pelicans are examples of birds that are frequently seen out in the open water.