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10 Cool Facts About the Laguna Madre

There’s something for everyone at the Laguna Madre – photography, wind and water sports, fishing, hunting, sightseeing, camping and so many other things. In addition to activities, there’s also some awesome trivia to learn about this great ecosystem:

  1. It is believed that the first European to reach the Laguna Madre was Spanish explorer Alonso Álvarez de Pineda during the 16th century and is credited with naming it Laguna Madre.


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  1. The name Laguna Madre is Spanish for Mother Lagoon. After all, the Laguna Madre does provide food and shelter to awesome creatures above and below the water line.
  2. The Laguna Madre is one of only six other hypersaline lagoons in the world - that means the water is saltier than the oceans! That should make it easier to float, just don’t forget your life vest if boating/kayaking.
  3. The Upper Laguna Madre stretches from the JFK Causeway down to Saltillo Flats, and is generally between 4 and 6 miles wide. You can literally see to the other side!


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  1. Some western parts of the Upper Laguna Madre are actually the shoreline of the King Ranch. Talk about lots of history on this shoreline!


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  1. The largest of the hypersaline lagoons in the world, the average depth is only 3.3 feet. However, there are areas in the Laguna Madre beyond 5 feet and the channels are deeper. It can also be pretty neat to see barges travel the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
  2. There are five species of seagrass in the area that account for 80% of all seagrass on the Texas Coast. They are turtle grass, shoal grass, manatee grass, star grass and widgeon grass. Not only do these grasses offer protection from the elements and erosion, they also help fish hunt for their prey and camouflage themselves.
  3. Redhead ducks migrate to the Laguna Madre during winter. So many in fact, it houses approximately 75% of the world’s population.


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  1. The Laguna Madre is for the birds! Many species of birds migrate to and call the Laguna Madre home, so rookeries are protected and people are not allowed on them. But you can definitely take great photos of the birds in their natural habitat!
  2. Fishing the Laguna Madre is so great due to having the highest population of finfishes on the Texas Coast! It’s the perfect place to catch red drum, black drum, flounder and speckled seatrout.


Explore the Laguna Madre in Corpus Christi! Its natural beauty will charm you…

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