near Collegeport, TX

Warning: Internet mapping sites may not provide accurate directions to The Nature Conservancy’s Clive Runnells Family Mad Island Marsh Preserve.  Map to Mad Island

From Port Lavaca, travel north on TX 35 through Palacios (Note: TX 35 makes a sharp left curve in Palacios). Approximately 5 miles from Palacios, turn right onto 521. Proceed 5.2 miles on 521 (you’ll cross the Tres Palacios River) to the intersection of FM 1095 at the old Tin Top store. Turn right onto 1095 and travel 4.3 miles. Past the sharp right curve, turn left onto CR 378/Brazos Tower Road. (There is a gray house on the right corner and a brown “Mad Island” sign directly across the intersection). Travel 3 miles on CR 378/Brazos Tower past a sharp right curve. At the next intersection past this curve, turn left onto the dirt road CR 374/AP Ranch Road. There is a Mad Island Wildlife Management Area sign at this intersection. (Note this road is also labeled Franzen Road/373). After turning left onto CR 374, go straight 1.6 miles on this dirt road until it dead-ends at the Mad Island gate. Open the gate and be sure to close it behind you.

Once inside the gate, go straight on this dirt road for 2 miles – do not take the left hand turn to the MI Wildlife Management Area. You will go past a small farm house & a workshop building, a second small dilapidated house, and then through a slough area. Proceed through the prairie/pastures/fields for another mile. Turn right at the Headquarters sign on the right. You will cross another slough area (on warm sunny days, say “Hi” to the alligator). There will be a small intersection where you will have a gate in front of you and no choice but to curve left. Proceed left and travel until this road dead-ends at the 2-story Lodge building.