High Island Policies and Rules
Visitor Information
- Privately owned and managed by the Houston Audubon Society.
- The four sanctuaries at High Island (Boy Scout Woods, Smith Oaks, Eubanks Woods, and Gast Red Bay) are open 365 days a year, dawn to dusk. At Smith Oaks the gate at Old Mexico Rd is open dawn to dusk March 15-May 15 and on weekends in the fall: September 15-October 15. The Winnie Street entrance at Smith Oaks is open 365 days a year, dawn to dusk.
- The entry fee for adults at High Island sanctuaries is $30 for an annual patch or $8 for a day pass. Children and students are free. All groups pay full admission. Group billing available with prior approval from the Houston Audubon office. Proceeds benefit Houston Audubon Sanctuaries.
- Boardwalks may be slippery when wet.
- Beware of venomous snakes, mosquitoes, fire ants, poison ivy and armadillo burrows.
Policies
Because this is a wildlife sanctuary, we ask you to observe the following rules.
Contact Pete Deichmann, Sanctuaries Manager, at pdeichmann@houstonaudubon.org with any questions.
Photography Guidelines for the Rookery Free Observation Platforms
- Please show consideration for other sanctuary visitors and allow them to view birds from the observation platform.
- Limit your time at the front of the observation platforms to 20 minutes.
- Photographers wishing to spend more than 20 minutes taking pictures must use the rookery rental platform.
- Flash photography allowed only within the photo blind at Boy Scout Woods.
- If you are not taking pictures, please move your equipment off the platform.
Camping
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Tents at Smith Oaks
Tents are allowed in the picnic area only. The maximum limit is 3 days. There is no charge. Tents must be down each morning. No open fires. No water is available. but portable toilet facilities are available
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RVs
No overnight RV parking in Houston Audubon High Island sanctuary parking lots, except for working volunteers with parking permit.