San Jose Island, the 21-mile barrier island off Port Aransas on the Texas Gulf Coast, is owned by the Bass family of Fort Worth and has been in private hands since the 1930s. Locals call it “St. Jo.” The interior is a working cattle ranch and wildlife preserve closed to the public, but the beach itself is open to anyone under Texas law.
How the Bass Family Ended Up With It
Texas oilman Sid W. Richardson bought San Jose Island in 1936 and built a private compound there.1Sid Richardson Museum. St. Joseph Island Ranch – The Island Collection When Richardson died in 1959, the island passed to his nephew Perry Bass, whose family had been his longtime partner in oil ventures. Perry and his wife Nancy Lee kept it as a family retreat, and after Perry’s death in 2006, his four sons continued to run it the same way.2Texas Highways. There’s Nothing but a Beach on St. Jo Island, but What More Do You Need? It remains one of the largest privately owned islands in the United States.
What’s on the Island
Not much, by design. There are no hotels, restaurants, paved roads, or houses. The family manages the land for cattle and wildlife, and the absence of development has kept the interior marshes, dunes, and grasslands intact as habitat for migratory birds and native Texas species.3Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce & Tourist Bureau. San Jose Island
The beaches are also a nesting site for the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, the rarest sea turtle species in the world. Researchers confirmed 14 Kemp’s ridley nests on the island during the 2026 nesting season.4Turtle Island Restoration Network. Daily Sea Turtle Nest Counts on the Texas Coast If you see a turtle, tracks, or hatchlings, call 1-866-TURTLE-5. Disturbing a nest is a federal offense under the Endangered Species Act.
The Bass family does not run tours of the interior, and no business operates on the private holdings.
Why the Public Can Still Use the Beach
Private ownership doesn’t close the shoreline. The Texas Open Beaches Act, in Chapter 61 of the Texas Natural Resources Code, gives the public free and unrestricted access to Gulf beaches from the line of mean low tide up to the line of vegetation. Landowners cannot build barriers that interfere with that access.5State of Texas. Texas Natural Resources Code 61 – Natural Resources Code
The state owns the wet beach out to the mean high tide line. The dry sand between the high tide mark and the vegetation line technically belongs to the upland owner, meaning the Bass family here, but it carries a public easement.6Texas Real Estate Research Center. Tidal Highs and Laws In practice, you can walk, swim, fish, and collect shells along the entire beach up to where the dune vegetation begins. Storms and erosion move that line, so the boundary isn’t fixed.
Getting There
No bridge connects San Jose Island to the mainland. Most visitors take the Jetty Boat from Fisherman’s Wharf in Port Aransas, which drops passengers at the north jetty. Round-trip tickets run $20 for anyone 13 or older, $10 for children 6 through 12, and free for children 5 and under.7Fisherman’s Wharf Port Aransas. Jetty Boat
In summer, the first boat leaves at 6:30 a.m. and the last departure is at 4:00 p.m., with return runs scheduled through 6:00 p.m. Winter hours are reduced. The boat skips scheduled trips when no one is riding, so earlier return times depend on demand.7Fisherman’s Wharf Port Aransas. Jetty Boat Missing the last run means hiring a private boat. Plan the day around that schedule.
Private boats and kayaks can land on the beach as long as they stay seaward of the vegetation line. There are no public docks or marinas on the island.
Where the Private Property Starts
The vegetation line is the boundary. Seaward of it is public beach. Landward, including the dunes, marshes, and grasslands, is Bass family ranch. Walking onto that private land without permission is criminal trespass under Texas Penal Code Section 30.05.8State of Texas. Texas Penal Code Title 7 Chapter 30 Section 30.05 – Criminal Trespass
Criminal trespass in Texas is generally a Class B misdemeanor, carrying up to 180 days in jail, a fine of up to $2,000, or both.9State of Texas. Texas Penal Code Title 3 Chapter 12 Subchapter B Section 12.22 – Class B Misdemeanor A narrower rule drops trespass on agricultural land within 100 feet of the boundary to a Class C misdemeanor. Because the island is a working cattle ranch, someone who steps just past the vegetation line may face the lesser charge, while anyone who pushes deeper into the interior faces the full Class B penalty.8State of Texas. Texas Penal Code Title 7 Chapter 30 Section 30.05 – Criminal Trespass
Legal notice doesn’t require anyone to speak to you. Fencing, posted signs, and purple paint on posts all count under the statute. The ranch fencing along the dune line provides that notice, and the area is patrolled.
Fishing, Shelling, and Beach Rules
Shore fishing is one of the main reasons people visit. Texas Parks and Wildlife requires a fishing license with a saltwater endorsement for anyone fishing in public waters. The simplest option for a day trip is a One-Day All-Water Fishing License at $11, which needs no separate endorsement.10Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Fishing Licenses and Packages Texas residents under 17 are exempt. Annual licenses expire on August 31 regardless of purchase date.
Collecting empty seashells is legal and needs no permit, and the undeveloped shoreline produces some of the best shelling on the Texas coast. You cannot take a shell that still has a living creature inside, and hermit crabs often occupy discarded whelk shells, so check before pocketing anything. Taking live mollusks requires a fishing license with a saltwater endorsement, and some species carry seasonal protections.
Vehicles are prohibited on the beach, including ATVs and golf carts.3Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce & Tourist Bureau. San Jose Island Camping and fires are not allowed. There are no restrooms, trash cans, fresh water, or shade on the island. Whatever you carry in has to come back out with you. Bring more water than you think you need, and keep an eye on the return boat.