Sea Rim State Park

Sea Rim State Park (upper right), south of Port Arthur, along the Gulf coast of southeast Texas.

Sea Rim State Park is a convert|4141|acre|km2|0|sing=on state park in southeast Texas.cite web
title=Sea Rim State Park
author=Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
publisher=TPWD.state.tx.us
date=September 2008 | accessdate=2008-09-20
url=http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/searim/] The park is located on the Gulf of Mexico in southern Jefferson County, south of Port Arthur and just west of Sabine Pass.__TOC__The D. Roy Harrington Beach unit is the coastal portion of the park, offering beach access between the Gulf of Mexico and the mainland marshes. Swimming in the marshes is not permitted due to the presence of alligators.

The Marshlands unit is located in the inland marshes of southern Jefferson County, and is only accessible by boat. Many species of migratory birds stop in or pass through the park, and the Marshlands unit provides observation blinds for bird watchers.

The park land was purchased from the Planet Oil and Mineral Corporation and Horizon Sales Corporation in 1972, and opened in 1977.

State Highway 87 has a missing portion, destroyed by 1989's Hurricane Jerry, starting west of the park's main entrance. Previous storms had eroded the beach, leaving the highway vulnerable to storm-generated surf.

In September 2005, Hurricane Rita did extensive damage to Sea Rim State Park, forcing an indefinite closure. As of September 2008, the park remains closed.

Three nearby national wildlife refuges on the Texas coast - Brazoria N.W.R., San Bernard and Big Boggy - form a vital complex of coastal wetlands harboring more than 300 bird species.cite web
title=San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge
author=FWS | publisher=FWS.gov
date=September 2008 | accessdate=2008-09-20
url=http://southwest.fws.gov/refuges/texas/sanbern.html ]

ee also

* Anahuac NWR - nearby wildlife refuge to the west.

Notes

References

* cite web
title=Sea Rim State Park
author=Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
publisher=TPWD.state.tx.us
date=September 2008 | accessdate=2008-09-20
url=http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/searim/

External links

*
* [http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/searim/ Sea Rim State Park] from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.