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Drives Texas Houston, Galveston and the Gulf Coast

Highway 87: Bolivar Peninsula

TX 87, TX 124 · Port Bolivar → High Island

Leisurely24 mi30 min0 ft climbHigh point ≈ 0 ftOne way
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The drive

Highway 87 runs the length of the Bolivar Peninsula, a narrow strip of sand between the Gulf and East Bay. The drive starts at Port Bolivar, just past the Loop 108 junction near where the free ferry from Galveston lands, by Fort Travis Seashore Park and the old Point Bolivar Lighthouse, and heads north-east through the beach towns of Crystal Beach and Gilchrist.

It's a flat two-lane past beach houses, marsh and open water, under a big sky. The real draw is birds. Houston Audubon's Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary, at the base of the North Jetty by Port Bolivar, is a Globally Important Bird Area for plovers, Red Knots and other shorebirds, and High Island, where the drive ends, is one of the best places in the country to see spring migrants.

The drive ends where Highway 124 turns north into High Island. Highway 87 used to continue east along the coast to Sabine Pass, but that stretch washed out again and again and has been closed since 1990.

Along the way

  1. Port Bolivar
  2. Crystal Beach
  3. High Island
Elevation
0 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 0 ft
Port BolivarHigh Island
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
Port BolivarHigh Island
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • The Galveston to Port Bolivar ferry is free, run by TxDOT, but on summer weekends and holidays the wait to cross can be two hours or more.
  • High tides and storms can put water over Highway 87; TxDOT raised the road between Rollover Pass and High Island so it stays passable at high tide.
  • Houston Audubon's High Island sanctuaries, Smith Oaks and Boy Scout Woods among them, are open dawn to dusk year-round and charge a day-pass fee.
  • Spring migration, from mid-March to mid-May, brings the most birds and the most birders; there's a smaller fall season from late September to mid-October.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check TxDOT DriveTexas.

Questions about this drive

How long does it take to drive the Bolivar Peninsula on Highway 87?

Highway 87 from Port Bolivar to High Island is 24 miles and takes about 30 minutes without stops.

Is the Bolivar ferry free?

Yes. TxDOT runs the Galveston to Port Bolivar ferry toll-free, around the clock, though waits can run two hours or more at peak times.

Why does Highway 87 end at High Island?

The coastal stretch of Highway 87 between High Island and Sea Rim State Park washed out repeatedly and has been closed since 1990, so drivers turn north on Highway 124 at High Island.

When is the best time to drive the Bolivar Peninsula?

For birds, spring migration from mid-March to mid-May, when High Island's sanctuaries fill with warblers and other songbirds. Avoid driving Highway 87 during storms or very high tides, when it can flood.

What you get in the app

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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Highway 87: Bolivar Peninsula, from Port Bolivar to High Island