Visiting Starbase and Boca Chica Beach
Check official Boca Chica Beach and State Highway 4 access updates, then plan a Starbase visit around public routes and changing closures.
Check access before you drive
Boca Chica Beach and State Highway 4 can close temporarily during SpaceX spaceflight activity. The City of Starbase posts beach status and road-delay information separately, so check both on the day of your visit.
Open the City of Starbase's live beach and road status. For text alerts, the city says to send BEACH to 1-866-513-3475.
The City’s notice describes closures affecting Boca Chica Beach and State Highway 4 from FM 1419/Oklahoma Avenue to the beach entrance. TxDOT identifies SH 4 as the only east–west route between Brownsville and Boca Chica Beach; it is currently a two-lane road with paved shoulders. Follow the current order, signs, checkpoints, and local instructions. Do not drive around a closure or enter restricted areas. TxDOT road information
When the route is open, USFWS describes the Boca Chica tract as beginning about 6.6 miles east of Keller’s Corner, with the road continuing up to 18 miles to the beach. The refuge describes sandy terrain at the tract. This is not a description of the paved highway. Check the USFWS Boca Chica access page and local closure notice before driving.
What the public route offers
When open, State Highway 4 leads east from the Brownsville area toward Boca Chica Beach. Texas Parks & Wildlife describes Boca Chica Beach and the USFWS Boca Chica Tract as day-use stops along its Boca Chica Loop. The route is known for coastal grasslands, lomas, and shorebirds.
This guide is about public roads, beach access, and nearby outdoor stops. It does not offer access to SpaceX's operating facilities. Do not assume a launch or test schedule means the road or beach will be open.
Check beach conditions
TPWD warns that beach sand can be soft. Keep to public routes and follow current beach notices. The nature guide covers the wildlife stops and the agency's day-use information: Boca Chica wildlife and birding.
Follow refuge rules
On Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge property, stay on designated roads and trails, use designated parking, and leave before official sunset. Camping and alcohol are prohibited on refuge land; do not feed, disturb, collect or approach wildlife. The refuge asks visitors to keep pets leashed and recommends leaving them at home. Read the current USFWS rules.
Keep a nearby alternative
If Boca Chica is closed, the City of Starbase lists Cameron County beach accesses on South Padre Island as alternatives. See our South Padre Island guide and day-trip guide before choosing a route.
Information reviewed 2026-10-25.