Texas City Levee

Texas City Levee launches from the bay side of the levee along the Texas City Dike on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Getting to the site means paying the $5 toll onto the Dike, then making a U-turn to reach the levee itself. It works well as a jumping-off point for flights further inland, and pilots sometimes follow the shoreline north — but landing beyond the floodgates up that way is worth avoiding, since the access road there is padlocked shut and could mean a 4-mile walk out. Flying is only sensible when the wind sits somewhere between north and southeast; wind from the south or southwest turns the air very turbulent because of the nearby refinery, which is also strictly off-limits airspace, along with the park's water areas — this whole stretch is a protected nesting ground for migratory birds.

Launch & conditions

Launch is on the bay side of the levee, reached via the Texas City Dike ($5 toll), with a U-turn required to get onto the levee itself.

Getting there & local rules

Pay the toll onto the Texas City Dike, then take a U-turn to reach the levee. If following the shoreline north, avoid landing beyond the floodgates — the access road there is padlocked and could mean a 4-mile walk out.

Local rules & hazards

Never fly over the refinery or over the park's water areas — this stretch of Texas City is a protected nesting ground for migratory birds. Only fly when the wind is blowing from somewhere between north and southeast; south or southwest wind creates very turbulent air because of the refinery.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Texas City Levee, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Texas City Levee with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.