Inside: Our family visited Hunting Island State Park while on vacation in the Lowcountry, and saw a lot of wildlife while beachcombing the unspoiled beaches. Find out why we think this SC State Park is one of the most interesting of the 48 parks.
Hunting Island State Park offers a maritime forest and coastal experience that is the pinnacle of South Carolina’s Lowcountry! Highlights include:
🐢 Loggerhead turtles nesting, shelling, wildlife sightings, a boneyard beach, and a historic lighthouse.
🏕️Family-friendly with camping, nature trails, a nature center with live animals, and a fishing pier.
Once we entered the maritime forest-lined roads full of wild palmetto trees during our recent visit to Hunting Island State Park, I knew we were in for a treat. The park feels almost untouched by time. Located in the Lowcountry of SC, Hunting Island is one of 48 SC State Parks and ranks highly now on my family’s list of favorites.
Plus, the park offers camping, a “boneyard beach” with spectacular photography opportunities, and a historic lighthouse (that is currently getting a facelift and is under construction). Maybe your next adventure could be to Hunting Island State Park, you will not be disappointed!
Hunting Island Beach: SC
With around 15 miles of beach to explore, it is a wild experience to look back from the shoreline and see what the SC coast may have looked like hundreds of years ago. With wild saw palmetto trees lining the shore, rugged dunes, and lots of opportunities to find shells, especially shark teeth, we spent several hours beachcombing.
We spotted a couple of horseshoe crabs, cannonball jellyfish by the dozen, and even a couple of loggerhead sea turtle nests amongst the dunes. Turtle nesting season begins in early May and goes until fall, so be cautious when walking on the beach and stay off the dunes. If you live close by, you can join the efforts of the Friends of Hunting Island and their sea turtle conservation team, helping protect the nests. How cool!
Our visit coincided with a rainstorm, but that didn’t keep us off the beach. Our family, along with a couple of other groups, enjoyed the sandy beach under the overcast sky. If you plan to swim, be cautious, as the state park does not have lifeguards on duty, so you will want to be a strong swimmer and know the signs of rip currents if you plan to head out into the water. However, the quietness of a beach that is undisturbed and uncrowded is unparalleled to the often crowded beaches of the SC coast.
Tents and umbrellas are allowed on the beaches, and parking lots A and D are two of the best options we found to get to the beach. It was a short walk from the parking lot to the shoreline, so you do not have to worry about long walks with your equipment and little kids.
Beach Access
To get to the North Beach, you’ll follow along the one-way road to Parking Lot D. Here, you’ll find wide, sandy stretches of beach where you can sunbathe, build sand castles, or comb the beach for seashells and shark teeth.
If you are looking for a unique landscape at the park, head toward the south beach. Here, you’ll find the “boneyard”, which is a collection of dozens of eroded trees and driftwood. This part of the park is great for exploring and taking photographs. We got caught in a thunderstorm and didn’t make it to south beach for this visit, but it will be our first stop next time we go.
Family-Friendly Things to Do At Hunting Island
Nature Trails: Three nature trails at Hunting Island are great for all skill levels. The Campground Access trail (1 mile), the Lighthouse Trail (0.3 mile), and the Marsh Boardwalk NRT (0.4 mile). If you’re looking for longer walks, there is also an 8-mile hike/bike trail you can enjoy. All trails are scenic, it just depends on what you’re wanting to do during your visit.
Nature Center: Recently renovated, it offers interactive wild animals on exhibit and educational programs about the island’s ecosystems.
Wildlife watching: Hunting Island is great for birdwatchers, with egrets and herons along with a lot of other sea birds. There is also a lot of wildlife, including deer, alligators, and, most famously, loggerhead sea turtles. The sea turtles regularly nest on the island, with 2024 having almost 200 loggerhead turtle nests!
Visit the Iconic Lighthouse: The Hunting Island lighthouse is currently closed for repairs. However, the cylindrical scaffolding being used to repair the lighthouse is pretty interesting to look at.
Camping: There are several camp sites available to reserve through the SC State Parks website at Hunting Island, some of which are primitive (which is my personal preference). The Island has both tent camping and RV sites available, but they book up pretty far in advance, so make sure you plan.
Fishing Pier: The 950-foot pier is perfect for fishing or simply enjoying the ocean breeze. Hunting Island is part of the Tackle Loaner Program through the SC State Parks, so you can borrow a rod and reel to fish from the pier.
Playground: Near the lighthouse, where you will find a small snack shack and the bathrooms, there is also a pretty cute playground. It fits in great with the surrounding trees, and there is a good bit of seating for picnics in this area. This is closest to Parking Lot D.
Learn more about the 48 SC State Parks, and maybe even start your Ultimate Outsider adventure!
