Hunting Island State Park, 16 miles east of Beaufort, is South Carolina's most visited state park. It has three miles of clean, safe beach along the Atlantic Ocean, picnic tables and camp sites with an ocean view, plus an 1873 lighthouse that offers a bird's eye view of the pristine island and coastal waters that embrace it. The park in August 2008 hosted the 75th anniversary of the state park system.
There's more to the 5000-acre Hunting Island State Park than its magnificent beach. Hiking trails pierce the subtropical forest of palmettos, pine and moss-draped oak and may offer glimpses of the abundant bird and wildlife residents.
A pier offers a venue for fishing and crabbing and a spot to watch dolphins do their own fishing. An ambling marsh walk reveals secrets of the tidal marsh and presents an opportunity to watch millions of scurrying crabs. A large lagoon is a perfect staging area for launching kayaks. A Visitors Center and a Nature Center provide a wealth of information about the coastal ecology.
An annual South Carolina Park Passport lets you access this state park -- and dozens of other parks throughout the state -- for a modest annual fee. The phone number for Hunting Island State Park is 843-838-2011.
More details are available at the
website of the Friends of Hunting Island.
