Hiking in Hilton Head, SC

Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge is a never-crowded oasis between Hilton Head Island and Bluffton. With over 14 miles of hiking and bicycling trails, Pinckney is great for a quick outing or a full-blown day trip.

Jarvis Creek Park is 53 acre expanse of land with one main loop at approximately 1.1 miles long. This is the perfect spot to head out on your lunch break if you want to get a workout in, but you could just as easily spend all day here with friends or family.

The Audubon Newhall Preserve is a 50 acre nature preserve off of Palmetto Bay Road that is maintained by the Hilton Head Audubon Society. It has a series of interconnected trails that add up to about a mile total.

While most Fort Pulaski visitors are drawn to the main attraction (its namesake), if Civil War history isn't your thing, there are ample distractions in the form of hiking trails, marsh views, and abundant wildlife.

This is an amazing place to trail run and/or hike. Go here for an easy, flat run that will still provide all the benefits of running through the lowcountry: marsh views, sandy trails, shady lanes, and ocean breezes.

The preserve is home to two main trails: the blue arrow trail, approximately 1 mile long, and the Orange Arrow Trail, approximately 2 miles long. The entirety of the preserve is criss-crossed with service roads and trail tangents that lead to various destinations within the boundary of Sea Pines.

Burkes Beach is an islander’s favorite, being a good place to avoid the “packed sardine” feeling of more popular beaches like Coligny beach. It also plays host to “The Folly” where at high tide ocean water flows into a salt water marsh creating a temporary creek that is ripe for exploration.

Skidaway is a great place to set up camp and take advantage of the 6 miles of trails, including the interpretive center available within the park’s boundaries.