Hunting Island State Park

Hunting Island State Park occupies a 5,000-acre barrier island 16 miles east of Beaufort, South Carolina, accessible via the Sea Island Parkway (US-21) across a series of tidal creeks. The park is the most visited state park in South Carolina, yet its scale and natural character — undeveloped maritime forest, saltwater lagoon, and wide Atlantic beach — keep the experience remarkably natural compared to the commercial coastal resorts nearby. The park encompasses four distinct ecosystems: ocean beach, subtropical maritime forest, saltwater marsh and lagoon, and freshwater ponds. The 132-foot cast iron lighthouse, built in 1875 and the only historic lighthouse in South Carolina open for public climbing, stands near the island's northern end. The 167 interior steps ascend to a top gallery offering a 360-degree panorama across the Sea Islands, the Atlantic, and the tidal marshes inland. The lighthouse was moved 1.3 miles inland in 1889 after storm erosion threatened the original site — a relocation that was a significant engineering achievement of the era. A nature center covers sea turtle biology and nesting, with loggerhead turtles nesting on park beaches annually from May through August; ranger-led night walks during nesting season are a popular seasonal program. The park's campground — one of the largest in the South Carolina system — includes beachfront sites and operates year-round. The natural beach, with its weathered palmettos leaning over the surf and extensive driftwood deposits, has been used as a film location for period productions. Park access is by personal vehicle only; no public transit serves the island.