Hunting Island State Park Reviews

This use to be one of my favorite places to visit, not any longer. The condition of the parking lots and the roads were a shadow of their former selves. On our latest trip the parking lots were flooded felt like they were crumbling under the car. The roadways were more potholes than roads, better suited for my pick-up truck than the minivan. I undertstand that hurricane Matthew did a number to this park but it seems as nothing has been done to repair any of the park and that it is being left alone for nature to recaim it. I know longer want the park pass which I have gotten every year for the last five years.

we began w the lighthouse- make reservations and explore the interpretive grounds before entering if you're early. the views are great, the climb isn't too tough. there is one cabin right at the lighthouse but it books far out. then we took the road to get on the magnolia trail and went to the campground. cool campsites, camp store, beautiful beach. then we drove down the main road to the nature center (very cool- snakes, baby gators, fish, turtles), walked the pier, then took nature center scenic trail to breach trail and little hunting island loop trail. beautiful views from those trails of fripp. all around great day and everything is included in your park pass (otherwise $8pp to enter park and $2pp to visit lighthouse).

Hunting Island State Park has so many places to explore. My favorite is taking a walk down the boneyard beach with my husband. When the kids come, we go to the north beach to spend the day and bring a cooler for lunch. Every time I go I check out something new, like the pier, visitors center, and many trails throughout the park. We even found a geocache located there. Great place to visit May-October.

A wonderful park to visit and decompress. Come early or late to avoid crowds. Bring your camera. Stop at the visitor center.

Great beach access. It has beautiful palm trees which I could have gladly sat under all day. There's also a beautiful driftwood beach. I took a lot of pictures there. The lighthouse is cool but I couldn't make the trip up due to disability. There's also a little gift shop there. They have nice clean bathrooms and plenty of parking. We enjoyed our visits here very much.

Go to Hunting Island. Skip the trailer park and go to the Western end of the island where the pier is. Take the short walk to the beach and you will not regret it - the ghost trees are amazing. Worth the trip and not something you see anywhere else.

We had a great time exploring. No trip is complete without climbing the stairs to the top of the Lighthose!

What a treat. Beautiful uncrowded beaches in a jungle like setting. Beautiful lighthouse as well. Driving through the park I felt like I was in a forest. A must see when visiting Beaufort.

Unspoiled authentic park on the ocean. Beautiful beaches, hiking, biking, knowledgeable docents. Oceanfront camping. Shell collecting. Well worth the trip.

Huge beach! It just goes on and on. We loved walking the sand, splashing in the surf, birdwatching, and dolphin viewing there. We also enjoyed a picnic on the sand. It's a really nice, family friendly state park. Lots of good walking trails through lush coastal habitat. We also enjoyed the walk out on the boardwalk to view the marsh. The lighthouse is closed for renovation. When it reopens it will add to an already great place to visit. just a short drive form Beaufort. Well worth the trip and a picnic.

Anyone who doesn't believe in the devastation of climate change needs to come here. The effects of erosion are so clear and painful. It remains a unique jungle and lovely beach,much reduced in size...

A bunch of friends from Ohio have been camping here since 2013. We all love Hunting Island. Great campsites and close to the beach. I know this park has been hit had by hurricanes, but it really needs some attention to the roads and some stumps ground!!!

came in afternoon, since it was holiday weekend and heard the mornings would be busy; was able to get in easily and find parking. Beach was easily accessible and saw sheriff a few times patrolling. Lots of families having a good time. Could have spent full day exploring the various trails had we gone earlier.

Our first experience camping at a beach. We’re from the west so this was our first time in South Carolina. The campground is nice. Has lots of spots. The beach was beautiful and quiet at this time of the year. My dogs loved going for walks at the beach. We even took our bikes to ride down to the lighthouse. The weather was perfect!

Great place to get out and move - views are incredible! Plenty of parking and places for kids to climb and throw a ball. Really recommend stopping here for a picnic lunch.

My favorite thing here is the short distance from parking to beach. Very easy walk and there's bathrooms! It's never been crowded, but I do tend to go on weekdays. Just beautiful!

So much to see and do in a small area. Our favorite thing was the "boneyard" beach. The beauty of the ocean reclaiming land here is something you have to see. A nature center with a pier over the water. The marsh boardwalk with the birds, water animals,and tiny crabs everywhere. Lighthouse and giftshop by the beach. A visitor center with a resident alligator out front. Multiple beach accesses. This is a piece of paradise.

We visited here after attending the Marine Graduation and it did not disappoint. The beach was wide with very little people on it. Though the light house was closed we still had a fun time. Came upon it by accident and was very nice and clean. Lovely views.

I absolutely love this place! The beach is massive compared to the obx where i live. Great place to spend the day with kids or even just a beach day by yourself. This is my second year in a row coming here and its never a disappointment. Definitely recommend to anyone.

Easy for all...
Sureal scenery, even on a chilly day outside soaking in SC history terrain and wildlife
Even if it was warmer nice escape from typical beach and sun time

Such a beautiful park! We went in early May so it wasn't busy at all. Our dog absolutely loved playing in the ocean.

Stunning state park with a lovely camp store. We had a fantastic weekend tent camping and enjoying the beach and local attractions. We highly recommend bringing lots of bug spray due to tons of sand nats, mosquitos, ants, etc. definitely come prepared. Beach is absolutely gorgeous, we can’t wait to book a weekend later in the year.

We camped at Hunting Island Campground for two nights and it was just not enough. With the pandemic we were looking for a social distanced family trip and this was perfect! We camped in site #158 in a travel trailer and the site was private and level. We were just a few steps from the beach and we loved the bike trails. The beach is very dog friendly and we were table to take our dog with us everywhere on a leash. Yes in the Summer there are mosquitoes but hey, that’s the South. Everyone practiced social distancing and most of the time it felt like we had the entire beach to ourselves. We will definitely be back soon.

Took three grandchildren o the park. We were looking for something different for them. They Really enjoyed the Nature Center, the beach and Lighthouse climb. We spent three hours there and I never heard "I'm bored".

We have been here multiple times, both pre and post hurricanes. Each time driving through the park to the beach is like slipping into a Jurassic park movie. It is so raw and beautiful in the forest and then suddenly you are on this gorgeous beach. Not Miami Beach beach but a wide open plate of sand and surf and graveyard of tree skeletons making their last stand before the sea swallows them. So much to explore, so much to do, one trip is not enough, but if you’ve never been make sure you get there once before it is gone.

We just stayed at the park and were saddened with the lack of upkeep of the roads in the park and campground. The staff cottages looked dilapidated. Most important....the bath house near the handicap spaces were dirty, smelled terrible, and we didn’t see anyone cleaning them during our 5 day stay. The camp store closed for cleaning and monitored how many people entered and I greatly appreciated that.

This is a really nice beach and semi clean bathroom. First of all no zombies or knuckleheads on the beach.
There were some hotties.

Sad we use to love this place. We parked behind the store in the parking lot no one had anything to say. Then on the 4 day a rude woman checking the guest in said we can’t park there. I told her I am almost 8 months pregnant she said I see that but you have to walk from you camper can’t park there. There were no signs saying no parking or tent parking only. We got permission to park there from the store person. Didn’t no we had to ask them every day for permission. On our last day we get a violation for parking there. I only went to the beach to see my 6 year old playing in the sand and water. Braxton Hicks are not fun and walking was one thing that set my off, that is why my doctor told not to over exert myself. If there had been people tent camping I could under stand the no parking if that is really what they use that parking lot for. Sad to say we will not be going back to Hunting Island to camp anymore.

What a gorgeous park! My partner and I stayed Thursday through Saturday at a rustic tent site in mid September. I’ll start with my only negative- the women’s bathroom showers were so bad I don’t even know why they’re in there. Imagine a balloon full of water and popping three little holes through it for your shower. Yes, both women’s showers were this bad. I can’t imagine women, girls, and moms with small children trying to take a shower in there. My partner tells me the men’s showers were just great- I fully intend to come back to this park, but if the showers are the same I will have my partner sneak me in the men’s side or I’ll go down to the RV area. A couple other notes about the bathroom at the tent area: The toilets, sinks and floors were regularly cleaned, although right at 8 AM when I needed to use the restroom, however the windowsills and ledges were filthy. They really only need to clean this every few weeks and it would make a huge difference.
Now onto the rest of the park. What a little piece of heaven this park provides. Our tent sites were only steps from the ocean. The other SC state parks on the ocean (Edisto and Huntington) sort of gip the tent people, however, the location of these sites were fabulous. It’s hard to tell from the pictures, but the tent sites south of the bathroom are a little more shaded. And each of these sites has its own parking space with gravel. The sites near the check-in had to park across the road which wasn’t far, but less convenient. They also had less shade. The park ranger drove through regularly which I appreciated. The park was super clean. I saw the camp hosts picking up palm fronds regularly. The camp hosts at check were friendly and helpful. We rode our bikes through the RV section and they were really nice sites, many with privacy and lots of trees.
The main trail was closed so we rode our bikes on the highway over to the lighthouse area. Again just a neat park to wander through and ride your bike. Later we drove down to the nature center with our bikes. Make sure to take time to explore the beaches in each area of the park. The trees on the beach in the south end of the island were amazing and provide a different aspect to your typical beach trip. The lagoon was a cool area and apparently is where they shot Forrest Gump many years ago. While riding bikes on the lagoon trail, a deer nearly took me out, but what a cool experience. We regularly saw deer driving into the campground so please go slowly as there are no signs noting this. Unfortunately there was a deceased baby deer on the highway- I wish the state would slow the traffic down along there. We also saw an alligator near the highway in the marsh and lots of birds. Make sure you visit the nature center as they have baby alligators, turtles and other wildlife. You can also walk out on the boardwalk.
A note about Rocky the raccoon and his friends. These guys like to hunt during the day in addition to the night. In particular they are looking for donuts at 3 AM at our neighbors site, and our Pringles zipped up in our tent at three in the afternoon. Yes these little critters have learned how to open the tents so be sure you lock all of your food in your car.
Bring lots of bug spray and watch your step, because the ants don’t mess around.

We went here to look for sharks teeth. We found a good many in a short period of time. They have wide beaches and they were very clean

This is one of the most amazing state parks I have ever visited. Beautiful, clean beaches, gorgeous scenery, and lots of wildlife/birds. The lighthouse is also a great place to relax and enjoy the scenery. Don’t miss it!

My wife and I were visiting and this was supposed to be the best beach in the area so we went here. There was a line to get in on a Saturday but it moved pretty quickly. The beach was nice and there were a few signs about the park. I also visited the lighthouse which I will review separately. It is mostly a firm sand beach and there were many people enjoying themselves.

We visited rather late in the day and the lighthouse and facilities were closed. We walked the beach, saw the turtle nesting sites and enjoyed the quiet beauty of the lighthouse. It was perfect actually. We had it almost to ourselves, and though we didn’t get to go inside the facilities we enjoyed the grounds and the views. Beautiful

To have a beautiful undeveloped oceanfront park available to the public is just refreshing. Throw in the only lighthouse in South Carolina that you can climb only adds to the charm. It's a must see.

Hunting Island is always an adventure. I encourage you to get out there early to witness a sunrise at least once! The park opens at 6am, there are three main areas for parking and restrooms close to all of the lots (a little walk from the South Beach lot). Time your beachcombing walks with low tide. You may find sharks teeth, keyhole urchins or sandollars and moon snail shells. Watch for dolphins and terns! This dynamic beach has many obstacles including tree limbs which may be difficult for some to maneuver. Some sections have old infrastructure (concrete, long wires, rusty rebar) watch your step!

We camped at the state park for several days. Loved the campsite and the proximity to the beach. The beach is pristine. If you are going to hike around the state park away from the ocean bring bug spray.

This place is unlike any other! It's like you've been transported to a deserted island in the South Pacfic. Beautiful lighthouse and many picnic tables and shelters. There is also a state park that I hope to someday camp at. Breathtaking!

The trails here were lovely. I checked in out before leaving town to head back to Atlanta. It was a great way to spend a couple of hours. I found some of the trail signs and directions kinda confusing. But overall, it was a nice, clean and well cared for park.

Great camping with beach access just a short walk away. I could hear the ocean all night as I slept. The island provides a great quick retreat from the normal rigors of life

Just amazing. The most u pique beach I have ever been to. Entrance is like Jurassic park then it opens on to a beautiful wide beach. Lots of wildlife to see. Stunning!!

Absolutely love this place. It's like a whole other world when you pull in. We spent many mornings here and I would recommend others do the same.

Because of Covid, there were few people here as well as on the beach. Great trails in the area but bring bug repellent !!

Nice beaches, trails and amazing views from the lighthouse, well worth the climb! There are restrooms throughout and lots of parking tucked throughout.

We spent the day here and would go back again.
Welcome center has exquisite hand painted murals that are a treasure.
Enjoyed an awesome, long walk on the beach with a peaceful and quiet setting.
Not a busy beach so a nice pleasure for us.

We stopped in to the lighthouse area to meet great docents, Mark and Sharon who were a wealth of knowledge about the history of the structure and its ancestry. Also well informed about lighthouses in general and history.
Wonderful folks!
We thought an $8/pp entry fee is a small investment to support a special place.

We camped in site 130 which is a pull-thru, large enough for our class A motorhome and car we were towing, campground roads are rough and narrow, two dump stations fairly clean. Just 20 minutes to Beaufort and the area restaurants and shops. Overall the campground is great and very close to the beach. The beach was wonderful, clean, and well managed, very few people out this time of year. Wifi is a nice bonus for the campground and was good enough to watch YouTube TV and do some surfing. The Camp store is well stocked with goodies, information, and souvenirs. staff at the park are very friendly and are quick to give you whatever information, or help you need.

This is one of my wife's favorite places. She has not been here since the hurricane. It was a rainy day so not a beach day. It is still showing a lot of damage. Maybe next time.

Daytrip mid-week late March meant few visitors despite glorious weather. Lighthouse was closed. Only saw a handful of others as we parked in the beach lots mid-island, walked several miles of beach (do NOT miss the "boneyard" of eroded trees about 15-min walk south of those parking areas), then hiked miles of inland trails. Rattlesnake trail, although closest to the road, had the most interesting vegetation and was the only rolling (up and down) walking we found in several days of low country travel. The marsh trail across the road, which can be accessed from Rattlesnake trail or has its own parking lot, is wonderful, although it's a shame there are only benches at the mid-point and not at the endpoint. Would have returned the next day if not for rain.

This truly is one of a kind state park and I highly recommend going. My husband and I spent several hours here on a beautiful sunny day in April. We did about a 5 to 6 mile hike, went through lots of lush forest ended up on the beach and then walked through the graveyard of the trees which was amazing. There’s a ton to see and you can plan it so you hit some of their information areas and bathrooms. Just make sure to bring water.

We stayed a week in site 106. The mosquitos were terrible and would swarm you when you walked out of the camper but we found yard fogger would keep them at Bay. After fogging the site it was very pleasant to sit out and enjoy the evening. That being said, the beach is awesome, the palm trees surrounding the beach are beautiful. The bathrooms are clean and probably the best I've seen in any camp ground. The staff was friendly and seemed to enjoy answering our questions. The thing that really made the trip was the deer that wander through the camp ground. If you have something in your hand that they like they will come right up to you, (they like tostitos) I actually was able to pet them. Awesome place. I can't recommend high enough.

We were tired of Northern Illinois snow, ice and cold! Drove to South Carolina to see the ocean and soak up the sun. We camped at KOA close by and drove with our 2 medium to large dogs to this dog friendly park and beach. Enjoyed weather in the 70s. We also walked a few trails and came upon the “boneyard” on another beach. Something that has to be experienced. Park was beautiful and the tropical flora phenomenal. Roads are tricky though due to recent hurricane damage so drive slowly and enjoy the view.

Very beautiful. If you intend to tour the lighthouse, reservations are now required. The beaches are beautiful and staff is helpful.

Easy drive from downtown Beaufort. Got lucky with an annual pass from our innkeeper.
This beach was soft and uncrowded on a Friday morning. Had a pleasant walk. Mature pine and palmetto forest close to the shore which I'd never seen. Didn't even consider the lighthouse because of the heat. Prefer bigger waves but perhaps it was low tide.

I take my family camping every year and it is simply my favorite place to go rest and relax. It truly can't be beat.

This was a wonderful day trip from Hilton Head. One hour drive to an amazing beach with hardly anyone there. Shelling is great as the tide was out and just starting to come back in. The lighthouse is gorgeous and the scenery other worldly. Talked to a few folks who were camping in the park and they loved it, have to get reservations early if you plan to stay is what they told us. Close enough to Beaufort to have dinner in town.

This park was boring at best. The brochure says there is a discounted admission for seniors, but the rude old woman at the ticket counter said the discount only applied to locals - though the advertisement says otherwise. Once you get to the park, there is basically nothing to do but walk on the very flat and uninteresting beach. If you have been to the west coast you will find the east coast beaches are very flat and boring.

Unbelievable destruction of beautiful natural beachfront! We have been going to Hunting Island for years and was shocked to see the ‘improvements’ made during winter. This was such a unique beach with palm trees scattered on the shore creating a beautiful tropical landscape not found in any other beaches in SC or NC. The park management has literally destroyed this natural beauty stripping away a huge portion of the trees leaving a bare empty beach like all other beaches everywhere else. I feel this was a huge mistake and at least a debate or vote should have been held beforehand. It is us the taxpayers who have funded this, the admission inside the park has gone from $5 to $8 and the beach is nothing like it used to be. So sad! You can see the difference in the older pictures I took in the past years where the trees used to be , now it is a plain stripped beach with few trees near the parking lots.

You must climb the light house to the top and enjoy the fantastic views, then walk the expansive beach.

We had no real expectations except that it would be fairly remote and rustic. It’s definitely that!! Unfortunately we were there during a cold snap and our weather was cold, rainy, overcast and windy. We didn’t want to leave the camper! We did hike up the beach to tour the lighthouse but that was it. Not a lot of things to do here. The many hurricanes have taken a toll on the area and it’s evident all around. The site we camped in was ok. Pull through with water and electricity. Glad we came but not a lot to come back for.

Nice park. It was a bit overpriced IMO ($20 for 2 adults and a child) but as our only outing for the week we went with it. It had just re-opened the week we went in late July, but it looked like there was still a fair amount of flooding that day so definitely call or check in advance before driving out there.

The beach looked nice and wasn't too crowded, though we weren't there for that. The walking paths would have been nice but most were closed due to the flooding. We did get to go to the top of the lighthouse and enjoyed that. They are operating under a reservation system for the lighthouse; no more than 6 people per 45 minute appointment due to Covid and masks "required" - I use air quotes because while policy said they were required staff told us they didn't care whether we wore them or not. That didn't exactly make me feel good about the experience since quarters were tight but fortunately we were the only people in the lighthouse during our shift so it was less of an issue. The view at the top was great, my 7yo asked if we could return the next day he liked it so much.

All in all I'd have probably given a higher rating if the park was fully open and we weren't in a pandemic. As it was I felt like the cost was high with most things closed and I wasn't a fan of their mask stance and lack of distancing from other visitors.

It’s located 1.5 hours from Charleston. We wanted to visit the Lighthouse but it was fully booked.

Admission is $8/adult, and the lady attendant was very friendly.

Nice beachfront to walk around. The facilities were well-maintained.

This was our first trip to Beaufort, SC. We kayaked this morning and ate a bite of lunch, deciding to go to the State Park and explore for the afternoon. We were not disappointed! What a nice place to visit for an afternoon! We stopped by the visitor center before heading to the beach, which was so lovely with the palm trees along the shore. Then went to the lighthouse and after that, back to the highway for a brief hike on the Marsh Boardwalk Trail. Very well done.

The drive into the park is just as cool as the park itself. The lady behind the counter in the ranger station was very nice and informative. The swim beach is awesome, just get there before noon or you’ll have a hard time finding parking. We were there by 9am and when we left after 1pm it was packed. The sand is super fine and soft. The lighthouse is closed but you walk around the grounds. There is a gift shop next to it. There were dolphins swimming around the fishing pier.

My husband and I went here one afternoon in March with our dog. The cost was $8 per person, and you just leave the money in an envelope and place it in the box. There were restrooms near the parking lot in the Nature Center. We walked the Nature Scenic trail, which led to the beach. Most of the path was gravel, and there was a wooden bridge to walk over. The beach was beautiful! It was misting and overcast that day and the no-see-ums were terrible.

We wanted to see an Alligator in their natural habitat, there is one by the visitor center and she was eating. The lighthouse was beautiful as was the beaches. I also loved the winding road in amongst the native trees. Down at the nature center I got pictures of a painted bunting and several egrets. We also took the marsh walk which was pretty.

We were not sure if Beaufort had beaches. We found the braces on Huntington Island were excellent.
You can walk up to the light house as well as shop in the gift shop.

We visit Hunting Island every year. They have great camping spots close to the beach although you do need to reserve as early as possible to get a close spot. The beach is clean and not crowded usually. You do have to pay a fee to get in the park but a yearly park pass is the best option in my opinion... they’re $75. I highly recommend Hunting Island especially if you have young children and teenagers as well. They have bathroom areas with showers outside those areas. I do recommend to have bug spray. Mosquitoes are terrible.

Nice location, wide beach and great hiking trails in the park. Restrooms need a little updating.bugs can be bad if no wind.
Overall rate great.

Very nice place to stop for a few hours. It feels like you are on a different plane here. Very rustic, and lots of native plants and trees. The beach was nice. They are trying to restore it now to keep it's natural beauty. A plus is the lighthouse which is located in the park. Don' t miss it.

The campground was great & I will be back. Next time I will stay the full 14 days. Also next time it will be in the summer..

The day we visited it was rainy but we did get to go out on the beach and drive around. Would have liked to spend more time here. Lots to do and it is a beautiful state park.

This review is for the Coastal Expeditions dolphin cruise that runs out of Hunting Island State Park. If you are visiting the park this cruise is a can’t-miss activity. During the 2 hour tour we saw dozens of dolphins hunting and playing directly beside and underneath the boat! The boat captain is very knowledgeable about the area and wildlife as well.

Be aware that masking was not strictly enforced on board the boat. However, most passengers stayed masked voluntarily throughout, and they are running the boats at a lower capacity so you can keep a distance from the unmasked people well enough.

Enjoyed a kayak trip around the area and exploring the washed up driftwood, aka "boneyard" as well as Forrest Gump lore.

Such a nice state park to get away from it all. No hotels and houses built up on its shores. The lighthouse great photo op. We had our bikes and started out around the lighthouse, but the State Park map is in dire need of an upgrade. A ranger finally stopped as she was driving by and saw us looking at the map. Once we reached parking lot “J” we had a very nice ride to Little Island Loop trail. Because of the recent tropical storm there were a lot of areas that had serious flooding, Lagoon Trail was one. We turned around and took the Maritime Trail which was so much better. Trail markers also need to be replaced as they are faded and hard to read. It was so nice and can’t wait to come here again.

Hunting Island State Park is a must visit site if you are in Beaufort. It is beautiful entering the park; the nature center is informative and the camping area is nice. Climb the lighthouse stairs for a beautiful view.

This park is totally different from any other park in SC. It is located on a barrier island and has an 1859 lighthouse. The forest is filled with beautiful oaks, very tall pine trees, and a variety of palms. The beach behind the lighthouse was so cool...we found five sand dollars in 30 minutes. We also walked the beautiful trail to the driftwood beach....should be driftwood trees...like a forest of dead tree swept ashore by the ocean. We also enjoyed the nature center and the cool marsh walk. This park is a must see for all park lovers.

The park has many interesting sights: the lighthouse open to the top, the marsh boardwalk, and the boneyard which you may have to ask about at the park office. The visitor center has several very informative videos about the island and the whole area. Overall, a very friendly and interesting state park.

Love the beach. Love the lighthouse. Don't love that there's no senior discount for out of staters. We visit every year while visiting family.

I love visiting this place. The park is clean and kept up and has plenty of picnic tables to eat. You can walk and view the lighthouse or walk the beach. Plenty of places to social distance and enjoy the outdoors. Such a beautiful park!

We had a fantastic afternoon at the beach here! We parked by the lighthouse and walked over to the sand. Lovely area! We were greeted by many dolphins! The bugs (mosquitoes or noseeums) were so bad in October-ate us up!
I only wish we had had time to explore the state park more!

Spent a lovely morning here walking the wide beach. Gentle waves, lots of small seashells. Spotted a large bald eagle perched in a tree overlooking the beach.

We set our for a drive to tour the area and small islands around Beaufort and headed towards HISP. We were turned around three different times for failure to have an access pass or needing to pay an access fee. I guess you must pay the price just to explore and enjoy your surrounding around here. A disappointment.

What a wonderful place! So happy we discovered it and decided to go there. It is not your typical beach umbrella, sandcastle busy beach, but rather a lovely pretty much untouched natural place. There are trees that came down in some storm years past and views that are untouched by beach blankets and umbrellas. We walked and walked not realizing how far we'd gone, looking for shells (not too many), watching the waves and listening to the sound of the ocean meeting the beach. Just a lovely place.

This stunning park has endured much over the years - we camped here in 2019 and while there were less campsites, still many downed trees from the fierce hurricanes, this place is not to be missed. The beaches hold a beautiful, eerie charm, the thick of the greenery makes you feel like you are in the jungle, and the historic lighthouse is a blast to hike up to. We've been here a couple times and can't wait until our next trip!

The best beach to visit in South Carolina...Lots of woods, a long winding road, and then you arrive to see the Beautiful Atlantic Ocean...
Sooo peaceful..While you are there, take a trip over to the Light House...

Pros- went two days in a row, beautiful views amazing nature trails and lots of wildlife!!! Be careful of the turtle nesting sites!! Lots of beautiful shells not too crowded.
Cons- went two days first day we were in ocean maybe 30 mins and my 10 yr old standing beside me starts yelling then i yell. We were both hit by a jellyfish. Lifeguard had sprayed us with vinegar and told us to go back to hotel and take hot shower. Next day we go back and husband and other son get in water while me and 10 yr old look for shells and crabs. 20 mins later my husband yells and he got stung. Will go back but not in the water.

This is one of the best kept parks I've been to. The beach and lighthouse are an amazing feature. Definitely pay the 2 bucks to climb the steps. The front gate staff were very rude though even laughing in our faces for using a pass the hotel gave us to use. Could have went about the situation more in a professional manner. Happily pay for the park but not for those at the gate. Very rude. That was nearly enough to stop us from wanting to visit the park. Very disgusting ladies.

My husband and I spent one whole day at Hunting Island State Park. We have camped here several times before but this time stayed in Beaufort because the campground was full. We brought our bikes and were able to easily tour the whole island. We parked in the large parking lot near the primitive group camp sites where there are public restrooms and easy beach access. We biked on the beach to the south end of the island, in and out of the fallen trees, tide pools, and lagoon areas. There were hunting Osprey everywhere and plenty of wildlife in the tide pools. To say that it is breathtakingly beautiful is such an understatement. We picked up the bike trail at the south end of the beach and followed it over a small bridge to the pier, which is still under construction. However there is a visitor center here and restrooms. We then took the Lagoon Trail (amazing!) back north to the lighthouse area, and then biked north on the beach to the campground, and then past the campground all the way to the very northern tip of the island that is largely uninhabited. Finally we took the Maritime Forest Trail (awesome!) back to the car. So.... very long story short, bikes allow you to see every aspect of the island in a single day: the beach, the lagoon, and the forest. Hunting Island is one of my very favorite places on Earth. It should be a National Park.

Love this place, it’s a hidden gem for sure! Be sure and go and walk this beach and see what nature has to offer! You won’t be didappointed!

They charge $8 per person to get in! Most places charge by the car. It really felt overpriced when they said half the place was closed after I just paid full price. Lighthouse was closed as well as one side of the beach, if it's beyond their control, I get it, but don't you think the price should be lowered if you are not getting everything? That would be like Disney charging full price and saying 60% of the rides are closed. Beach was beautiful, but there are many free beach access points in the area and this place was very crowded, probably wouldn't have seemed so bad if the other half was open. Not many shark teeth there either, we found 3 small ones.

This is truly an amazing place with something for everyone. From beaches, camping, the lighthouse, walking trails to fishing its truly a treasure. A must do on a trip to the area.

The place itself appeared to be just as expected a
Secluded State Park. The issue unfortunately for us was that after driving 5 hours the incompetent rude staff screwed our reservation that was made close to 6 months before our arrival. They booked us into a 20’ spot as opposed to the 35’ spot we originally booked. After confronting the extreme rudeness from the “so called” manager we were told, “ it is what it is and we can’t build you a campsite”! The audacity of this women was so not what we expected from a State Park! We contacted the main division of SC State Parks and filed a complaint on which we will definitely be following up with. We had other campers come to us while we were preparing for a long ride back home telling us they could not believe the nonsense and vulgar rudeness of her!! YOU DO NOT MAKE A BAD SITUATION WORSE especially if you are in customer service!!!! Do NOT trust this place and if you do follow up before you arrive to make sure this doesn’t happen to you!!!

This is a pretty and fun place to go to. There are lots of birds to see, a big beach on a big water area. Also a really nice giant light site spot there. It has some places to camp in.

It offers a gorgeous beach. You should also visit the small visitor center which provides information about animals and overlooks a pond with turtles and at least one alligator!

The State park was very nice. The beach was clean. And beautiful. There is a charge to get into the State Park. It was a little pricey. The admission sign says seniors get a specified rate. What it doesn’t say is that does not apply to visitors, only locals. That was somewhat misleading and disappointing.
The light house is by appointment only, so if you are on a schedule you are out of luck. We drove 4 hours and could not get in. It was a beautiful beach to visit.

Quieter beach with less crowds than you get at more touristy beach locations. On the way to Fripp Island.

Hunting Island State Park offers much more than just the beach. I used the beach for a run early before folks started arriving. It was incredible. It was almost deserted and with a cool breeze to counter July heat. I parked at the light house and ran south which means I was at the north beach. My teenage granddaughter and her friend went to the south beach which was much less crowded when folks arrived for the afternoon. They swam and body surfed and generally loved it. After my run I went up in the light house which I highly recommend. The view at the top is worth every one of the 167 steps. I was lucky and didn't have to wait too long to go up. After the light house I drove to the south end of the island, visited the nature center, hiked over to the beach, and also walked out the Salt March Boardwalk trail. If time had permitted I would have hiked some of the longer trails. The folks in the nature center were helpful and friendly. The only mistake I made was not to take mosquito repellent. You don't need it on the beach but if you are going to hike in the maritime forest you will be glad to have some along.

This is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon. Great nature walks and large beach areas to spend time!

Great walking beach with a lighthouse nearby. $5 to enter the beach park. Found some sand dollars and neat shells.

We love this state park. Because we have the yearly park pass, we get in for free. Go early on a weekend, or you may be stuck in a line along the road, waiting to get in. They only let a certain number of cars in. They did a great job refurbishing the beach after the hurricane a few years ago. They built up the dunes, so now there isn’t any shade on the beach. You may want to bring your own umbrella or shade screen. The lighthouse is currently closed for renovations.

Beautiful state park! Was in Beaufort for 2 days on a road trip, planned to visit here and so happy we did. Clean, nice amenities and great parking. Well kept park.

We chose the park because of its proximity to Beaufort, and conveniences to grocery stores, and plenty of great restaurants. No disappoint! Wide variety of seafood available
Friendly and courteous park staff, well maintained sites, and plenty of room to walk dogs.

Neat old town. Festival going on while there and had a variety of entertainment.
Been there, doubtful we would go again.

Hunting Island State Park provides an abundance of family friendly opportunities and activities to enjoy. The beach is clean and not overly crowded. There's a campsite for those interested. A beautiful lighthouse is located onsite and provides a georgeous picture backdrop. There are sea turtle nests and plenty of other sealife to encounter. This is a bucket list beach for certain!

Went with my mom to Beaufort to the Gullah Festival. We ate seafood, shopped, went to the beach. Ate at Bull River Tavern and Seafood at Dockside on Ladys Island. Such a fun Memorial Day!

Everything was great camping, park, ocean. Visited for 4 days from Wisconsin and would go back in a heartbeat!

Very interesting information about how a lighthouse is maintained. The ruins of the last got keepers house is still there. The park itself is so neat to drive through. A must see if you are in the area.

Very nice place to visit would definitely go back it was a very nice beach just watch for stumps when high tide comes in

As a visitor, we were blown away by the Hunting Island State Park. Erosion and hurricanes have pushed the shoreline back which is detrimental to the poor trees lining the beach. You park at the visitors center, take the path between two white buildings and walk a half a mile then over a bridge to find the beach. (The beach is not specifically marked.) I can’t say this enough - TAKE BUG SPRAY. There are several walking paths but the bugs are so aggressive that we hightailed it out of there to get bug spray. I’m not a big fan of bug spray but you probably won’t make it to the beach without it. Thank goodness bug spray is sold in the visitors center.

At the last moment, decided to try to make it to the beach to watch the May 26 full moon rise over the Atlantic! It was the "Flower" full moon, which also happened to be a supermoon this year. Got to the state park to find that it closes at 9 p.m. (moonrise was at 8:56, so that wouldn't work!) Made our way back up the highway for a mile, to the state part campground. We were out on the beach by 8:40, and were treated to the indredible spectacle of the full moon rising over the Atlantic! Worth every bit of effrort!

We have been going to Hunting Island for many years. We went yesterday and saw its unique North Beach boneyard destroyed. Hundreds of years of natural beauty bulldozed and replaced with grainy sand desert with an ocean half a mile away. We cried and left it quickly. WE WILL NEVER COME BACK. This is a criminal devastation, a cruel wreckage of natural landscape, done at taxpayers' money without their consultation or any debate.

Loved this park. It is very pristine and natural. Driftwood on the north beach and palm trees on the south beach. Very nice

First of all, everyone from the entrance to the gift shop was very nice. The beach was beautiful and clean. Shelling was okay, a little better at south beach. The roads are a little rough but not unsafe if you drive carefully. We enjoyed this park and the lighthouse was beautiful too.

Lots to do at this park - nice beaches and hiking trails. Very pretty lighthouse. But be prepared for confusing roads and ridiculous trail maps. Some of the trails are inaccurately marked, some not marked at all. Someone decided to allocate a color to the trails on the map, but nowhere else.

Lighthouse was not open when we were there (It opens at 10:00 am). Nice hiking trails if you are into that. Peaceful beach and an area with old driftwood trees. Would recommend.

This was my first time at this state park. The large quiet beach will bring me back year and year (near by now and going again) to visit the light house and hand out on the beach with my grand children.

Worth the visit! We were In town for my sons graduation from Marine Corps boot camp but we’re able to made time to go here 3 of the 4 days we weee in town

Great state park that really shines in the SC park system. Great visitor center hiking, beach walking and great parking. Pay the few and enjoy.

We camped here for 5 nights starting April 1st and really enjoyed it. The beach is an easy walk from the campground and there are beautiful views. At low tide the surf recedes so far you can easily bike from one end of the island to the other. They have some trails thru the woods but unless you want a rough mountain bike experience don’t try them on a bike.

There are swampy areas between the 2nd and 3rd camping rows so during the hotter months you would need to prepare for misquotes. We were warned to expect raccoons but never saw any. They are probably on the last camping row that backs up to woods.

They need to improve how they clean the bathrooms. When they clean them they must hose them down because everything is then wet for most of the day, floors, walls, fixtures, etc. People then walk in from the dirt path outside and the bathroom floors are covered with mud. Seriously, this isn’t rocket science, they could do better

Visited hunting Island nature center and lighthouse and Driftwood Beach today. It was a pretty windy and blustery day but I must say everything we did was enjoyable. The beaches are firm enough to walk on or run on and beautiful, you can tell that the hurricanes took their toll on the trees along the beach but they’re still gorgeous.

Driftwood Beach was an amazing place to visit, I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. The trees sort of making their way into the ocean as they decay and die makes it look like planet of the apes movie when the world has come to an end. It is definitely worth the half mile or so walk to see that beach.

The lighthouse was beautiful I did not go up it but the area is very nice and well-kept. I wish the weather were better on my vacation but even though it was 40° and 50° with winds upwards of 20 miles an hour we still enjoyed ourselves.

You could tell that the Park was hit pretty bad when hurricanes came through
A couple years ago. But they have cleaned up nicely. The roads took a big hit during these hurricanes- so drive slowly! Pricing was eight dollars per person to get in - which I thought was a little high but definitely worth it. Wildlife was a little scarce because of the temperatures but the nature center was amazing! They had a very good sense of humor when naming their reptiles and animals that they have there including Bonnie and Clyde alligators and some really cute names, I appreciated the effort.

What a great State Park! Did not disappoint!

Park was closed for the entire week we were in town. When it finally reopened on our last day, it was only a partial reopening.
Their “fishing pier” isn’t actually for fishing. And the people in the nature center were incredibly rude, on their phones/ computers and completely ignored us the entire time we were there. It was a 40 min drive to get there and we were completely let down. Waste of time.

I’ve been on many day trips here. But this weekend I camped here for the first time. Great place. Ive heard many people say that it’s not as nice as prior to the hurricane. I can’t imagine that because it’s a great campground. Steps away from beach and wonderful trails

This place is beautiful! The beaches where the ocean is taking over the island, lots of seashells, the lighthouse, and there’s something new to see or explore with the ever changing coastline. Love to visit this place.

Just go...one of the highlights of our two week trip through the South...beauftiful beaches and drives

Great beach, clean. Ample parking. Bathrooms with showers. Handicap accessible really nice if you park near the lighthouse, cement sidewalk makes getting to the beach easier. If you go to the campground area you can use the beach wheelchair and it’s terrific made the beach easier for my daughter.

We were in Beaufort for a few days and decided to take a ride to Hunting Island State Park to see the beach and dip our feet in the ocean (and see what our dog thought of the water!). Although he wasn't a fan, the beach was wide, the water was beautiful and we will be back!

The beauty of this place is just stunning. The beach is so beautiful. The drive through the swamp and trees is magnificent.

Not a camper? Doesn't matter! If you're already in the area, just take a day or even a half day to see it. Just the drive into the park is beautiful. An $8/pp entrance fee ($1 off for SC resident seniors) is a small price to pay for such pristine beauty. Follow the road through the beautiful forest of palmetto trees and low country shrubs. The road leads to the light house (I'll admit I'm a sucker for lighthouses), and just a short walk to a pristine beach on St. Helena Sound. A must do if you're i the Beaufort, SC area.

We visited the park to take our grandson to the beach there-it’s a pretty ride thru the park - the beach was nice and we enjoyed seeing the lighthouse there-we wanted to climb to the top of it but found out upon entering the park that you had to have reservations for that and they were full- so be sure to make reservations if you want to experience the lighthouse

We stayed at the Beaufort Inn and they gave us a day pass to visit the Hunting Island State Park. After the last hurricane devastated the island and beach last year, the State poured some resources into the island. Wow, the beach was cleaned up and renourished. It looked great with plenty of space for everyone. New restrooms and changing areas. Very pleasantly surprised on how nice the State Park was kept.

Boneyard beach is truly unique. You have to go to the nature center entrance (right before the Fripp Island bridge) and take the 0.7 mile trail to the Bone yard beach. We didn’t know that and went to the wrong entrance. It’s so worth the effort. We saw a dolphin close to the shore, a horseshoe crab, tons of birds and cool shells. The driftwood on the beach is really interesting. There were probably 12 other people there when we were there. Very uncrowded, but it was Tuesday. Truly a hidden gem.

Some of the park in the lighthouse, Ron and Repair we were able to walk around outside. Not really crowded at all this time of year. It was a good little day trip.

Surprisingly great location. We were recommended this place and saw it mentioned in Condé Nast Traveler and I must say no exaggeration, this is a Great Beach

miles of beautiful sandy beaches. A cool light house and museum and a pretty drive through the foliage.

Several parking lots, each one giving a different area of the beach. We went further along and parked near the lighthouse. Pretty beach, also a 'tree graveyard'. Lots of trees washed up on a section of the beach, seemingly for years, with barnacles and giving a very wild looking atmosphere. It was fun to walk around them, but be careful because I did scratch my leg by not paying attention. We got lots of shells and saw lots of birds. A cute little giftshop also. There is a small nature center, and trails.

The road once in park is quite rough and water covered some portions that hid potholes. Many parking locations so just followed the cars and it worked out as it seems many beach access points. Luckily there was a bathroom building nearby as well as outside rinse off showers and changing rooms. It did not appear crowded because there was alot of beachfront. When we left about 12:30 there was a line of cars waiting to enter as the maximum capacity had been reached.

Beautiful park with a campground in the middle of a densely wooded area. This is a great place to hike, bike and swim. Beautiful beach access. Long gradual sloping beaches that makes for great swimming. Beaches were uncrowded and we parked our 24 foot RV literally 100 feet from the water. Lighthouse history is interesting but not the main attraction. This area is off the beaten path and well worth the detour.

We were staying in Beaufort and wanted a swim. Hunting island has a large beach. Part has lifeguards but you can take a short walk and considerably reduce the people.

One sunny day during our stay in Beaufort, we drove out to the Park, eager to compare it to the Bay areas. Situated on the Atlantic shore, the area boasts vegetation unique to its location.
We had a quiet walk on the beach, a fun conversation with a volunteer guide at the lighthouse and found the camper store filled with items that made it a one-stop shop for souvenirs and other miscellaneous items.
As a bonus, the trip out gave us an opportunity to drive through several island communities that we also found interesting.
Very worthwhile.

Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful! The beach is pristine! Parking is great, but I'd come early. If you want to see the lighthouse, it's easy to do, but if you want to walk up into the lighthouse, come early and reserve your spot for the next day at the visitor's center or at the lighthouse itself for the same day.

Cost is $8 per person to enter the park. It's like going back in time, I think...so lush! Restrooms everywhere! It's really set up for a great family day! I would come again and again!

This place has it all - pristine beaches, a beautiful lighthouse, miles of trails, next to beach camping, and even a nature center. Whether you want to search for sharks teeth, get a photo of your kids smile at the top of the lighthouse, or perhaps the smile of a local alligator - this place has everything. Highly recommend you check it out!

We visited Hilton Head and nearby beaches. A friend said to be sure to come here—and so glad we did! The island is incredible. Very jungle-like. We didn’t have time to walk the trails or visit the lighthouse, but I’m sure they wouldn’t disappoint. And the beach, which was pretty secluded, was filled with fascinating ecosystems. Unlike anyplace we’ve been. Our favorite beach experience in South Carolina!

Although the Lighthouse is closed for repairs, the grounds around it are open and there is plenty to learn and explore. The ligthouse has been closed for quite a while I hope it is open by the time we visit again next year. Getting great pictures of the lighthouse is easy.
The park itself has plenty of beach access and even the hidden gem of Bone Beach that is longer than Jekyll Island's driftwood beach, and just as fabulous. Don't forget the bug spray especially at low tide on the easy walk out, which is also the best time to visit this beach.
There are two entrances to this park the main one you will see as you travel toward Fripp Island and another closer to the bridge going onto Fripp Island. You do not need to pay entry at both just display your receipt on your dash.

Always nice to visit. There is a SC senior discount on the day pass, lots of parking and beautiful beaches. Be aware though, that if you plan on a visit after a significant rain, they may have some access closed as the roads can get flooded and the park is well practiced at pumping some of the high water areas to get things back to normal. Aside from the beach the forest is natural and short walks along the roads will allow you to see some incredible native wood life. A treasure.

Spent an afternoon here as a day out from Beaufort. 16 miles south in a nice drive. The beaches are packed sand, appeared to be easy surf and the parking provides easy access to the beach. Both North and South beaches have excellent toilets. North Beach has a lighthouse and gift shop, so there’s a bit more to do there. It was nice to see beach wheelchairs with big tires, free to those who have mobility issues.

Hunting Island is remote and beautiful. Driving in made me think I had found Gilligan’s Island. And then you see the beach - flat, white, clean and uncrowned.

The park has a huge beach, allows dogs, and is very unspoiled. The lack of crowds was a real surprise. The lighthouse is definitely worth the $ and the walk up the stairs.

A beautiful place with many trails and a fantastic beach. The sand is hard and goes on for miles making for a great walk as well as the trails

Last time we visited, the roads in the park were in bad shape. Today's visit had them all reconstructed. Thanks scdnr.

Exceeded expectations. Wonderful little beach. Easy parking very close to the water. There are lots of small shells on this beach - you could spend hours searching for little gems.

We drove down because my wife really wanted to see the lighthouse. It was late in the day, but we decided to drive the 30 minutes anyway. We arrived about an hour before closing and found that it would be 8 dollars a person plus 5 for my senior citizen mother. Upon getting ready to pay We were told no my mother would be 8 dollars as well since she wasn't a resident of South Carolina. 24 dollars to simply take some pictures and leave. Well we left with no pictures and our 24 still in our pockets. Very disappointing.

I came to this park to see the lighthouse. I am glad I did. It is so beautiful. I also took some time to walk the beach. It is worth checking out once. Nice area around the lighthouse to check out and, of course, the beach! Enjoy!

This park is beautiful and isolated. The beaches are wild and unspoiled. You can find lots of sea shells, there's no one around to pick them up.

Gorgeous beaches, a lighthouse to explore, a nature center and great campsites...what more could you ask for? Definitely worth a trip!! Come early on weekends or during the week as traffic getting in the park gets really bad starting at 10–11 and you could wait 30min or more to get in and park. Don’t just go to the lighthouse area...keep going down to the nature center and walk the trail to the driftwood beach....one of the most beautiful and peaceful places in the low fountry.

The beach at Huntjng Island is the most beautiful beach in the east coast. 4 miles of sand and never too many people. The camp ground is still under renovation after Mathew. The camp sites have water and electric but no sewer. It is about 26 Mike's south of Beaufort, SC on route 21. You have to like a more primitive experience and if you do, this is the place. You need to make reservations 13 months in advance. There is a camp store with some provisions, but Walmart and Publix are 12 miles north on 21. Remember to bring insect repellent and plenty of sun screen.

Beaches were pretty except for jelly fish. No seeum bugs were bad in wooded area of campground. Campsite 122 was flooded after rain. Bathrooms not close to campsite.

Well worth the trek from Beaufort. We were on Hunting Island on a beautiful Winter day. Clear, sunny and only a few other people. Loved the maritime forest and the beach. Beautiful place.

We enjoyed this uncrowded and beautiful beach. It also had a bathroom/ changing area that was clean.

This place is amazing! Breath taking!!! Clean!! Beautiful, fun, Wow The boneyard beach blew us away!!! So thankful for all the diverse and fun things to do at this park. The Nature Center is top notch.

Very nice and seems more natural with the trees near the water. Bathrooms and changing stations were available. Lighthouse was also neat. $5 entry per adult. Will return.

Love this place, the beaches are wide and empty. You can ride bikes on the beach or thru the park. Nature at its best. I really enjoy the driftwood trees on the beach near the visitor center

The foliage in this beautiful state park is amazing. We walked out onto the dock and saw a fisherman catch a stingray! We saw an alligator in the pond by the Visitor's Center, strolled onto the beach and captured a picture of the lighthouse.

Beautiful park - make sure you go to the south end of the beach where the driftwood is. It's gorgeous. The park is a bit hard to navigate - at one point we exited the park by mistake and had to go back in! The lighthouse is worthwhile for the view. The beaches were very clean.

Expansive beach with beautiful sand and clean water. The drive in to the beach is magical. There are also bathrooms and showers.

What a wonderful state park. The beach is just beautiful. We felt like we were on a topical island. We loved the large white sand beach and no homes in site. We walked 2.5 miles one way than back. It was the day before the tropical storm Elsa but yet it was just so beautiful and worth visiting. We can't wait to return and spend the day on the beach with our family in August. Was a little surprised that is cost $8 a person and not $8 a car, but it was worth it for a day. A little pricey if you live there and would want to go regularly.

This state park is a must see if you love the ocean. Clean, unspoiled beauty. 5 miles of shoreline. Clean bath house. Camping available.

I am so upset and angry!!!!!
The park is ruined in my option.
We used to visit this place ones in a blue moon and it was stunning! There were palm trees right on the beach so you could get some shade. It looked so special comparing to all other beaches in the area.
No works can express my disappointment when we came last time, driving 1,5 hour to get here and see a false and a artificially created sand dunes separating shady palm tree area and the beech. You can not even see ocean from the picnic area. I should have guest when they cleared the beautiful driftwood from the beach that the place is going downhill. That was what made this place so beautiful and special.
Shame on the administration of the park who made a decision to turn gorgeous wild beach Park into “just another beach” with a beach with a bunch of umbrellas.
This is horrible compering to what it looked like 2 years ago. You completely ruined it! No reason to pay to get here, there are dozens of the same beaches where you can go for free.
Never coming back!

We read so many reviews regarding this beach.
All ring true.Beach is awesome one of the top five we visited in our travels.
The vegetation and sandy beach enjoyable.
Admission charge is required to the State Park which is minimal.
We didn’t climb the lighthouse.Just a stretch for us Seniors.
Facilities are available.
Anyone in the area should definitely put this on your bucket list

In addition to all the things other reviewers have said, there is a great trail system at the far end of the park. Head to the South Beach and park in the J lot for a system of three trails--Lagoon, Maritime Forest, and Diamondback. All three run parallel to each other, but are each different. Lagoon trail is flat, mostly shaded and runs along the lagoon offering beautiful views along the way. Maritime Forest runs down the middle of the three and is completely shaded and flat. The Diamondback Trail is the most "technical" of the three, and also shaded but with lots of ups and downs on the side of the trail system closest to 21. Be sure to go over the bridge on the Lagoon Trail to the Little Hunting Island loop--which may or may not be underwater as the coast line here at Hunting Island has changed immensely since we've been coming here for the past 15 years or so. Beautiful views of the Atlantic with a coastline littered with trees that have been taken in to the ocean. Amazing nature in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Take your bug spray!

Hunting Island is just 20 minutes from my home & this is my favorite place to get away for the day. Be sure to take sunscreen, deep woods deet, a bag for your discoveries & some swim shoes so you don’t step on something sharp in the water - just in case. Be camera ready & explore all of this beautiful God given land!

a bit out of the way if you're in Charleston, but turned out to be a great place. Park was just about empty on a Tuesday in early April. Easy parking to get to the beach. Nice time birdwatching and saw an alligator in the pond at the visitor center.

Hunting Island State Park is a well managed and maintained state park that has much to offer including a great beach, a historic lighthouse, add on tours, and maritime forrest trails that are really cool. It is well worth the visit here as you can experience the nature and beauty of the coast that is well preserved and an unique experience.

Spent the morning walking the beach and taking photos. While there are two beach areas, they both border a section where the tides have left the skeletons of fallen trees. The ones above the high tide mark are bleached but the sun and sea, while the ones below it are barnacle encrusted natural sculptures. The exposed root structures are amazing.

Also visited the lighthouse - nicely renovated, though elected not to climb up. The base building has its history and panoramic pictures of views from the top

Go early - we left shortly after noon and the line to get in was back to the entrance.

It is a beautiful campground. However, the first day we had a hard rain, and it floods really badly. I am not sure if the flooding is something that can be corrected or if it relates to the recent hurricanes since this was our first stay there. Everyone is friendly, and the South Carolina state parks do a good job. I would still recommend camping there, but maybe pick your days. Beaufort is also a nice seaside town worth visiting that is close by.

Stopped here on our way from Savannah to Charleston. Did some hiking around the trails then hit the beach for a few hours. Trails were nice, very tropical, felt like we were in Hawaii. Beach was great. Loved that we could bring drinks from the bar to the beach, and were very happy that there were chairs and umbrellas for rent! The beach is huge and very pretty. After the beach we drove to the lighthouse. We didn't get out and explore but that looked like a nice place to spend a while walking around. We did go to the nature center, which was a disappointment. There were a few turtles and snakes, that's about it. Very small. Lastly we walked the boardwalk over the marshes which was very peaceful. We felt we got our money's worth and really enjoyed our time at this state park.

I have never taken a Vacation, I walk in here and lighthouse is closed gift shop is closed I pay an arm and a leg to get in here with my family and can only be here until 6 o’clock. I would never come back here

Nice beach. Not very crowded either day we were there. The set up to get in isn't as good as other state parks I've been to but still no major issue.

We went to go to the beach and see the lighthouse. The beach is long at low tide so there is a lot of room. There are sections of the beach that have a lot of downed trees and debris but it adds to the coolness of this park. The drive in is like trekking through a jungle.

Don't let the 167 steps deter you from climbing to the top of this lighthouse. The views are breathtaking.

Every time I visit, the water, the scenery, the sounds calm my soul. I'm handicapped & was fortunate enough to get a handicap space beside the showers & restroom. Couldn't have asked for a better spot. Beach wasn't crowded. Beaches are my happy places.

Hunting Island Stare Park beach was a very peaceful place to walk. It would help if they improved the roads a bit. Large potholes.

The natural beauty of the area is priceless. The staff and upkeep of the park may need some attention in customer service and repairs for safety on boardwalks.

Hammock Camping at the beach can be tricky- especially if the park website isn't updated or doesn't offer photos of the sites. Trees can be few or not appropriate for hanging, so the right site is important!! We stayed at site 123 and it was PERFECT for 2 hammocks, plus it offered a fair amount of privacy, which is also rare at the beach. Even with the mosquito netting- which is a MUST when hammock camping in SC- you will want some bug spray to treat the outside of your gear to keep them from buzzing in your ears all night! This is an awesome park- we brought out kayaks. Morning walks on the beach are so peaceful, and if you forget to bring coffee, there is an AWESOME little place called Superior Coffee right across the parkway on St. Helena Island.

This is a great example for other states and locales on what a state park should look like. Visit the north end and the south end both at high tide and low tide to see the impressive change with the sea level.

We were surprised the park charges an entrance fee, but it was only $8.00 per person. The park contains a visitor's center with rest rooms and interesting displays. There is also a nature trail out back. The lighthouse is a big draw and you can pay $2.00 per person to climb the steps to the top. Views of the coast line and beach from the lighthouse platform are beautiful. You can also see some nearby islands from the lighthouse. There is beach access and great sea shells were plentiful due to a beach renovation project underway. Sand was being dredged from the ocean and redistributed on the beach. Once you leave the lighthouse area, check out the salt marsh trail/boardwalk just down the road. A large nature center with displays, a fishing pier and multiple trails is located farther down the island. The trails were interesting and provided interesting information and views of native plants and animals. We walked a trail that circled through a section of beach front littered with trees, driftwood, etc. from the previous hurricane. I found this fascinating and had never seen anything like it before. There are endless trails to explore and I'd plan on spending the day exploring the island. Pack a picnic and take plenty of water and non-alcoholic drinks. This is a don't miss park for nature and beach lovers.

It's a wonderful day excursion. The scenery is one of a kind....the driftwood and trees on the beach and in the ocean makes it seems as if you are stepping back in time. Great photo opportunities that you won't get anywhere else.
I have to add that even the drive to Hunting Island is enjoyable.
Make sure you bring your own water and snacks.

The beaches are fantastic but take bug spray. Do not however attempt to access the beaches around the lagoon unless you have plenty of blood to feed the mosquitos with even if you have on bug spray. We could not make it around and had to turn back and go directly to the beaches.

On our way back from Silver Springs State Park in Ocala, Florida my husband and i went an hour and a half out of our way to stop at Hunting Island State park to check out the only remaining cabin for rent. We do this at other state parks so we can check out not only the cabins themselves but the area. The woman at the booth on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 22nd told us that we could do that but we would have to pay the entrance fee of $8.00 a person. We explained that we would be in and out but she said no. She handed us a pamphlet and said to call the office and talk to them but first you need to exit the park to do that because she didn’t want us parking there. We have never been treated like that from any state park from Maine to Florida. They are usually very accommodating and are happy that you want to visit their park. Needless to say, Hunting Island is off our list.

Always a good day at the beach. Roads are a bit rough. Even saw dolphins! There are bathrooms. Nice visitors center.

This is a beautiful park -with great walking trails. We were also able to take an excellent boat ride to St. Philips Island that left from the park.

The FIVE STAR rating is for the "boneyard" on the south beach of the Hunting Island State Park. It is an amazing feat of nature - absolutely breathtaking.

We have never seen anything like the "boneyard" at any beach before. The remains of dead trees sculpted into the beach and shoreline was nature's beauty at its best. We took dozens of photos and plan to have at least one enlarged and framed for our home.

It is absolutely worth the walk from the south parking lot. Just follow the path and when you see a bridge on your right, cross the bridge and continue walking. You will not regret it!!!

This beautiful sandy beach has palm trees up to and in the water, miles of trails through the southern forest, and a 2 mile lagoon for fishing and kayaking which opens into the ocean. It has a dock, a lighthouse, a campground and snack store, and is a treasure any time of year.

Spent a great day just steady walking the beach. There is just so much here. It’s just a really organic and natural place. The storm jammed it up some, but it’s real nature. Love this beach!!!

A fascinating combination of a pristine large beach area with a tree-filled camping area surrounding a large marsh. Camping area is clean with volunteers doing a great job of keeping the area feee of man-made and tree debris. The very short walk to the beach makes this a fantastic park, though it would be predictably hot in warmer months. It’s close proximity to Beaufort also to the number of activities that can be had while staying there.

It's one of the best entrances into a beach that I've ever seen. Loved the roads with the old trees and moss overhead with the sunlight streaming through. So pretty! The beach was absolutely stunning too and fun for shelling! Saw some dolphins too!

We really enjoyed visiting this park. We stopped at the marsh boardwalk trail across the street and then onto this park. It was $10 per person. A bit pricey, but otherwise lots of trails and a great beach! We found lots of seashells too. It was fun to find out that some of the Vietnam scenes from Forrest Gump were filmed here and Fripp Island, although Fripp Island is a private island. There are decent bathrooms for a State Park located in all areas of the park.

We bought the week family pass and used it almost every day. So clean , lots of parking. Ocean was beautiful and the kids had so much fun. I didn’t ding the review on stars but I will say one of the bathrooms were closed and we were sent to the gift shop to use theirs. The 2 employees were so rude and refused to allow us to use it even though maintenance had sent us there.They informed us that they were not going to clean up after we used the bathroom. Obviously they don’t like their jobs nor should be working there, we didn’t let it ruin it for us though and when we came out maintenance was finished with what they were doing. Needless to say we didn’t end up buying anything. Still A beautiful, well kept park.

Nature at its finest! Hiking, biking, fishing, gorgeous sunrises and sunsets. Wide open beach with shells and sharks teeth for collectors.

The drive into the park was so beautiful. Foliage so green and so abundant. One-way roads were nice to avoid traffic going all over the place. The walk to the beach was very short, but don't forget how hot the sand can get in Summer. We were not near any bathrooms or facilities, but we were advised they have them and a lighthouse. As SC State Park passholders we will be back!

Very beautiful! So much to see. We did several of the trails. The only complaint was the lighthouse complex was closed. The welcome center was informative.

Park is currently closed until the 15th of July (possibly longer). For up to date info, check with Eat Sleep Play Beaufort. Phones ring busy. Facebook outdated. I hear there is a twitter page for the park but I don’t use twitter so I couldn’t confirm.
Park is beautiful. Rating is for poor communication between park personnel and visitors.

Natural setting in a state park. No commercial enterprises to mess with the view. Adequate parking, but get there early or late in the afternoon in the summer. Modern bathouses (new, rebuilt after Hurricane Matthew). Choice of sitting under palm trees at back edge of beach or out on the miles long stretch of beach. Check the tide charts. Beach RAPIDLY shrinks when high tide comes in.

Go.
Find a megalodon tooth (one dude had it in hand. Multiple smaller fossilized teeth found).
Unique spot.
Enjoy.

I visited the park this weekend and it's a beautiful drive down to the water. Parking is a little confusing, but getting to thise beautiful views makes parking hassles worth it. The waters aren't pretty as South FL waters, but it's a beautiful beach no less. Sands are white and the park is super clean. The drive from the mainland is scary too. Get gas before you go. There are no gas stations for almost 9 miles to and from the park.

What a beautiful park this is! It is located along the ocean and has a beautiful lighthouse as well. We were there a week before Thanksgiving so there were very few people there. We hiked a couple hours and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!

This park is beautiful! The campground is nice, the beach is not crowded, and the newly refurbished fishing pier is great! We spent a whole day on the pier fishing and talking to people who passed by.

The beach was absolutely beautiful! We loved that our dogs had their own side of the beach. The park was clean and well kept. The only down side was the amount of flying insects. Make sure to bring plenty of bug spray!

On the way in, there was a beautiful drive through so much greenery that we joked about being in Jurassic Park. They have restrooms and an outside shower to wash your feet. Then we parked and had a very short walk to the ocean. It was so pretty and not crowded at all. We walked along the shore looking at shells and found a sand dollar. We walked down to the boneyard to explore. Didn't find any shark teeth, but the sand dollar was a nice consolation. We walked to the lighthouse and took turns going to the top. They only allow 6 up at a time. It was a relatively easy walk up and a great view! We will def visit this beach again!

We were camping at the north end of the state park. We drove down twice to the south end entrance where the nature center is located. Though the nature center was closed, we were able to hike the trails. It was fun to see the foliage types at the SC coast. I highly recommend spending time in the "Boneyard". You reach this area by taking the trail straight and right from the nature center, crossing the bridge and reaching the coast. Plan it according to the tides, being sure to stay long enough to watch the tide go out. The entire area changes as the water recedes, revealing a huge sand bar you can walk on. We had the entire place to ourselves. We found an incredible amount of sand dollars both living and dead. We also saw live critters in olive shells which was incredible. What a treat it was to see how they move. If you love the water and exploring, plan about five hours here. We had a blast.

Boneyard Beach is a must-see! Beautiful and wild! Must walk on an unpaved and sometimes muddy trail for 0.7 mile to cross wooden bridge to beach. Be aware of poisonous snakes and alligators during warmer months. No restrooms on Boneyard Beach so stop at the Nature Center before you go. The lighthouse is near the south beach. At this time, the lighthouse is closed for climbing

Natural beach with very little development. Mostly a stroll beach more than a play beach. Mostly left just like it was discovered. Very peaceful.

Love it, but the lighthouse is always closed, and the entry fee is a bit much!! There's plenty other such places with no fees! The roads are horrid, in need of MUCH repair, yet they were more concerned about removing the nice trees that had washed up on the beach,..they were actually beautiful and had lots of photo ops!

I spent the day at Hunting Island walking the beaches and hiking the trails. Nice to see a beach without hotels and homes. The trails were well-maintained and easy to navigate. We also went to the top of the lighthouse for a great view of the area.
I've visited Hunting Island prior to Hurricane Matthew and Irma. You can definitely still see damage from the hurricanes, however the park management has done a great job restoring the area.

This is a fantastic state park! Lots of trails including beach walking. Lighthouse and grounds are very interesting! Highly recommended!

We did the light house one day and then a quick 2 mile in 2 out, but the views from Hunting Island loop were some of the most spectacular in the country. Worth a stay

Went to the marina. Sat and relaxed by the river. We went to a restaurant off the marina downtown. Enjoyed our meal and went back to the marina on the many swing benches facing the water. Really relaxing and enjoyable.

Even though remnants of the hurricane damage is still present, the beach is gorgeous. During turtle nesting season you can see (please don’t disturb!) the nesting areas. The beach has small waves, gentle breezes, and shells. Perfect for a day trip. Bring a hat and plenty of sunscreen.

This was a nice surprise, the beach was lovely and lots of dolphins and horseshoe crabs. My son had a blast exploring.

Definitely worth a visit if traveling to Beaufort. A very unique beach experience speaks you drive into the park. The beach itself is very nice, clean and the trees between the beach area and the main road are beautiful

In the area, go visit. Great beach and an easy hiking area. Very clean, lots of birds and wildlife. Friendly people

It has been 4 years since we camped at Hunting Island State Park. We were apprehensive after hearing of the damage and loss of half the campground to hurricanes. The entire area we used to camp is gone claimed by the sea. The beach is hundreds of feet wide at low tide now but comes within 100 feet of the camp store at high tide! The campsites now are still within sight of the ocean and the ones on the front of the loops are fine if a bit short on shade due to the loss of many oak and pine trees. Most sites have huge stumps to maneuver around The sites on the back side of the loops have more shade but in our opinion during mosquito season would be very "buggy". We had a breeze and shade during most of the day. Due to high temperatures (90-96) the best times at the beach were early morning and late afternoon/evening. Still in spite of the high temps and bugs (love bugs out in force and a few mosquitoes) this is one of our favorite beach campgrounds.

As a SC native I had never been to Beaufort. I do not know how as I love the beach and our lowcountry. My husband and I set out for a day trip and went to Hunting Island. It is $5 per person to enter at the gates but then you begin a magical ride through such lush greenery that the only option you have is to roll your windows down and marvel at such beauty! There is plenty of parking, a gift shop with snacks and drinks, bathrooms and changing areas. There is also a campground with RV and tent spots but we did not go to this area.
The beach is spectacular! The trees, the shells, just enough wave action to lull you to sleep. Whether you love sun bathing or prefer the shade you can find all of it naturally at this beach. We did not want to leave!!
Looking forward to our next trip down and hoping it will be soon!

Went exploring and decided to adventure to see the light house. It is $8 per adult to get in the park and if you want to climb the light house it is an additional $2 per person which we felt should have been included in the entrance fee or at least stated when entering the park. It did have some interesting buildings which you can go in and read about the different light houses in SC.

We decided to visit this beach since we were in Beaufort for a short getaway trip. It's around a 30 minute drive from Beaufort to the park. It costs $5 USD per a person to enter. Upon entering you are driving through a "jungle" type atmosphere which is absolutely beautiful. You can then park and explore. We went up the lighthouse for $2/person. Only 6 people can up go at a time and we had to wait around 40 minutes to go up. We walked around and learned about the history of lighthouses. After going up the lighthouse we then went for a walk on the beach. The trees everywhere make the beach gorgeous! I really loved it! I'd love to come back when its warmer and have a beach day as you could easily find a secluded area.

Overall I recommend visiting this park and beach if you're in the area!

Amazing natural beach not seen in tourist areas. The setting was natural and kept in immaculate condition. Very hot and himd summer day and the beach was beautiful!

Very disappointing that they are still charging full admission (even increased the fees for 2020) with all the work going on to restore the beach. The South Beach access is closed to the public and there are large rusting pipes and other dredging equipment all along the North Beach.
Of course you don’t find this out until after you pay...nothing is said when they collect your money. To add insult to injury, when you try to take advantage of the senior discount and show your driver’s license, you are told that the senior discount is only for S.C. seniors, and that seniors from all other states must pay full fare.
I wouldn’t recommend to others.

This is my husband and my favorite beach of all time! Lush jungle like area. Beatiful and clean. Water is extremely warm by the end of July. It is $8 for adults and $5 for children to enter this state park beach. There was plenty of parking but a line to get in on Saturday. Returned on Monday with very short line. There is a lighthouse you can pay to enter and climb.Camping is available and miles of beach! Many other things such as Nature center were closed due to lack of workers. Please note, my husband and I had two 6 foot sharks within a few feet of us just a few yards from the sand! Think they were bull sharks! Life guards are on duty but did not seem concerned about the sharks. They swam off after about 10 seconds with no incident. Thank goodness, We also saw an alligator crossing the road right before we turned into the entrance! Had our fill on wild life for sure!

Exquisite park, beach, lighthouse and nature center! Climb the lighthouse, if you can, the views from the top are breathtaking.

Interesting! We were able to climb up the light house with the keeper to close the door on top- raining, foggy 🌫 and thrilling! I was imagining the passengers of the S. S. Savannah struggling ashore after the ship was grounded on a sand bar off shore.

We went here to exercise the dogs. Went for a walk on the southern end. Not much to see although I know we missed a bunch of the park at the beach access and lighthouse. There was very little wildlife activity on our walk. Even a lack of birds.

The beach is beautiful it's 8 dollars per person to get in. Plenty of restaurants and gift shops. The beach is beautiful.

The best thing about this park is the trails. Calm and peaceful and some wildlife. Nicely shaded. Living near the beach, I was not interested in that in the heat of summer but folks were enjoying it. Would definitely try out shelling in the fall or winter.

Although this is a beautiful spot, South Carolina does a terrible job with their State parks. Bathrooms were disgusting, almost unusable. They say they have WiFi… we did not get any even when standing next to the area of origination. Camp hosts don’t seem to do much other than check campers in, they certainly don’t clean restrooms or camp sites. When we asked where we could park our car to access beach as we were the farthest from beach, we encounter resistance., isn’t that why we came. Mosquitoes are the worst 😵‍💫😱. We live in SC, this is our first and last visit to any SC park for camping. We have been to many Georgia State Parks, some several times a year.. far exceed what you will find at any South Carolina park on all levels.

I think the fee is too high. But the lighthouse was fun to climb. Kind of scary though. The beach was nice.. still recovering from hurricane. Bathrooms were perfect.

Went camping on the tent site. Site was clean, and refreshed from last visitors. Bathrooms were absolutely disgusting. Broken beer bottles in the bathroom prevented my son and I from showering in the morning. Horrible stench of urine. I recommend shoes everywhere. Typical sand spurs off the sand path.

Do NOT recommend going during the month of June. Extremely hot, buggy, and humid. Zero breeze, at 1 am, we were drenched in sweat.

If you are visiting the Beaufort area for more than one day, it’s worth making this short drive to this State Park for a little exploration. The drive into the park is hauntingly beautiful and ends at a lighthouse almost hidden in the trees. There’s a beach to enjoy and a gift shop.

What a beautiful park. We started laughing as we drove down the road to north beach because the vegetation is so lush and dense with palmettos both small and large that we felt like we were on a Disney or Epcot ride. We kept expecting to see dinosaurs emerging around each curve. We went to north beach to see the lighthouse. We took the obligatory pictures of that but got lost in taking pictures of downed trees on the beach. Their twisted shapes and sun bleached limbs formed beautiful shapes, we wanted to capture that with our cameras. I wish we had more time to see morevof thevpark, we will be back soon.

The beach was beautiful and super clean. The routes are amazing and full of nature. The lighthouse was very nice.

I find it so ridiculous, that people rate Hunting Island , due to humid conditions, (it is SC for Heaven sake).bad weather etc. My husband and me have been going to Hunting Island for over 20 years, and have nothing but good things to say about the campground and staff. Never found dirty bathrooms, they are cleaned daily. but there are always inconsiderate people , that are too lazy to pick up their own thrash, not campground fault.

Beautiful Beaufort offers this wonderful historical lighthouse that guided many ships safely into port. I believe it is the only lighthouse in SC that you can still walk into and up to the top. Breathtaking views and a wonderful park for strolling..A must for everyone.

The foliage in this park was rich and green and the beach was large and uncrowded. The ocean was calm and warm and the lighthouse was a nice sight.

I'm so grateful for living so close to Hunting Island State Park . With the annual pass, my family and I enjoy visiting the Park for beach days, shell hunting, bird watching, visiting the "Boneyard". Just a beautiful location, reminds me of Jurassic Park driving into the beach! Much easier to visit too since the roads were paved in the past year! Even when the parking lots are full, the beach is not.

The roads were terrible — flooded with tons of potholes. The visitor center and nature center were both closed. The lighthouse was closed so it really was not worth the $16 my husband and I paid.

During a recent visit to Beaufort we drove out to Hunting Island State Park. Let me start with the positive. The scenery entering the park was gorgeous. It was like being in a tropical rain forest. The beach access was also well maintained. Now for the negative. The brochure said admission was $5 per person but we were charged $8. Then when we got to the visitor's center we learned access to the top of the lighthouse was closed. The gift shop was also closed. We drove down to hike on the Marsh Boardwalk Trail and it was also closed. So we continued to the Nature Center and guess what: it too was closed. It might have been helpful to post all of this before we paid to enter. I guess the moral is not to visit during the off season.

This is by far my favorite place to camp. We stayed at the Rustic tents and fell asleepto the ocean at night. It's lovely. Beautiful beaches, a lighthouse, and great hiking trails. The staff are so kind. I even had to have a Park Ranger jump off my car upon leaving. Though the campground was busy, it didn't seem loud or overwhelming. We had a full pink moon, which added beauty at night over the ocean. We want to return soon!!!

i was very hungry and when they brought my plate it was more than enough food for me to eat! i will alsys go here and to mention the bathrooms are clean and the people are nice and it was a plearsure to eat here ! i wil come back soon !

We stayed as close as possible at the Quality Inn at Helena Island...a short distance fro Hunting Island. It was a very foggy foggy day but we wanted to photography so went out early anyway for sunrise...very beautiful and different experience to see ...not your usual sunrise shots but beautiful anyway. I dont think it ever disappoints!

If you enjoy history and the beach, you'll want to visit here. The lighthouse is worth the trip to climb and the old lighthouse keeper's compound is informative. The beach was a blast for body-surfing and sand-castle building.

We did not get to experience much while were there. But the beach was beautiful and full of shells!!

This is a must see! We went later in the afternoon but, I could have explored it all day long. So peaceful, beautiful trees, a great beach, a gorgeous lighthouse and, an ALLIGATOR. I had never seen one in the wild so, I was excited! If you are in the Beaufort area, this park a must see.

A beautiful beach, all natural with nothing to spoil the beauty. The lighthouse provides sweeping views of the island and ocean. Hunting Island is a barrier island and the effects of storms, erosion are highly evident. Wonderful nature trail and helpful park rangers. Well worth a visit. Take a picnic and enjoy the views.

You have to enter this state park in order to visit the lighthouse. It cost about $8.00 per person to enter the park. However, you need to make separate reservations in order to enter the lighthouse. We didn't know, so the guide only let us in the first floor for pictures. The park is on the water and the beaches were wonderful. The whole place would be nice to have a picnic.

The beach is very beautiful. It was very safe. And quiet/peaceful. We saw many birds- mostly pelicans and seagulls- but there is a bird sanctuary close. Parking gets tough 10-4 pm they say. We like the beaches in the summer early and later- as it is cooler out. We never had parking issues or felt crowded. The beach is great. The park is beautiful. We liked the lighthouse as well. It’s definitely worth a trip

We enjoy this beach because there are no hotels, just all nature. The drift wood beach is with the old uprooted trees. This is for you if you want to enjoy the ocean in a natural setting.

First time visiting Hunting Island and it want be my last. A little crowded on Saturday but worth the drive. Beaches were beautiful and plenty of room on a falling tide.

Having grown up on Long Island, New York where miles of pure white sand and uninhabited ocean front have few rivals, I was anxious to see what Hunting Island State Park on St. Helena , Beaufort, had to offer. I was very pleasantly surprised by the park itself and the ocean front as to deem it one of the most beautiful I have seen! You reach the beach by driving on very winding and narrow one-way roads lined with palm trees and undergrowth which are lovely and remind me of what I assume the amazon forest looks like! There is a separate equine entrance and watching the horses gallop about is very entertaining. On one visit, we explored the pier on which several locals were fishing and who reported no luck that day but who come often and successfully catch a variety of fish. Kudos to South Carolina!

flora, fowls, tidal areas, beach and ocean all in the same area, plus camping if you're so included.

I don't think ere is a better beach in the Southeast. This is a South Carolina State Park. The drive through the park to the beach is like being in Jurassic Park. The beach is wide and beautiful with lots of shells, palm trees and waves.

Please understand that it has suffered mightily n the past couple of hurricanes and the facilities are under construction and the road is a little rough in places. However the overall beauty of the place is humbling.

Yesterday we could see shrimp boats working out at sea and often you see dolphins offshore. An extra bonus is the occasional flyover from the nearby Marine Corps Air Station.

There is a light house, a gift shop and a campground. All good!

This is a good little park that has so easy walking trails as well as a very nice natural beach. There is a light on so you can climb to the top for some decent views. The entrance fee is a little steep at eight dollars a person. Small nature center where the trails come off. There is also a pier but that apparently is closed after some damage from a storm.

Beautiful beach and it was by far the cleanest I've been to. It was worth the entrance fee to have beaches that were not overcrowded and taken care of. The bathrooms on the other hand were absolutely filthy and at dusk they were also difficult to see in as there were no lights.

This was a wonderful surprise! So much to see!
It’s also the same place Forrest Gump was filmed! Their are paths to walk over the marshes. There are beaches to walk on and ocean access to swim. They have picnic tables and restrooms! It cost $5 per person per day for access to this wonderful adventures island.

Yes, on the South Beach opposite end of the Lighthouse, the North Beach with the lighthouse you had to go thru jungle mosquito ville to get to beach, but we learned go to South Beach opposite of that and you can drive out beyond the Forrest And come out right there on the beach , much much better, no noseeum's biting you or any other aggravating insect, If your touring the lighthouse and on the North Side You Definitely Need Repellent, however if you want to drive out pretty much to the ocean and away from the flying insects then follow SOUTH BEACH signs thru here, you will Thank Me like a Thousand times, My family had a blast on the South Beach here, as well as our dog, it's very isolated, you have pretty much the whole beach to yourself, less than 40 people on the entire side when we were there 15th thru the 18th, We enjoyed coming out here everyday once we discovered the South Beach Area , definitely where you would want to be if you prefer having a quiet relaxing side of the beach without all the hype you see at other beaches , serenity here is priceless

Our favorite place to go when visiting Beaufort. The beaches are clean and not very many people. The "friends of Hunting Island" do a great job keeping the area clean and maintained. They have flowers planted near the lighthouse which add to the ambiance of the area.

There are multiple beaches, very rural. If in the woods or palm tree area you will need bug spray. If there is any sort of breeze the beach shouldn't have any mosquitos or nats.

Enjoyed the beach at this park and the drive into the beach. The flora looks as if it jes been untouched and this is what the low country looked like before people moved onto the area. Nice view from the lighthouse.

Lovely state park with multiple beach entry options. The lighthouse is an optional climb to the top for an incredible view!

We spent a day here with our family. It's a lovely beach with nice facilities. The beach was very nice - easy access and the water was lovely - it would be good for little children. Nice swimming, low slope. Great nature trails. It was $8 per adult and $4 per child to get it.

Had a great time at the beach on Hunting Island. There were people there but no big crowds. The Staff at the nature center were knowledgeable as well

Hunting Island was unlike any landscape I had ever seen. The maritime forest of palms and pines was stunning. The forest, marsh, and beach supported a wide variety of birds. One of the highlights was locating a bald eagle's nest and observing feeding time. The admission fee is reasonable for the activities available. One of my favorite park experiences in any state.

Not new to camping by any means and have dealt with insects of all kinds, but this was ridiculous. Glad to know others felt the same as I and ended doing the same and leaving. If you Insist on going there bring your hazmat suit or other full body protection, no need for bug spray, it doesn’t work. The mosquitos are relentless, there is no break, they swarm as soon as you step outside. Neighboring campers had to take their child for medical care as his face swelled with eye’s shut and other body parts swollen. I have never abandoned a campsite in my life, this time I had no choice, my whole body looks like you can play connect the dots. Every one in my party felt as if they were being eaten alive. Staying on the beach helped some but then you were just attacked by biting flies. In the two days we fought for survival there were daily helicopter low fly overs spraying god knows what. This isn’t what I expected after seeing all the reviews, and wish I had seen some warnings about the place. Brave it and fight if you will, but if you have kids who can’t fend for them selves you’ve been warned. Go somewhere else......

It was very cold but we went anyway. It was our last day and I wanted
To see some wildlife but there wasn’t anything. Didn’t see eagle nest which we got directions for. Itwas a long drive for nothing.

We come to Fripp every year and always make a point of visiting Hunting Island State Park. The "tree graveyard" is so awesome and we are amazed by the changes in the beach every year. ***Note: the walk from the Nature Center to the beach is notorious for mosquitoes!! Wear good walking/jogging shoes and bring bug spray. Other wise a great trip and sure to find lots of goodies on the beach.

Arrived at 5pm, they close at 6pm. The lady at the entrance said everything was closed, but we could go in and look at the outside of the lighthouse and beach. We were charged the full $16 for 15 minutes of riding through. Definitely go earlier in the day to get your moneys worth. There was a lot of cones blocking the roads, so we weren’t able to see much. We careful of all the potholes.

Wonderful place to visit, did horse back riding on coffin beach, found sand dollars and other shells not over crowded beach, clean has the light house one way and old up rooted trees to the other side. Do pay for the day per person or 99 yearly pass needed. FYI understand high and low tide makes a difference to when you want to plan your beach trip and time!

Beautiful. We went late, around 8p just to check things out and the guard let us in without paying as they closed in less than an hour. We drove over the beach area and walked around a bit. It looks like a great beach for adults and kids. We saw a family of racoons over by the lighthouse and some deer as well.

I would say if you're going to pay, you should plan to throw down a blanket and stay a while but it'll be worth it.

So beautiful and unique we went twice. I've never seen any beach like it. Highlight of our trip. Go at low tide on a calm day to explore the variety of fallen trees, tidal pools and wildlife.

We enjoyed our day trip from Hilton Head to Beaufort. Our 4 year old grandson enjoyed the climb to the top of the lighthouse and the beach, climbing on the driftwood and collecting seashells. Beautiful day!

We have close friends who just moved to this area. We were visiting HHI and stopped over to see them. We drove over to Hunting Island, which is there local "go to" beach. The walk on the hard pack beach was lovely, but the trip up the lighthouse was the highlight. I would really like to go back and visit on a warmer day. It's a lovely, peaceful place to explore or just hang out and relax.

We had the best day at the Beach and exploring around the Lighthouse! We were there in the off season so parking wasn’t an issue, but I can see where it would be during the height of the season. There are restrooms at the North beach/lighthouse end. The beach is beautiful! Several shells, but not a wide variety on the day we were there. There’s an admission price for the state park, but lots of condo owners provide a pass for their guests.

My husband and I have stayed at Hunting Island State Park a little over 8 years now. Despite tight parking and horrible mosquitoes, we love the beach. However, after much disappointment today, we decided not to return. The hassle is just not worth it. Our ac wasn't working, my husband and I tried several tricks to no avail like resetting the breaker, we had given up and finally asked the Park to refund us, which they did. They told us we could stay until 9 pm so we decided to enjoy the beach and had dinner. My husband then thought of another trick and was able to get it fixed, but the Park would not let us reserve after refunding. Luckily we only live an hour and a half away. There were kids riding in campsites while people were trying to park. It was really chaotic. Not worth 80 dollars a night. Last year, we lost power several hours during a storm. My husband who is very technically inclined has a gizmo that reads wattage, and was reading low which is probably why our ac wouldn't turn on. Hunting Island definitely nees to update their grid. I work in the service industry and we always provide the best guest experience. I guess in one way they did work with us, but not in another way.

We finally made it to this destination after closings and road work! Finally threw the gates and yep still have one part closed no worries south beach wasn’t part of our day! We had our bikes and set off for the trails! These are some shaded cool bike paths that lead you to some pretty awesome private driftwood beaches! Bring your water and pack a snack pack! We drove all the way threw to the lighthouse and parked! We had our bikes and set off to find the bike paths. They start near the entrance and are very cool with the moss trees and birds! Very friendly staff! You have to pay $8 per person to enter FYI! They have camping also! The lighthouse was cool and the view was spectacular! COVID style you had to get on a list and pay an additional $2 per person to go up to the top! Masks required!! Definitely worth it! They have a gift shop and restrooms! Great day at this wonderful state park! We will be back to explore again soon!

This is my all time favorite park to visit. The beach is pristine and relaxing. One section of the beach has beautiful tree skeletons. On top of the light house gives a beautiful view of the coastline.

Beautiful unspoiled seaside beach park. So peaceful and scenic. Did not go up in the lighthouse. Onsite bathrooms, also shower heads to wash the sand off of you.

We stayed the weekend in the state park campground. Negative up front: spray for mosquitoes, they will carry you away. The campground shows it’s wear but several hurricanes have tore it up in the past few years.
The positive. The beach is beautiful and there are several must does in the area. We toured the lighthouse which is a must and gives you a nice aerial view of the beach. The marsh walk is a must for a memorable sunset and the boneyard down from the nature center must be seen to believe. Pictures don’t do it justice.

Must see. They are doing beach restoration right now, due to the erosion from several past hurricanes. Most of the boneyard is gone but still a beautiful place.

Beautiful ride out to the state park. Worth the drive to see all the best of nature, the beach and Lighthouse. The gift shop was cute and prices reasonable. If you have a extra day in Beaufort, drive out to see this State park. BUT call ahead if you want to climb the lighthouse, as social distancing is in force and not a lot of people can go up at once. Wish I had more time to spend at the beautiful beach.

Beautiful park. Only real criticism is the poor quality of the trail map (worst park trail map we've encountered in our travels across the country). And lack of any really clearly marked trailheads.

I wish we had been able to go when the weather was nicer, but even with the cool temperatures it was a beautiful beach - we hope to get back there when it is warmer.

We went after a fairly rainy day, and a lot of the parking areas were flooded. There were no signs or postings guiding cars so we had a backup of cars here are there trying to maneuver our way out of the parking areas. The views of the beach were great, but we couldn't go to the lighthouse.

The coolest thing about this place was learning that Forrest Gump Vietnam scenes were filmed here.

I think I would have rated it higher despite not being able to see the park as much if we didn't have such a difficult time with flooded areas. Cones at the minimum would've been nice so you don't end up backed up on one way roads.

Wow! Totally unspoiled beaches and so very peaceful. We are staying at the lovely Beaufort Inn and they lent us their annual pass so we got in for free but it is worth the actual price of admission if you don’t have a pass.

Unfortunately lighthouse is still completing remodeling. Beautiful to look at. State park roads were the best I’ve ever seen at a State park. Very curvy (fun to drive). Scenery along road was worth the fees. Access to beach-very clean and not very used. Gift shop had great customer service. Beware of mosquitoes..

We visited Hunting Island SP on a rainy day. We started off at the visitor center and sat on the porch watching for the 4 alligators that live in the pond there while we waited for the rain to stop. We weren't lucky enough to see them. The park looks like a tropical jungle. The nice lady at the visitor center said the park was planted with all sorts of plants by the CCC in hopes that the combination of plants would ward off the mosquitos. I asked her if it worked and she said "no." OH, well, nice
try!
There is a nice beach beyond the lighthouse which you can climb its 167 steps for $2 and get an incredible view, they say. We walked down the marsh boardwalk and saw egrets.
There is a lot to do here on a better day than we had. Hiking, biking, fishing kayaying and paddleboarding to name a few.

A welcome respite to a day of touring Beaufort, the Hunting Island State Park, Beaufort, SC, can be best experienced in the evening when crowds have thinned out and the heat of the day drifts away on the ocean breezes. Staff are always helpful and informative, security patrols are present, and facilities are well-maintained. Tip: Visit first thing in the morning or late in the day to avoid traffic and crowds. Enjoy!

We spent two nights after not visiting for several years. So much of the beach and campground had eroded , that we could hardly recognize it. But what is left is beautiful and the facilities seem brand new. There is an excellent camp store and more sand is being pumped in, so it should be good by summer.

This is a great place for a photo ops. An amazing long walk on the beach, tons of trees Decimated from the 2016 hurricane, decorate the beach like tomb stones. So very cool. That is on the south beach. the North Beach featured a lighthouse, and some very cool history. Driving out of the park, we hit the longboard walk, and watched a fisherman pull up a shark on his line. Also saw about 20 dolphins in about 15 minutes. I must do in the area.

This is a great State Park. Loved the area on the beach that locals call "the boneyard". This is where beautiful pieces of driftwood are located along the beach. Makes a great place to take pictures. The beach is very clean. The Visitor's Center is quite small and the Nature Center and Lighthouse were not opened due to renovations, but we were able to go out on the board walk. We were there on a Saturday morning and it was not crowded at all; however, as we were leaving, many people we driving in after lunch. So glad we were there in the a.m.

This is a beautiful well kept beach, it was really quiet this week. It’s perfect for families. There are bathrooms and small store if you need ice cream or sunscreen

This park was hit hard by the storms.
There is still a lot of damage that has not been addressed. The RV and campsites beach has a lot of hazards including broken pipe, cables, wires, stumps and concrete sticking out of the sand. There are no warning signs posted. Not safe for young children or the elderly in my opinion. Work seems to have stopped on repairs. Also at high tide there is very little beach left to sit out on.

If you are not a southerner and you find that you like spanish moss then this may be the place for you!

I love state parks but this one is one of the worst. Unless you are already out this far, it's a long drive it is not worth it. So many bugs, stinks and weirdos it is strange to see all these other reviews that like it. Honest warning not good

We visited with small children 7&3. The beach area is quite large with plenty of space to spread out. There is a gift store and public restrooms. The light house is a great thing to do if you can climb a lot of stairs (167). There are several landings which you can stop and rest and let people pass. The cost is $2 per person with a restriction on height, you must be taller than 44” to go up and there is a 6 person limit at a time in the lighthouse.