Hunting Island State Park
Five miles of beach, maritime forest, lagoon, marsh, trails, and South Carolina’s publicly accessible historic lighthouse create the state’s most visited park.
Artwork inspired by Jonathan Green
Hunting Island makes barrier-island change unusually legible across beach, lagoon, marsh, and maritime forest. Storms and erosion shift dunes, expose roots, interrupt roads, and redraw trails, while the historic lighthouse—moved inland in 1889—provides a striking fixed reference against a shoreline that has continued to migrate.
Begin with the nature center’s ecological context, then compare the forest edge and boneyard shore before seeking the lighthouse view. The island’s length makes route planning important because its major destinations use separate parking areas. Tides may remove beach passages, and the 167-step lighthouse climb requires timed access, so an early start leaves room to adapt.
- historic lighthouse
- Climbable coastal lighthouse
- boneyard shoreline
- Storm-shaped barrier beach
- marsh boardwalk
- Tidal habitat overlook
Quick guide
- Best evidence
- A boneyard shoreline records rapid change more clearly than a static map.
- Storm reality
- Erosion, repairs, and closures can change access well after a named storm passes.
Read an island moving underfoot
- Begin at the nature center
- Tides, maritime forest, and barrier-island migration provide context before the beach.
- Walk the forest edge
- Fallen trees and exposed roots show erosion transferring land between ocean and island.
- Use the lighthouse
- When open, elevation reveals beach, lagoon, forest, and offshore systems at once.
- Choose the right lot
- The island is long; beach, lighthouse, and nature center use separate parking areas.
Good to know
Climb or view the lighthouse first, then compare its inland position with today’s active shoreline.
Notice these
- historic lighthouse
- boneyard shoreline
- marsh boardwalk