Hunting Island: Outdoor Adventure in South Carolina

The city of Beaufort, the surrounding Sea Islands and enchanting Hunting Island State Park have everything you need for a weekend getaway filled with nature, history and adventure.

On the list of all the many fine things about Beaufort, South Carolina (consistently ranked as one of the South’s best small towns) is undoubtedly its proximity to one of the Palmetto State’s true hidden gems—the pristine beaches and wild maritime forest of Hunting Island State Park. 

Last year, my old pal Smith, an outdoor writer and hunting and fishing guide extraordinaire, called me up dangling plans for a fishing excursion to Hunting Island like a live shrimp under a popping cork. Of course, I said yes. Spring, summer, fall or winter, this part of the world offers up unparalleled opportunities for outdoor adventures like hiking, kayaking and fishing, not to mention amazing history, dining and world-class watering holes. The natural beauty of Hunting Island is unparalleled.

Renewal in the Lowcountry

The Sea Islands between St. Helena Sound to the north and Port Royal Sound to the south are part of an amazing, super-productive ecosystem—the salt marshes that make this region South Carolina’s true Lowcountry. That tourist-friendly moniker gets thrown around like rice at a wedding in many of the Palmetto State’s coastal communities. But here in Beaufort County, tens of thousands of acres of green spartina grass (Spartina alterniflora) are inundated daily at high tide with high-salinity water from the sounds, jump-starting an ancient natural cycle of growth and renewal that is the basis for this region’s extraordinary abundance of marine life. Dying spartina grass breaks down into a stew of rich nutrients in the water that supports fish, shrimp, blue crabs, oysters and other species that call the salt marsh home. Game fish like red and black drum, seatrout, sheepshead and others make this region a popular and productive destination for recreational anglers.

On the Menu

Smith’s idea was to target red drum from the beach at Hunting Island State Park. He also had his eye on a promising spot for catching flounder adjacent to the island’s south end. That morning, after the required pre-dawn ritual of grits, eggs, sausage and copious amounts of coffee at a local fine dining establishment that rhymes with Muddle Mouse, we drove over to Sea Sea’s Honey Hole Bait & Tackle in Port Royal for live bait. 

After loading up on mud minnows for targeting flounder, we headed to a stretch of sandy shoreline near Russ Point Boat Landing, a popular launching point for boat and kayak trips in and around Fripp Inlet. It was a good plan, but as sometimes happens, the weather was not cooperating. An offshore wind, a bit stronger than forecasted, was blowing. After a couple of hours with just a few random bites and one hookup apiece, we decided to change gears, easy to do with the entirety of Hunting Island at our disposal. 

There’s a great public fishing pier where the inlet narrows at the end of the island, as well as a tidally-fed lagoon that often holds fish, a popular spot for shore-based fishermen and kayak anglers alike. Both are good options, but we decided instead to try the beach in search of some of hungry red drum. A short walk from the park’s Nature Center took us across a pedestrian/bike bridge—part of the island’s extensive network of hiking and biking trails—and onto what is sometimes referred to as “Little Hunting Island.” 

The waters around Hunting Island are often filled with large redfish.

Stalking the Boneyard

Little Hunting Island is a boneyard beach, essentially. The last few decades have seen massive natural erosion happening at this end of Hunting Island. Higher tides and more frequent storms have even taken out a row of beachfront cabins. It’s a dynamic and ever-changing environment, with ancient, massive trees from the ocean-side edge of the maritime forest that covers the park’s interior giving way to the forces of tide and erosion and toppling along the beach like giant matchsticks, only to be subsumed at high tide. It’s an amazing spot to visit, hike or photograph. Timed with a low-tide sunrise or sunset, the photo opportunities are literally everywhere you look. It’s raw and beautiful, and a great place to spend the day.

Those sloughs, pools and downed trees were on Smith’s mind, too. He’s no photographer, but he can read a beach like nobody’s business, and he was scoping out the exposed low spots and potential ambush points where hungry reds might be waiting. A couple of blue crabs harvested from a tidal pool, cut in quarters, made the perfect bait. Rather than casting a heavy surf rod from the comfort of the beach, Smith’s preferred method is wading out around the downed trees on an incoming tide with lighter tackle, casting just beyond the breakers and working constantly up and down the beach. It’s an effective technique, and a great workout.

Hunting Island offers a wild and primitive getaway.

From Forrest Gump to Ted Turner

The fantastic thing about Hunting Island and the surrounding area is the abundance of natural beauty, and so many choices for how to enjoy it. The popularity of kayak fishing has grown exponentially here in recent years, and a well-maintained system of public boat ramps makes accessing the rivers, tidal creeks and high-tide inundated parts of the salt marsh as easy as picking a spot on the map and paying attention to the tide. Hunting Island is also a great place for camping, hiking and mountain-biking—with a miles-long trail system that winds through a maritime forest so wild and primitive that it was used as a location for the Vietnam War scenes in the movie Forrest Gump. 

The park also recently acquired nearby Saint Phillips Island from media mogul and lifelong adventurer Ted Turner. It’s 4,600 wild and largely undeveloped acres of barrier island situated where the entrance to Port Royal Sound meets the Atlantic. Set foot on Saint Phillips Island and it immediately becomes clear why Turner once claimed it. 

Day trips via ferry depart from outfitter Coastal Expeditions’ base camp on St. Helena Island, and overnight stays at the Turner House are also an option. Coastal Expeditions is one of many outfitters in the area offering naturalist-led kayaking trips and boat tours. Plenty of dedicated fishing guides in the area offer near-shore and offshore fishing excursions as well.

Stay in Historic Beaufort

The historic river town of Beaufort is a great jumping off point for exploring the area. Filled with quiet neighborhoods and many beautiful antebellum homes, walkable and laid back, Beaufort’s easy-going vibe is hard to match. Dining and drinking options are plentiful, and several world-class bed-and-breakfasts in converted historic homes offer memorable stays. You can rub shoulders with the happy-hour regulars at tiny Hemingway’s Bistro, a waterfront bar with a dive-bar vibe and penchant for staying open during hurricanes. Life’s short, so go for lunch—the muffuletta or a hot dog with a loaded Bloody Mary can’t be beat. And among many great fine dining options available downtown, for my money, it’s hard to top the Old Bull Tavern—gourmet without the pretension, and an extensive beer, wine and cocktails list. Pro tip: Don’t sleep on their take on a classic painkiller cocktail, the liver pate’ appetizer or the lamb shank dinner entree. 

For fishing excursions by boat or on shore, experiencing nature and immersing yourself in history, Hunting Island State Park, Beaufort and the surrounding Sea Islands are an adventure waiting to happen.