A visit to Hilton Head wouldn’t be complete without hiking some of the amazing trails that Hilton Head offers! You’ll enjoy everything from ancient live oaks, to boggy swamps and pine forests! There is such a diverse environment in the area that it is home to a large variety of species including birds, insects and reptiles alike!

Egret at Fish Island in Sea Pines Preserve

This year for Spring Break, since our son is still so young, we decided to stay a little closer to home and take a road trip further south to Hilton Head, SC. Since we call our own little beach town of Emerald Isle, NC home, we spent less time on the beach, and more of our trip exploring all of the trails in Hilton Head! 

When we travel we love to find easy short hikes, like our favorites in Asheville, NC! During our visit to Hilton Head, SC we discovered four hiking trails that you’ll want to explore on your next visit there. They all have such different things to offer which makes it hard to pick my favorite!

The silhouette of an Alligator in Lake Joe, Sea Pines

Sea Pines Preserve

Sea Pines Preserve is a part of the Sea Pines Resort in Hilton Head, SC! The resort has protected over 600 acre of forests and coastal wetlands that local wildlife call home. They have miles of well groomed walking trails that include boardwalks and manicured trails. 

You’ll see everything from native insects, to beautiful coastal birds and even Alligators if you’re lucky! Being there in April, the forest was full of caterpillars, lizards, and song birds. We saw lots of cardinals and bluebirds and enjoyed the wild lilies in bloom.

Standing near the water at Boggy Gut Trail

The cost to enter the resort was $9, but well worth it in my opinion; especially if you plan ahead and visit Harbor Town on the same day. Pro tip: At the entrance to Sea Pines, be sure to ask for a map of the preserve so you’ll have it as you’re walking!

The trail head is about a half mile past the main entrance- look closely on the left hand side of the road for the parking lot in the woods. The trails have signs that make it easy to follow as you walk. People often Bike around Sea Pines, but the walking trails are off limits to bikes. And while I managed in flip flops for the day, there are frequent roots and unlevel ground. Feel free to bring your leashed pup! 

The Trails

Within the preserve, there are multiple trails and loops you can follow. We took the Rice Field Boardwalk Trail over the rice fields, to the Vanishing Swamp. Be sure to stop and enjoy the small wetlands, ferns and lilies as you walk! Then we followed the bridge over to Fish Island where we watched the birds along the shore and spotted a couple of Alligators! (Make sure to take advantage of the bathroom on Fish Island). You could easily, plan to spend the entire day in the preserve, walking along the lakes.

After checking out the Indian Shell Ring (a formation created by Indians that were native to the area) we did a quick loop and retraced our steps toward the Boggy Gut Trail. There we saw more Alligators and turtles enjoying the sun on the nearby yards. The trails were surrounded by Spanish moss covered Live Oaks! 

The path we took on the Sea Pines Trails

Audubon Newhall Preserve

The Newhall Preserve is a small 1 mile loop of trails, that only took us about thirty minutes to explore. The trails lead through the forest and a small lake. The preserve is free to enter, and a great spot to look for local birds. There is a small pocosin (swamp on a hill) that is home to some native carnivorous plants- like pitcher plants and Venus fly traps. They also have a small pond that is home to many ducks, and some Alligators- although we didn’t see any while we were visiting. 

When you arrive you’ll find a map box and bird guide sheet at the entrance. The preserve is well groomed, and the main trail is very wide and could easily accommodate a wheelchair or stroller. If you decide to follow any of the smaller trails they are rather narrow. Leashed dogs are welcomed and they even offer free bird tours on specific days throughout the summer!

Coastal Discovery Museum

The Coastal Discovery Museum is a stretch of protected land, and small museum, owned by the town of Hilton Head. In addition to a Discovery Center, great for exploring with kids, the grounds are also home to beautiful gardens and trails that meander along the water and through huge live oak trees. Best of all, admission is Free!

We started our walk by exploring the boardwalk overlooks, which had a great views of the marsh. We saw lots of snails and crabs in the mud flats. Then, we followed the path up towards the butterfly house and gardens. While the butterflies were still mostly in their caterpillar stage in early April, I can imagine how beautiful they would be in the summer, and captured a few plant ideas for my own yard this year!

The trails at the Discovery Museum also feature many native plants, including fly traps, a vegetable garden, and large Camellia Garden situated under huge moss covered Live Oaks- it looked like something out of a movie set!

Pinckney Island Wildlife Refuge

Although technically not on Hilton Head, the Pinckney Island Refuge is just over the bridge, a very short drive away, and became one of my favorite trails to visit in Hilton Head, NC. Pinckney Island Refuge is a nesting habitat for many coastal birds including Ibis, Egrets and Heron. It is also home to Alligators, ducks and many songbird species. It is a true birders paradise and had many photographers and birders visiting when we were there. I highly recommend bringing the “good” camera or binoculars when you visit!

While many online maps show multiple trails, with parking along the way, the main parking lot was the only one accessible to visitors. (Note- there is no bathroom or water at the entrance to the trailhead so make sure to come prepared.) We ended up covering about 3.5 miles of the trails since we had an 8 month old in tow, but it would be a perfect trail to bike since you’re walking along a gravel road for most of the trail.

I’ll admit, when we first started walking the gravel road, this hike wasn’t my favorite, although it did have great marsh views. I could see how this hike could be very hot in the summer, and was thankful we were there on an overcast day, as there wasn’t much shade. However, when we arrived at the Ibis Pond my mind was quickly changed and it quickly became one of the highlights of our trip! The Ibis Pond was an oasis for wildlife! We were able to see dozens of nesting Egrets, small Alligators up close, ducks, and many other species of native birds! I highly recommend visiting it on your trip to Hilton Head, especially during nesting season!

What to Bring on Hilton Head Trails

As with any trails, be sure to bring enough water to last you twice as long as you think you’ll need! I’d also HIGHLY recommend bug spray, especially in the summer months as any shaded coastal areas tend to attract mosquitos.

There are so many fun coastal trails to explore in Hilton Head and I hope you enjoy them just as much as I did!

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