Hunting Island State Park - South Carolina

One of South Carolina's most popular and also yet unknown beaches is Hunting Island State Park. Known for the numerous species of wildlife and plant life, Hunting Island is one of the highlights of the South Carolina Low Country. It is quite the opposite of the built up areas of Myrtle Beach's "Grand Strand" to the north and more rural to the golf paradise known as Hilton Head Island to the south.

Hunting Island has a unique blend of palm, pine and other trees.

The park is well known for its natural beaches, lagoon, wildlife, lighthouse and camping. Through out the park there are numerous hiking and nature trails. The marshwalk on the west side of the park is a great place to capture sunsets and wildlife. Overall, the park consists of over 5,000 acres of beach, forest, and marsh. (1)

The shoreline of Hunting Island is threatened by beach erosion.

Another highlight of the park is the lighthouse. The Hunting Island Lighthouse is South Carolina's only lighthouse accessible to the public. (2) The originally structure was built in 1859. The second and existing structure was built in 1875 and moved due to beach erosion to its present location in 1889. The lighthouse was decommissioned on June 16, 1933. (1) Besides the lighthouse and wildlife, the beach maybe the park's number one attraction. Since the 1930s when the park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the state has done its best to keep the beach in its natural state and preserve it from further erosion.

The Atlantic crashes onto Hunting Island

Some of the little known facts about Hunting Island are: scenes from Forest Gump and G.I Jane were shot on the lagoon side of the island. The Vietnam War scenes in Forest Gump were shot here. (2) There are is also a campground and a number of rental cabins available at the park.

To get to Hunting Island is very simple, from either direction on Interstate 95 to exit 33 and follow US Highway 21 to its end at the entrance of the park.

All photos taken by author - August 2001

(1) Hunting Island State Park. Unknown: Hunting Island State Park, 1982.

(2) Sorensen, R.J. & IVAP. "Hunting Island Lagoon and Fishing." Hunting Island Beach, Beaufort, SC, USA. http://www.huntingisland.com (Feb. 16, 2003)

Hunting Island, SC ---Unknown

Hunting Island ---Discoversouthcarolina.com

Comments

Former US Route 101 through Sargent

Sargent is a ghost town and siding of the Southern Pacific Railroad located in southern Santa Clara County. The original alignment of US Route 101 was aligned through Sargent via what is now known as Old Monterey Road. Sargent was bypassed gradually due to shifts of the alignment of US Route 101 which occurred during 1941 and 1950. Pictured as the blog cover is a view on Old Monterey Road which is now no longer accessible to the general public. Below is a scan of the 1935 Division of Highways Map of Santa Clara County which depicts the original alignment US Route 101 through Sargent. Part 1; the history of US Route 101 in Sargent Sargent lies on land which was once part of Rancho Juristac. During 1856 James P. Sargent purchased Rancho Juristac and plotted what was known as Sargent Ranch. By 1869 the Southern Pacific Railroad coast line reached the relocated town site of Gilroy. The Southern Pacific Railroad coast line would be constructed through Chittenden Pass by 1871 whic

Tulare Lake returns

During the winter of 2023 California experienced one of the wettest seasons in recent decades. Enough snow and water were deposited into the Sierra Nevada Mountains that the runoff was enough to partially reform Tulare Lake within San Joaquin Valley. Tulare Lake was once the largest lake west of the Mississippi River by surface area. Tulare Lake has been largely dried for the past century due to irrigation divisions and upstream impoundments. This blog will examine the history of Tulare Lake and its recent return. Pictured as the blog cover is Tulare Lake from 19th Avenue in Kings County during early May 2023. Tulare Lake can be seen near its maximum extent below on the 1876 P.Y. Baker Map of Tulare County . Part 1; the history of Tulare Lake Tulare Lake is the largest remnant of Lake Corcoran. Lake Corcoran once covered much of the entire Central Valley due to being it being located at a in natural low point from where mountain run-off would accumulate. Lake Corcoran is thou

US Route 95 in California

US Route 95 within California exists within San Bernardino County and Riverside County. US Route 95 within California is approximately 130 miles factoring multiplexes along Interstate 10 and Interstate 40. US Route 95 in California begins at the Arizona state line along the Colorado River near Blythe in Riverside County. US Route 95 follows the general course of the Colorado River north through the Sonoran Desert to the Mojave Desert towards Needles of San Bernadino County. US Route 95 enters Nevada north of Interstate 40 and the historic alignment of US Route 66. US Route 95 was extended to Blythe, California during July 1939. Upon US Route 95 entering California during 1939 it overlapped and deleted much of the original California State Route 195. US Route 95 was extended from Blythe into Arizona during June 1960. Part 1; the history of US Route 95 in California The corridor of modern-day US Route 95 in California first came to prominence during the run-up to the creation of

Gribblenation

Search This Blog