Parks on Hilton Head Island, SC
A pirate-ship playground, a wildlife refuge and a freedmen’s town: the island’s parks, nearly all free.
Hilton Head SC Parks Worth a Visit
Lowcountry Celebration Park at 94 Pope Ave: a pirate-ship playground, wading pool, lawn and the Sandbox children's museum, open sunrise to sunset.
Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge: free, open sunrise to sunset, with 14+ miles of trails, wading birds and no dogs allowed. Directions and tips.
Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park, on the site of the first self-governed town of freed people in the US: free trail, exhibits and guided tours.
Chaplin Community Park at 11 Cast Net Dr: six tennis courts, a fenced dog park, a shaded playground and trails, steps from Burkes Beach.
Crossings Park at 4 Haig Point Circle: 74 acres with youth baseball fields, lighted soccer, batting cage, trails, a small playground and free parking.
Jarvis Creek Park: a 53-acre park with a one-mile paved lake loop, fishing dock, fitness trail, playground and picnic shelters. Free parking.
Island Rec, the Town's recreation center at 20 Wilborn Rd: fitness, pool, climbing wall, youth sports, camps and park pavilion bookings.
Shelter Cove Community Park, Hilton Head: the playground, free summer concerts and films, the Veterans Memorial and the sculpture trail on Broad Creek.
Hilton Head Island Parks at a Glance
The Town of Hilton Head Island runs more than a dozen parks, and nearly all of them are free with free parking. The ones worth a trip are above. Most Hilton Head Island parks are built around one thing: a big playground, a trail, a ball field or a view of the marsh. For a day of walking and birdwatching, Pinckney Island is the pick, and for history, Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park. The park with the pirate ship, Lowcountry Celebration Park, is the one most families want, and our Hilton Head playground guide compares the rest.
Other Town Parks on Hilton Head
These smaller parks are on the Town’s parks directory. Addresses and amenities are as the Town lists them.
Barker Field, 70 Baygall Road: a baseball field and a multi-use field, with an observation deck and free parking.
Bristol Sports Arena, 4 Helmsman Way: the Hilton Head skate park, plus an in-line hockey rink and a basketball court.
Compass Rose Park, 4 St. Augustine Place: a small park with public art and free parking.
Greens Shell Park, 99 Squire Pope Road: a playground, basketball court, picnic pavilion and observation deck.
Hilton Head Island Fishing Cooperative Park, 133 Squire Pope Road: a pier, a dock and a kayak launch, with a playground and picnic pavilion. It honors the Fishing Cooperative that Gullah fishermen founded in 1966; see the fishing piers guide.
Old Schoolhouse Park, 25 Adrianna Lane: basketball courts and pickleball, with free parking.
Veterans Memorial at Shelter Cove, 59 Shelter Cove Lane, and the Shelter Cove Sculpture Trail, 39 Shelter Cove Lane, both beside Shelter Cove Community Park.
Honey Horn, 70 Honey Horn Drive: the grounds of the Coastal Discovery Museum, with gardens, a boardwalk, a pavilion and trails.
Betsy Jukofsky Xeriscape Garden, 1 Town Center Court: a small demonstration garden.
Beach Parks
The Town’s beach parks have lifeguards in season, outdoor showers and, at most, permit parking, so they live in the beaches section: Coligny, Driessen, Islanders, Folly Field, Burkes Beach, Alder Lane and Fish Haul. See all of them on the Hilton Head beaches page.
Hiking, Nature Trails and Wildlife
The longest trails are at Pinckney Island, which has more than 14 miles of paths, and shorter loops run through Crossings Park, Jarvis Creek Park and Chaplin Community Park. For alligators, birds and what lives in the marsh, see the Hilton Head nature guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best parks on Hilton Head Island?
Lowcountry Celebration Park for its pirate-ship playground, Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge for trails and birds, and Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park for history. All three are free.
Are the parks on Hilton Head free?
Yes. The Town’s parks are free and most have free parking. The beach parks use permit parking in season.
Is there a skate park on Hilton Head?
Yes. Bristol Sports Arena, at 4 Helmsman Way, has the skate park, an in-line hockey rink and a basketball court.
Where is Barker Field on Hilton Head?
At 70 Baygall Road. It has a baseball field and a multi-use field, an observation deck and free parking.
Which parks on Hilton Head have playgrounds?
Lowcountry Celebration Park, Shelter Cove Community Park, Greens Shell Park, Crossings Park, Jarvis Creek Park, Chaplin Community Park and the Island Recreation Center all have one. Our playground guide compares them.
Are dogs allowed at Pinckney Island?
No. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service does not allow dogs or other pets anywhere on the refuge.
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