Hiking in Myrtle Beach: The Trails of Huntington Beach State Park

hiking in myrtle beach: huntington beach state park

If you’re on the hunt for hiking in Myrtle Beach then the two state parks have to be on your list. Huntington Beach State Park has a couple of trails and we enjoy walking them both. Here is info about those and notes on how to do it with young kids.

kerrigan trail

WHERE TO ACCESS | Kerrigan Trail is super short, super easy, and super rewarding. It is a point-to-point trail which you can access from either the parking lot at the back of the gift shop or about a quarter of the way down Straight Road (coming from Atalaya Castle).

DISTANCE | It clocks in at just 1/4 of a mile. It’s well shaded and clearly defined trail that is usually covered in pine needles or leaves. There are some roots that might present a tripping hazard and for this reason I’d suggest using a baby carrier versus a stroller if you have babies/toddlers.

WHAT TO SEE | The most interesting point on this trail is the boardwalk that goes out over the brackish water of Mullet Pond. The boardwalk isn’t very long but it’s still a unique perspective and offers some really cool bird watching opportunities. When we walked this trail recently we saw pelicans fishing and it was very cool to be that close to them.

NOTES WITH KIDS | Since it’s point to point you’ll need to figure out which side to park on/start with. We parked close to Atalaya and started at Straight Road so by the time we finished we had the quick distraction of the huge chairs at the gift shop and the playground to rejuvenate the kids. This trail should only take about 15 minutes depending on how quickly the kids can walk and how long you linger at the boardwalk.

sandpiper pond nature trail

WHERE TO ACCESS | The other trail at HBSP is longer and offers a bit more variety in scenery. The trailheads can be accessed from nearby the Nature Center, there is a small parking area on the opposite side of the road and just a teensy bit north of the Nature Center. And the other end is by the North Beach Access point. You’ll see a sign for an “observation deck” and the trail is just to the right of the wooden deck.

DISTANCE | It is another point-to-point trail but a bit longer at 1 mile. So doing the full length with kids will result in a 2 mile round-trip hike. The trail is well-worn but has varying terrain. There are parts that hold moisture so they’ll be wet and muddy after rains. There are parts that are sandy and parts covered in leaves/pine needles and raised roots. It’s definitely not one I’d recommend taking a stroller on.

WHAT TO SEE | This trail wanders through the maritime forest that is beautifully weathered by the storms that have passed through here over the years. One end of the trail comes near the pond so there are glimpses of it pretty often. And the most amazing sight on this trail is the Octopus Tree. It’s located very near the observation deck side and it’s amazing.

NOTES WITH KIDS | If you don’t think you can hike it all then start at the observation deck side. With kids this hike might take a little over an hour. There are signs for gators near the pond so be super mindful of that. And bugs!!! This is a very buggy area. You must-must-must-must be covered in bug spray. We tried this hike one time in the summer and we did not make it more than 15 steps in before running back out. It’s a little better in the fall/winter but still, bring your bug repellant!