trails in myrtle beach: the hulk
The Hulk seems like an intimidating place. It’s officially known as The Horry County Bike & Run Park and it attracts pros and amateurs who take mountain biking and trail running seriously. It can feel a little scary to get little kids out there for fear of getting in the way of these intense and fast-moving athletes. But we did it and have some pointers!
ADDRESS: 150 Frontage Road B2, Myrtle Beach
PARKING: The Hulk is located in the heart of Carolina Forest. There is a small parking lot that probably fills up quickly on the weekends. We had no trouble getting a spot on a chilly winter weekday.
TRAIL LENGTHS & TERRAIN: The full length of trails is 7 miles but there are shorter options more suitable for kids. There are a couple of loops clocking in at 1.5 and 1.75 miles. There is a longer one at 3.75 if you’re looking for more distance. The trails are in great shape but vary throughout the system. In some places they’re wide, others narrow, there are a couple of small bridges and a few very small hills. Most notable are the raised roots that do pose a tripping hazard!
TWO SHORTER TRAILS: The two shorter trails keep you on the north part of the 72-acre complex and running alongside the frontage road. The trails use a lot of switchbacks to increase distance so you’re really never that far from your vehicle.
GOOD TO KNOW & TIPS
POTTIES: There are a couple of porta-potties at the parking area.
RUN & HIKE PATHES: The trails are labeled for running OR biking although bikers seem to also ride on the RUN trails. My best understanding is to keep off the bike trails entirely and to remain vigilant on the run trails as bikers still use them.
RULES OF THE TRAIL: There are posted “rules of the trail” at the trail head. They are: 1) Only enjoy open trails (sometimes rain will close them); 2) Leave No Trace (as always); 3) Plan Ahead (applies more when biking).
ALWAYS BE LOOKING FOR BIKES: With young kids who want to get farther ahead on trails, be extra aware of approaching bikers. The trails are designed so that bikers go in one direction and runners/hikers go the other – you should always be meeting head on to make visibility a little easier. Make it very clear to the kids that they’ll need to quickly jump off the trail if they see a bikers approaching. Younger kids should be keep very nearby adults to prevent any mishaps.
I highly recommend only using the trails during slower weekdays to avoid much interaction with the bikers. Although this is a multi-use space, it was initially and is still primarily a biking trail. Expect to see many of them and always be considerate of their right-of-way.
'lil hulk
Just up from the parking lot is the newly installed ‘Lil Hulk. This is a small area for kids to practice mountain biking skills. We didn’t have the kids bikes along but they loved simply running over these. There is a section of easier ones and a little more advanced section too.
