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No Restrooms or Drinking Water

Please be aware when visiting Pinckney Island NWR that there are no on-site staff or public amenities such as restrooms, drinking water, and shelter in the event of severe weather. Beyond the parking area, all movement within the refuge is on foot or bicycle and it is approximately a 2-mile walk round-trip from the parking area to the first pond (Ibis). Visitors should check forecasted weather conditions prior to visiting and make sure you bring plenty of drinking water. In cases of emergency, please call 911.

Visit Us

Visitors exploring the pollinator garden at Pinckney Island NWR.
Image Details
Visitors exploring the pollinator garden at Pinckney Island NWR.

Situated between Hilton Head Island and the mainland town of Bluffton, SC, Pinckney Island is easily accessible and receives nearly a quarter of a million visitors a year. Visitors can enjoy wildlife-dependent activities such as hiking,  bicycling, and wildlife watching. Saltwater fishing is allowed in the waters surrounding the refuge, however freshwater fishing in refuge ponds is not permitted. 

The refuge is open daily from sunrise to sunset.  There are no visitor amenities such as buildings, shelters, restrooms, snacks, or drinking water. 

Activities

A number of wildlife-dependent recreational activities are available to refuge visitors year-round including hiking, bicycling, wildlife observation and photography, fishing, and hunting during specified seasons. 

Hunting
Fishing
Biking
Wildlife watching
Hiking
Photography

Trails

Download our trail guide

Related Documents

Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge Trail Map
Name
Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge Trail Map

Trail map of Pinckney Island NWR

PDF

Other Facilities in the Complex

Pinckney Island NWR is one of seven refuges administered by the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex which is headquartered at the Savannah NWR Visitor Center in Hardeeville, South Carolina. 

Shorebirds on the beach at Wolf Island NWR
Wolf Island National Wildlife Refuge
Wolf Island National Wildlife Refuge, which also includes Egg Island and Little Egg Island, is located at the mouth of the Altamaha River on the Georgia coast. The entire refuge was designated a National Wilderness Area in 1975 and provides critical sanctuary for migrating birds and nursery habitat...
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Hardeeville,SC
View fron the south end of Tybee NWR looking north up the Savannah River
Tybee National Wildlife Refuge
Tybee National Wildlife Refuge, located at the mouth of the Savannah River, is a small but important area for native and migratory songbirds and shorebirds. Due to its limited habitat, small size, and location at the mouth of the Savannah River, where ship traffic makes navigation treacherous,...
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Bobcat kittens
Savannah National Wildlife Refuge
The Savannah River is the lifeblood of the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge which provides rich habitats that support a diverse array of migratory and resident wildlife. Visitors are welcome on the 4.5 mile Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive and all refuge trails daily, from sunrise to sunset. The Visitor...
National Wildlife Refuge
Hardeeville,SC
Sunrise on the shore of Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge
Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge
As one of Georgia's barrier islands, Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge provides protection to the coastline and habitat for a diversity of wildlife, including summertime nesting sea turtles, and year-round shorebird activity.
National Wildlife Refuge
Hardeeville,SC
Sunrise over the wading bird rookery at Woody Pond
Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge
Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) serves as an important link in the chain of refuges along the eastern seaboard, and is the inland base for two neighboring barrier island refuges, Blackbeard Island and Wolf Island.
National Wildlife Refuge
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Boneyard beach at Wassaw NWR
Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge
Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge serves as an important link in the chain of barrier islands that lie along the Atlantic Flyway, providing excellent habitat for a variety of migratory birds. With little development and few management practices, the 10,053-acre refuge is one of the most pristine on...
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Locations

Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge
(843) 784-2468
C/O Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex694 Beech Hill LaneHardeeville,SC29927

Pinckney Island NWR is a back-barrier island situated between Hilton Head Island and the South Carolina mainland.  The vehicle entrance is located on U.S. 278 between the two bridges that connect Hilton Head Island to the mainland.

Driving Directions

From I-95: Take SC Exit 8 east towards Hilton Head Island approximately 16 miles to the entrance gate on the left. 

From Hilton Head Island: Exit the island via US 278 West, and the refuge entrance will be on your right in approximately 1/2 mile. 

Hours
Refuge Hours
Daily
Sunrise - Sunset