We love exploring the Lowcountry and our beautiful state of South Carolina both on the water and on land. One of our favorite ways to explore, exercise, and clear our minds? Hiking! 

• Awendaw Creek Paddle and Hike: A 4-mile paddle along Awendaw Creek filled with black skimmers, kingfishers, oysters, fiddler crabs, and dolphins that you will enjoy before a 4.5-mile hike along the Palmetto Trail known as the Awendaw Passage. The hike will be filled with a unique tutelage of local flora and fauna along with a discussion about the history of the region.
• Bulls Island Paddle and Hike: This is one of the best ways to explore the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. It begins with a guided kayak tour through the class 1 wilderness of Cape Romain. Then we make landfall at the north end of Bulls Island and take a hike through Boneyard Beach and into the interior of the island itself.
• Kiawah River Paddle and Hike: You will paddle through the tidal flats on the Kiawah River just as the day breaks. It is then followed by a curated naturalist lead hike through the maritime forest of a spectacular Lowcountry oasis at Kiawah River.

• Just because a lot of South Carolina and Charleston is much flatter than traditional hiking destinations, don’t throw away the idea of hiking here! You have the opportunity to hike in many different settings all in one state, sometimes all in one day! You can hike through marshes, on beaches, and through maritime forests in many different locations. Or, you can pick and choose and spend more time in your preferred hiking locations!
• Places like Edisto Nature Trail offers a hike through the ACE Basin, which winds you through wildflower fields and meadows, through historical rice fields, and even an old phosphate mining site.
• You can hike the Palmetto Trail which spans between North and South Carolina and provides 425 miles of many different trail systems.
• One of the best trails on the Palmetto Trail is the Awendaw Passage. It is a seven-mile round trip hike that allows you to experience the salt marshes, marine forests, the Walnut Grove Scenic overlook, and much more all in one hike!
• In South Carolina alone there are over 400 hiking trails to enjoy!
• Make sure you stop at Congaree National Park, the only National Park in South Carolina. It has the largest intact old-growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the Southeast. It is an easy hike and has varying trail lengths.
• The S.C Foothills Trail will take you to the Blueridge Foothills. There are 77 miles of trails with 14 passages with trails that range from easy to difficult. There are several beautiful waterfalls throughout the trails and some of the trails are right on the SC and NC state line.
• Most of the trails have hand-curated trail maps and driving directions to make it an easy experience to enjoy and visit.
• For all of those looking for an easy stroll for your hiking joys, we have many hiking trails that range from 2 to 18 miles long that start at 0 and go up to 19 feet about sea level. You can find whatever kind of trail your heart desires.
• One of the best hikes to enjoy a unique and stunning ecosystem close to Downtown Charleston is at Audubon Swamp Gardens at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. It’s very easy to spend the whole day enjoying and hiking through the trails and enjoying the vast swamp.

• Hiking can help improve your balance.
• It can help strengthen your core.
• Hiking can lower your risk of heart disease.
• It can help lower your blood pressure and improve your sugar levels.
• Hiking can help with obesity.
• It can be great for mental health and anxiety.
• Hiking can help the risk of developing certain respiratory problems.
• It can help build strong bones and muscles since it is a bodyweight balancing type of exercise.
• Hiking can help improve your overall heart health.
• It can help you build strong relationships and create wonderful memories with your loved ones.
• Hiking can reduce stress and can lead to a lower risk of depression, according to studies done by researchers at Stanford University.