We rode a 7.1 mile loop today on Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge. It’s Memorial Day weekend, yet there were only a dozen or so cars at the trailhead to this natural treasure. People come to HHI for the beach and golf. But Pinckney offers visitors and locals alike great hiking, biking and kayaking opportunities. And we saw a fox!
Established in 1975, Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge consists of Pinckney Island, Corn Island, Big and Little Harry Islands, Buzzard Island and numerous small hammocks. The 4,053-acre refuge includes a variety of land types: saltmarsh, forestland, brushland, fallow fields, and freshwater ponds.
Archeologists have determined that prehistoric inhabitants dwelled on Pinckney Island as early as 10,000 B.C. Tribes of coastal Indians continued to live in the region until the 1700’s. The interior islands west of Hilton Head Island were protected against ocean storms, and provided abundant fishing, shell fishing, hunting, and edible plants to the native islanders.
p.s. We’ve also recently encountered wild turkeys, armadillos, deer, dolphins, turtles, gators, sharks, snakes, frogs, lizards, spiders and countless bird varieties livin’ the Lowcountry life.