Experience Hunting Island State Park

A haunting, otherworldly gem…

Sometimes adventurers come across a place that makes a lasting impression. Hunting Island is such a place. Hurricanes Irma (2016) and Matthew (2017) devasted the park, washing away dunes, beachfront campsites, hundreds of parking spaces and even roads. Apparently, erosion had long been an issue in the area, as the ocean had already reclaimed a road leading to cabins that were eventually demolished as the land around them disappeared. The park has rebuilt some areas, adapting former beachfront sites to picnic areas—and the park, although still a bit rough around some edges, is still enchanting. Perhaps what impacted me most was the haunting beauty found in the aftermath of destruction.

It brought to mind the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi. Life isn’t perfect. Nothing lasts. Artistry can be found in the rustic simplicity and imperfections of nature. There is a wistful sort of beauty found even in brokenness … this cycle of decay and rebirth. The beaches on the south end of Hunting Island display this weathered aesthetic.

One of the most stunning aspects of this park (and the reason for our 5-campfire review) is the haunting and unique quality of its driftwood-strewn beaches. Fascinating to both photographers and hikers, the trees are quite dramatic, especially at sunrise. In some areas, they are so dense that it requires a patient contortionist approach to walk through them. When we visited during the winter, the beach was so little traveled that we rarely encountered others on our hikes. Walking onto certain areas of the beach offered an almost post-apocalyptic feeling of solitude. I found these trees amusing to sketch and enjoyed some plein air painting on the beach.

We have started sharing our experiences at sites we visit in our CAMPSITE REVIEWS section, but when we find a place that’s truly special, I’ll write a blog post as well to detail the finer points. Our trip to Hunting Island State Park rates my highest recommendation, with the hint that timing is important to the experience.

We stayed in this campground in early February while it was still quite chilly. The campground was only about a third full and we encountered very few people on our hikes. The campground, which can apparently be quite buggy during the warmer months, was pest-free during the winter. There are some marshy areas in the campground (between the two loops) that would harbor mosquitos in warmer weather, so if you come in the summer months, come prepared (and perhaps make some of the natural bug spray recipe I shared earlier on the blog).

The sites closest to the beach offered little privacy, with the exception of a few primo spots that backed on the beach, but also offered a nice privacy screen of foliage (I would try to book site #95 or #96 if I returned). Sites on the farthest loop from the beach offered more privacy and foliage if that’s your thing (sites 155-200).

We enjoyed the 1.7 mile Lagoon Trail very much. It offered occasional access to scenic lagoon and beach areas. We took the 2 mile Maritime Forest Trail back, which was peaceful and lush even in the winter, but less interesting. Although we saw numerous deer and raccoon tracks, the only wildlife we encountered were a few egrets. On the hike back, we wished we’d brought bikes, which are allowed on the trails. The west side of the park featured a salt marsh boardwalk with seats at the end to take in a dramatic sunset (which we had all to ourselves the evening we went).

The bathrooms and showers were small, but clean. The campground office offered a rather large and well-stocked store with camping supplies, souvenirs and snacks (including a slushie machine that was running even during the winter). The area near the lighthouse also offered a store with souvenirs and refreshments. Wi-fi was sporadic (strongest near the office and bathhouses). All in all, we enjoyed our visit very much, found the park inspiring for art and photography and would happily return (maybe next time for Loggerhead turtle nesting season in mid-May).

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