Dolphin Head
Hilton Head Island Land Trust
P.O. Box 21058
Hilton Head Island, SC 29925
Hilton Head Island is a Lowcountry resort town located in Beaufort County, South Carolina. The island is named for Captain William Hilton who in 1663 identified a headland near the entrance to Port Royal Sound which he named “Hilton’s Head”. The island has 12 miles of beachfront on the Atlantic Ocean and is a popular destination for vacationers. In the 1950s, developer Charles Fraser transformed the island into a resort destination which led to its modern-day popularity.
Dolphin Head is a beautiful area on Hilton Head Island and it is located in Hilton Head Plantation. The area is a popular spot for locals that appreciate it for its natural beauty, playground, peaceful atmosphere, and scenic views of the Port Royal Sound. The beach is not great for swimming, but the area along Port Royal Sound offers scenic views and is a great spot for beachcombing and walking. This is a short hike that starts at Dolphin Head and it follows the beach to Pine Island. There are outstanding views to Port Royal Sound on this hike, but be weary of high tides that will leave you with very little beach to make a return trip to the parking area.
- click to see a horseshoe crab washed up on the beach at Port Royal Sound
- click for a trip report of this hike at Dolphin Head: August 20, 2023 (password required)
- click for a trail map of this hike in Hilton Head Plantation
- click for a topographical map of this hike at Dolphin Head (password required)
- click for a map of other parks on Hilton Head Island
- click for spring hikes at Dolphin Head on April 2012, March 2025, and April 2025
- click for summer hikes here in August 2015, May 2021, August 2023, May 2024, and July 2024
- click for fall and winter hikes at Dolphin Head in November 2012, December 2023, and February 2024
- click to access the guidebook Best Hikes With Dogs Georgia And South Carolina for more hikes here
- click for a hike at the nearby Pickney Island National Wildlife Refuge in March 2024 and April 2025
- click for another hike on Hilton Head Island at the Carolina Coastal Museum
- click for hikes at the Audubon Newhall Nature Preserve, Islander’s Beach,and Jarvis Creek Park
- click for South Carolina hiking and backpacking books