Whooping Crane Pond
Hilton Head Land Trust
P.O. Box 21058
Hilton Head Island, SC 29925
The 137-acre Whooping Crane Pond Conservancy is located on Hilton Head Island within Hilton Head Plantation. It consists primarily of freshwater black gum (or tupelo) forested swamp and open “savannah” swamp. A swamp edge transition zone of thick, head-high bushes separates the swamp from the pine dominated uplands and the habitat supports approximately 75 plant species and 100 wildlife species.
This pleasant hike in Hilton Head Plantation has two components. The first is along the Nancy Cathcart Path which winds through a dry pine forest and joins with the second section of “trail” on the Whooping Crane Boardwalk. The boardwalk is an impressive engineering feat in itself and obviously took significant effort to build (and I expect requires significant effort to maintain.) The area formed as a shallow valley between ancient shoreline dunes, and the swamp is fascinating to explore over the course of about 0.5 miles (which includes the Nancy Cathcart Path). Views from the platform areas are sure to offer bird sightings among other things.
- click for a trip report from this hike to Whooping Crane Pond: April 6, 2017 (password required)
- click for a map of other parks on Hilton Head Island
- click for a topographical map of this hike to Whooping Crane Pond (password required)
- click for a terrain map of this hike in Hilton Head Plantation
- click for a trail guide for the Whooping Crane Conservancy (password required)
- click for Spring hikes at Whooping Crane Pond on April 2011, April 2013
- click for Fall hikes on this boardwalk in November 2013, November 2018, and November 2020
- click to access the guidebook Best Hikes With Dogs Georgia And South Carolina which has details on this destination
- click for South Carolina hiking and backpacking books
Dogs are no longer permitted on the boardwalk starting ~2020.