Free Hiking Trails Near Myrtle Beach
Free Hiking Trails Near Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach isn’t a hiking destination the way the mountains are, but the trip doesn’t have to be all sand either. Three separate spots hold real trail networks, and none of them cost more than a state park admission or a garden ticket, all a short, car-only drive from wherever you’re staying on the Strand.
Myrtle Beach State Park (~$5)
Right in the city, this park pairs a fishing pier and a boardwalk stretch with quieter trails through the same maritime forest the rest of the Strand paved over decades ago. It’s an easy, flat walk, good for a morning before the beach crowds build, and the $5 admission also covers the beach access here, which runs quieter than the Boardwalk core.
Huntington Beach State Park (~$8)
Across US-17 from Brookgreen Gardens, Huntington Beach State Park is a genuinely different park from Myrtle Beach State Park, with its own separate $8 fee. The trails here cover maritime forest, salt marsh, and beach dune habitat, and the birding is serious: 300-plus species have been recorded, so pack binoculars if you have them. The 1930s Atalaya Castle, the Moorish-style former winter home of the Huntington family, sits on the grounds and is worth the walk over even if birds aren’t your thing.
Brookgreen Gardens (~$25, ticket valid 7 days)
Best known as America’s foremost sculpture garden, Brookgreen also has genuine walking paths through its grounds, weaving between the sculpture collection, native plantings, and the Lowcountry Zoo, which is included in the one admission. It’s less a hike than a long, unhurried walk, but the paths cover real ground, and the ticket stays valid for 7 consecutive days if you want to split a longer visit across two mornings instead of rushing one.
Planning a trail day around the beach
None of these three are close enough to walk to from the Boardwalk core, so budget the drive time as part of the day: Myrtle Beach State Park is the closest, inside the city itself, while Huntington Beach State Park and Brookgreen Gardens sit together about 18-20 miles south, easily combined into one outing. Bring water and sun protection regardless of which one you pick. Coastal trails here offer little shade compared to a mountain hike, and South Carolina’s summer heat and humidity make an early start worth planning around.
Read more: the hidden gems guide covers Huntington Beach State Park’s quieter birding side in more depth, and the 3 day itinerary shows how a Brookgreen and Huntington half-day fits into a short trip.