12 of the South’s most beautiful coastal walks

What these Southern trails lack in elevation they make up for in scenery. Each path reveals a different side of the region’s coast, and there’s one for every activity level. Try a paved oceanfront path built for a long run, a rugged trail through a maritime forest that ends at a historic fort or a wetland trek that will test and reward even the most intrepid hikers.

Florida

Fort Clinch State Park, Fernandina Beach

This six-mile hiking and biking trail comes with a history lesson. Looping around the inner portion of the park, the trail is located within Fort Clinch State Park at the north end of Fernandina Beach. The multi-use trail — expect plenty of bikers — winds through a maritime forest, sure to reveal plenty of wildlife (gators, deer, birds), and provides an easy detour to the beach or Fort Clinch, where you can tour 19th-century-era bastions, guard rooms, prison, barracks and more, all outfitted as they were during the Civil War.

Florida National Scenic Trail, Big Cypress National Preserve

Made for the adventurous, the 1,400-mile Florida National Scenic Trail’s southern end point is basecamp for exploring the Big Cypress National Preserve, a massive wetland ecosystem remarkable for its diversity of flora and fauna, including hardwood hammocks, rare plants like the ghost orchid and endangered species like the Florida Panther. But you’re more likely to see alligators, snakes and maybe a bobcat here, especially from November through April, the area’s dry season. It’s also an ideal time to hike the trail to Big Cypress North, a 30-mile journey including overnight camping (make sure to get a permit first), which provides a perfect opportunity to soak tup the starlit sky at this International Dark Sky Park.

South Carolina

Awendaw Passage Trail, Francis Marion National Forest

With the Palmetto Extension, the near seven-mile Awendaw Passage Trail follows the Awendaw Creek all the way to the Intracoastal Waterway. Along the way, you’ll walk over marshes on elevated boardwalks and through shady maritime forests of pine and live oaks. With less than 100 feet of elevation gain, the trail is flat and easy enough for beginners and families to tackle. End the trek with a visit to the Avian Conservation Center / Center for Birds of Prey in Awendaw or a scratch-made cheese biscuit at Sewee Outpost.

Bulls Island, Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge

This uninhabited 5,000-acre barrier island just north of Charleston requires a ferry (or your own boat) for access, but it’s well worth the commute. There’s a good chance you’ll spot dolphins, sea turtles and some of the near-300 bird species that inhabit the island. The island is also home to Boneyard Beach, a famous stretch of shoreline littered with sun-bleached remnants of palmetto trees and live oaks. An out-and-back trail from the dock to Boneyard Beach runs just short of five miles, according to All Trails, making it the perfect length for an afternoon walk.

North Carolina

Tideland National Recreation Trail, Croatan National Forest

Conveniently close to Swansboro and Emerald Isle, the Tideland National Recreation Trail traces the White Oak River, taking visitors over tidal canals and salt marshes and through coastal pine and hardwood forests. Although short and sweet at just 1.4 miles, this well-maintained loop offers boardwalks, gravel paths and interpretative signage about the local ecology, making it accessible and educational for the entire family.

Snow’s Cut Trail, Carolina Beach State Park

An easy trek at just 1.5 miles, this path pays out rewarding waterfront views. The trail follows Snow’s Cut, a waterway that connects the Intracoastal Waterway and the Cape Fear River. Along with plenty of boat traffic, highlights of the walk include pine-hardwood forests and easy access points to fishing points and beachfront along the way. The trail sits inside the state park, which offers restrooms and a campground if you want to make a night of the experience.

Georgia

Ocean View Trail, Jekyll Island

Perfect for a run or bike ride, this out-and-back boardwalk trail runs for 3.5 miles along the beachfront between the Jekyll Island Ocean Club and Holiday Inn Resort Jekyll Island. Since it’s paved, expect some foot traffic, but the views of the ocean and coastal dunes will more than make up for it.

Big Ferry Trail, Skidaway Island State Park

Skidaway Island State Park, less than a 30-minute drive from Savannah’s Historic District, offers six miles of trails that skirt Georgia’s Intracoastal Waterway. Big Ferry Trail is an easy two-mile loop (three if you add the Earthworks Loop) with boardwalk sections that stretch over the marsh. Keep an eye out for liquor stills, used to ferry moonshine from island to island during prohibition. 

Mississippi

Front Beach Walking Path, Ocean Springs

If it’s prime waterfront views you’re after, this paved path along the white sands of Front Beach and Biloxi Bay will not disappoint. Running just over 2.1 miles, the path also passes Fort Maurepas Park, a perfect detour if you have kids in tow (there’s a playground and splash pad). If you want to extend your walk, the path ends (or starts) near the Biloxi Bay Bridge, where a pedestrian and bike lane offers another 3.5 miles, out and back.

Whisky, Tango and Foxtrot Loop, Shepard State Park

In Mississippi’s Pascagoula River country, this state park covers 400 acres, with abundant nature trails and camp sites. On the 4.4-mile Whisky, Tango and Foxtrot Loop, you’ll meander down the state’s longest marshwalk, which runs for 1,100 feet along Lamotte Bayou. The trail is wide, family-friendly and shouldn’t take more than two hours to complete at a slow pace.

Alabama

Middle Lake Loop, Gulf State Park

Live oaks, freshwater marshes and lake views are a few standouts of this trail, part of the 28-mile Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail that runs through Alabama’s Gulf State Park. Although the Middle Lake Loop runs almost nine miles, according to All Trails, the flat, mostly paved path and boardwalks make it doable in under three hours. The best part: the trail ends just across from the beach, so plan for a refreshing post-walk ocean dip.

Redoubt Loop, Historic Blakeley State Park

History buffs will love this walking loop, which snakes by Civil War fortifications used in the Battle of Fort Blakeley, the state’s largest Civil War battle. The park’s ecology is just as rich as its history. It spans thousands of acres of the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, recognized as one of the most biologically diverse wilderness areas in the eastern U.S., with dense hardwood forests and freshwater marshes. A mix of boardwalks and packed dirt terrain make it a relatively easy walk.