Huntington Beach

PARK NEWS

Huntington Beach State Park is applying for funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for project 703748 DR-4677-SC for damage suffered during Hurricane Ian. Please click here to review the public notice.

Due to increasing demand and limited parking, temporary park closures have become frequent on weekends and holidays from March through September. Parking is first-come, first-serve and is limited. Visitors are strongly encouraged to arrive outside peak hours (10 am- 2 pm). Park visitors are also encouraged to check with park staff on current parking availability prior to departing if they plan to return, as they could be turned away due to a park closure. For more information on park closures call 843-237-4440.

To protect the park and our neighbors, Brookgreen Gardens, which leases the property to South Carolina State Parks, and the South Carolina Forestry Commission are actively working on a critical forest management and hazard mitigation project in the park. With more trees than the land can sustain and layers of natural debris, the park’s thick pine forest and dense understory are a high risk for dangerous wildfires. Professional crews are working to reduce fuel loads in the forest through resource management strategies like installing fire breaks and completing timber thins. Learn more about this critical project and how it could impact your visit here.

HOURS

6 a.m. - 6 p.m., daily (extended to 10 p.m. during Daylight Saving Time)

Atalaya Hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m., daily (extended to 5 p.m. during Daylight Saving Time) PLEASE NOTE: Atalaya is the venue for many large events throughout the year and may be closed in correspondence to these events. For current information, please contact the park office.

OFFICE

9 a.m.-5 p.m., daily (extended to 8 p.m. during Daylight Saving Time)

ADMISSION

$8/adult; $5/ S.C. Senior; $4/youth age 6-15; Free for children 5 and younger.

Atalaya admission: $2/person ages 6 and up. Children 5 and under admitted free.

PETS

Huntington Beach State Park is a dog friendly park year round. Please keep in mind that all dogs must remain on a leash no longer than six feet at all times. Please clean up after your pet. Dogs are allowed on the south end of the beach. Dogs are prohibited in buildings, including Atalaya and on the north end of the beach. The north end extends from the beach access at the north parking lot to the jetty.

Wifi Available

EV Charging Station

GET SOME GEAR!

Huntington Beach State Park

Coast

Brenda Magers

Park Manager

I am Brenda Magers, manager of Huntington Beach State Park. Shortly after I graduated from college, the economy was in shambles and most government agencies were embroiled in shutdowns. At the time, South Carolina was the only state hiring park rangers and I was fortunate enough to land a job at Paris Mountain State Park. Even though Paris Mountain was in the Upstate, I was so happy to be in a “coastal” state I would travel as often as possible for day trips to the beach—where I am now lucky enough to live.

For me, the magic of Huntington Beach is in the saltmarsh. I love the long-range views, the seasonal changes and of course, the birds! There is nothing more beautiful than the movement of a flock of birds or the upsweep of kettling wood storks!

If you’re a first-time visitor to Huntington Beach, park at the end of the causeway and walk both sides to see the marsh for yourself. Then, check out the three miles of undeveloped beach at the park. You can see all the glam Huntington has to offer in a short amount of time—but don’t stop there. Come back and walk a trail, attend a program, see Atalaya, visit the nature center and so much more!

**Our Ultimate Outsider stamp is located in the gift shop.

A sweeping Grand Strand beach, pristine and wide open, stands as one of the most recognizable South Carolina landmarks. Revel in sea-breeze camping, the finest surf fishing South Carolina has to offer and some of the top bird-watching on the East Coast. That’s not all Huntington Beach State Park has to offer.

There are also South Carolina landmarks such as Atalaya, the picturesque, Moorish-style winter home of Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington, philanthropist and sculptor, respectively, who left the park and adjacent Brookgreen Gardens as their legacy.

Nature lovers also will enjoy the park’s wide variety of programming, including the chance to see loggerhead turtles and other endangered plant and animal species up close. The park’s freshwater lake is a sure-fire place to see alligators and sometimes even a mink or two.

Art lovers, meanwhile, flock by the thousands to the prestigious, juried Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival held each September in and around the former home of Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington.

BY THE NUMBERS

1 National Historic Landmark, Atalaya, the winter home of Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington

3 miles of pristine beach for swimming, running, fishing or just relaxing

173 campsites. 107 standard campsites with water and electric, 66 full-hookup sites with water, sewer and electric

6 rustic tent sites for tent camping only

3 picnic shelters available for group gatherings

300+ species of birds have been spotted within the park

1 popular annual arts and crafts festival, held every September for over 40 years in the Atalaya home

2500 acres located in Murrells Inlet for you to enjoy

Dashing Through

the Parks 2023

At Huntington Beach State Park

EXPLORE MORE UPCOMING STATE PARK EVENTS

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Use #SCStateParks and your content could be featured here! You can also upload your photos for us to use across South Carolina State Parks' Marketing by using the Public Uploader and agreeing to the Terms & Conditions.