Spanish Moss Trail

The Route

Start: Park at the Depot Road Trailhead (Depot Road at Hay Street) and walk north on the trail. Directions

Route: Walk to Laurel Bay Road, the entrance to the Marine Corps Air Station, where you may see a squadron of F-35 fighter jets taking off for a training mission. Turn back south and return to the Depot. From there, walk down Depot Road. Cross Ribault Road, where it changes names to Bay Street, and continue toward scenic and historic downtown Beaufort and the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park overlooking the Harbor River and Port Royal. Check out a museum about the 16th century Spanish presence in Beaufort and boutique shops on Bay Street before heading back to the trailhead.

Local knowledge

Try to plan your walk to concide with high tide for dramatic views of Battery Creek.

High tide chart

Provisions

Stop in for a local craft beer and po' boy sandwich at Plums Restaurant (904 Bay St, Beaufort, SC 29902), featuring shady outdoor views of the river.

Brent Buice is the South Carolina & Georgia Coordinator for East Coast Greenway Alliance. He lives in Savannah, GA.