Dog-Friendly Trails, Parks & GardensGet outTrails, gardens & the places that say noWhere the dog is welcome on the path, where it has to stay in the car, and where it cannot come at all. Pinckney Island is the one that catches people out. 19 where they are welcome, and 4 worth knowing about before you drive out.CharlestonThe Battery & White Point GardenDogs welcomeLeashed any time, and off-leash is permitted from dawn to 9am and again from 5pm to 11pm. It is unfenced and sits between two busy streets on the point, so only if the recall is genuinely reliable.From consistent third-party sources · SourceHollywoodACE Basin National Wildlife RefugeLeashed dogs OKUnusually for a national wildlife refuge, ACE Basin allows dogs — Pinckney Island and the Savannah refuge do not. Dogs and cats only, restrained on a leash and under control at all times.Confirmed on their own page · SourceHilton Head IslandAudubon Newhall PreserveLeashed dogs OKFifty acres of trails and a pond in the middle of the island, and leashed dogs are welcome — pick up after them. There are alligators in the pond, so keep the lead short.Confirmed on their own page · SourceHilton Head IslandBurkes BeachLeashed dogs OKSmall, undeveloped access by the creek, and it follows the same town beach ordinance. Watch the signage at the Fish Haul Creek end, where the shorebird rules are stricter.Confirmed on their own page · SourceHilton Head IslandColigny Beach ParkLeashed dogs OKThe island's busiest access, and it follows the town beach ordinance: no dogs between 10am and 5pm from the Friday before Memorial Day through Labor Day, leash or voice control the rest of the year. The beach board above has the answer for right now.Confirmed on their own page · SourceHilton Head IslandDriessen Beach ParkLeashed dogs OKTown beach ordinance applies: restricted 10am to 5pm in high summer, leash or voice control otherwise. Boardwalk, showers and a lot of shade in the parking lot.Confirmed on their own page · SourceEdisto IslandEdisto Beach State ParkLeashed dogs OKLeash or physical restraint at all times, and nothing in or around the lodging. Edisto is one of the friendlier stretches out of season — voice control is accepted on the sand from November through April.Confirmed on their own page · SourceHilton Head IslandFish Haul Creek ParkLeashed dogs OKThe exception on Hilton Head: leash at all times here, no voice-control window, because the shorebird habitat at Fish Haul Creek is protected. Do not assume the island-wide beach rule applies at this one.Confirmed on their own page · SourceHilton Head IslandFolly Field Beach ParkLeashed dogs OKSame town ordinance as the rest of the island — the midday summer restriction is the one that catches visitors out.Confirmed on their own page · SourceSavannahForsyth ParkLeashed dogs OKLeashed dogs anywhere across the thirty acres except the Nature Center. Off-leash is a city ordinance violation here however many people you see chancing it — Savannah has fenced dog parks at Daffin and elsewhere for that.From consistent third-party sources · SourceSavannahFort Pulaski National MonumentLeashed dogs OKOne of the better forts to bring a dog to: leashed at six feet, they can come inside the fort itself and along every trail on the monument. Not in the visitor centre. Do not leave a dog in the car here between June and September.Confirmed on their own page · SourceMcClellanvilleHampton Plantation State Historic SiteLeashed dogs OKLeashed on the grounds, which are the good part anyway. No pets in the buildings, so the house tour is off the table.Confirmed on their own page · SourceBeaufortHenry C. Chambers Waterfront ParkLeashed dogs OKLeashed dogs along the river walk and the green, and several of the restaurants facing the park keep a water bowl by the door. The easiest dog walk in Beaufort.From consistent third-party sources · SourceSt Helena IslandHunting Island State ParkLeashed dogs OKState-park rule is a leash no longer than six feet, everywhere, and no pets in or around the cabins and buildings. The beach itself closes to dogs in the middle of the day through turtle season — check the beach board above before you drive out.Confirmed on their own page · SourceHilton Head IslandIslanders Beach ParkLeashed dogs OKQuieter than Coligny and the parking is resident-permit in season. Town beach ordinance applies to dogs.Confirmed on their own page · SourceHilton Head IslandJarvis Creek ParkLeashed dogs OKFifty-three acres of town park with a pond, a fishing pier and a mile of flat trail. Leash required, plenty of shade, and no gate fee — the easy default on Hilton Head.From consistent third-party sources · SourceKiawah IslandKiawah Island Beachwalker ParkLeashed dogs OKThe county rule is leashed and under control. The Town of Kiawah then adds a season on top: leashed from 1 March to 15 October, off-leash from 16 October to the end of February provided you stay with the dog and carry a lead. Leash up if Beach Patrol or another beachgoer asks — that is written into the rule.Confirmed on their own page · SourceCharlestonMagnolia Plantation & GardensLeashed dogs OKLeashed dogs, six-foot lead, across the sixty-six acres of grounds, the gardens and the Audubon Swamp Garden. Not on any tour, not in the wildlife centre, not in the gift shop. One of the few big Charleston attractions that says yes at all.Confirmed on their own page · SourceHilton Head IslandSea Pines Forest PreserveLeashed dogs OKSix hundred acres of trails, leashed at all times. There is a gate fee per vehicle to get into Sea Pines. Assume every pond holds an alligator and keep the dog four car lengths back from the water — this is not a precaution people here treat as optional.From consistent third-party sources · SourceJohns IslandAngel Oak TreePartlyLeashed dogs are allowed in the designated areas, including the picnic ground, but not up at the tree itself — the root system is exactly what the city is protecting. Someone holds the lead while the other takes the photograph.Confirmed on their own page · SourceMount PleasantBoone Hall Plantation & GardensPartlyLeashed dogs are welcome on the grounds and through the gardens and the Avenue of Oaks, but not inside the plantation house, not on the tractor tour, and not in the other buildings. Special events like the Pumpkin Patch are service animals only.Confirmed on their own page · SourceEdisto IslandBotany Bay Plantation Heritage PreservePartlyDogs are allowed across the 4,600 acres under voice control, but NOT on the causeway or the beach — which is the part everyone comes for. Grab a day pass at the kiosk. Closed Tuesdays and during scheduled hunts, and there is enough deer and turkey here that a dog with a poor recall will find them.From consistent third-party sources · SourceSullivan's IslandFort MoultriePartlyLeashed dogs are fine on the paths, trails and grounds outside the fort. They cannot go inside the fort or the visitor centre, so bring someone who can hold the lead.Confirmed on their own page · SourceHardeevilleSavannah National Wildlife RefugePartlyYour dog can ride the four-and-a-half-mile Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive with you, in the car. Pets are not allowed on the refuge trails. Leashed walking is permitted at the Solomon Tract and north of I-95 off Purrysburg Road.Confirmed on their own page · SourceRavenelCaw Caw Interpretive CenterNo dogsNo pets other than service animals. Charleston County runs it as a low-impact wildlife preserve, and bicycles are out too.Confirmed on their own page · SourceCharlestonFort Sumter National MonumentNo dogsNo dogs at Fort Sumter, and the ferry operator does not carry pets — which settles it, since the boat is the only way out. Fort Moultrie, the other half of the same national park, does take leashed dogs on its grounds.Confirmed on their own page · SourceCharlestonMcLeod Plantation Historic SiteNo dogsNo pets other than service animals, and no bicycles. Charleston County runs McLeod as a historic site rather than a park, and treats it accordingly.Confirmed on their own page · SourceHilton Head IslandPinckney Island National Wildlife RefugeNo dogsNo pets anywhere on the refuge unless they stay inside the vehicle, service animals excepted. It is posted at the entrance and it is enforced. Worth knowing before you drive out, because this is the most-walked trail system on the island and every visitor assumes the dog can come.Confirmed on their own page · SourcePolicies change and the host on the day has the final say. Call ahead if the trip depends on it.More for the dogDog rules on every beachDog parksBoats, ferries & toursPatios that mean itHotels and inns that take a dogAll things pets
CharlestonThe Battery & White Point GardenDogs welcomeLeashed any time, and off-leash is permitted from dawn to 9am and again from 5pm to 11pm. It is unfenced and sits between two busy streets on the point, so only if the recall is genuinely reliable.From consistent third-party sources · Source
HollywoodACE Basin National Wildlife RefugeLeashed dogs OKUnusually for a national wildlife refuge, ACE Basin allows dogs — Pinckney Island and the Savannah refuge do not. Dogs and cats only, restrained on a leash and under control at all times.Confirmed on their own page · Source
Hilton Head IslandAudubon Newhall PreserveLeashed dogs OKFifty acres of trails and a pond in the middle of the island, and leashed dogs are welcome — pick up after them. There are alligators in the pond, so keep the lead short.Confirmed on their own page · Source
Hilton Head IslandBurkes BeachLeashed dogs OKSmall, undeveloped access by the creek, and it follows the same town beach ordinance. Watch the signage at the Fish Haul Creek end, where the shorebird rules are stricter.Confirmed on their own page · Source
Hilton Head IslandColigny Beach ParkLeashed dogs OKThe island's busiest access, and it follows the town beach ordinance: no dogs between 10am and 5pm from the Friday before Memorial Day through Labor Day, leash or voice control the rest of the year. The beach board above has the answer for right now.Confirmed on their own page · Source
Hilton Head IslandDriessen Beach ParkLeashed dogs OKTown beach ordinance applies: restricted 10am to 5pm in high summer, leash or voice control otherwise. Boardwalk, showers and a lot of shade in the parking lot.Confirmed on their own page · Source
Edisto IslandEdisto Beach State ParkLeashed dogs OKLeash or physical restraint at all times, and nothing in or around the lodging. Edisto is one of the friendlier stretches out of season — voice control is accepted on the sand from November through April.Confirmed on their own page · Source
Hilton Head IslandFish Haul Creek ParkLeashed dogs OKThe exception on Hilton Head: leash at all times here, no voice-control window, because the shorebird habitat at Fish Haul Creek is protected. Do not assume the island-wide beach rule applies at this one.Confirmed on their own page · Source
Hilton Head IslandFolly Field Beach ParkLeashed dogs OKSame town ordinance as the rest of the island — the midday summer restriction is the one that catches visitors out.Confirmed on their own page · Source
SavannahForsyth ParkLeashed dogs OKLeashed dogs anywhere across the thirty acres except the Nature Center. Off-leash is a city ordinance violation here however many people you see chancing it — Savannah has fenced dog parks at Daffin and elsewhere for that.From consistent third-party sources · Source
SavannahFort Pulaski National MonumentLeashed dogs OKOne of the better forts to bring a dog to: leashed at six feet, they can come inside the fort itself and along every trail on the monument. Not in the visitor centre. Do not leave a dog in the car here between June and September.Confirmed on their own page · Source
McClellanvilleHampton Plantation State Historic SiteLeashed dogs OKLeashed on the grounds, which are the good part anyway. No pets in the buildings, so the house tour is off the table.Confirmed on their own page · Source
BeaufortHenry C. Chambers Waterfront ParkLeashed dogs OKLeashed dogs along the river walk and the green, and several of the restaurants facing the park keep a water bowl by the door. The easiest dog walk in Beaufort.From consistent third-party sources · Source
St Helena IslandHunting Island State ParkLeashed dogs OKState-park rule is a leash no longer than six feet, everywhere, and no pets in or around the cabins and buildings. The beach itself closes to dogs in the middle of the day through turtle season — check the beach board above before you drive out.Confirmed on their own page · Source
Hilton Head IslandIslanders Beach ParkLeashed dogs OKQuieter than Coligny and the parking is resident-permit in season. Town beach ordinance applies to dogs.Confirmed on their own page · Source
Hilton Head IslandJarvis Creek ParkLeashed dogs OKFifty-three acres of town park with a pond, a fishing pier and a mile of flat trail. Leash required, plenty of shade, and no gate fee — the easy default on Hilton Head.From consistent third-party sources · Source
Kiawah IslandKiawah Island Beachwalker ParkLeashed dogs OKThe county rule is leashed and under control. The Town of Kiawah then adds a season on top: leashed from 1 March to 15 October, off-leash from 16 October to the end of February provided you stay with the dog and carry a lead. Leash up if Beach Patrol or another beachgoer asks — that is written into the rule.Confirmed on their own page · Source
CharlestonMagnolia Plantation & GardensLeashed dogs OKLeashed dogs, six-foot lead, across the sixty-six acres of grounds, the gardens and the Audubon Swamp Garden. Not on any tour, not in the wildlife centre, not in the gift shop. One of the few big Charleston attractions that says yes at all.Confirmed on their own page · Source
Hilton Head IslandSea Pines Forest PreserveLeashed dogs OKSix hundred acres of trails, leashed at all times. There is a gate fee per vehicle to get into Sea Pines. Assume every pond holds an alligator and keep the dog four car lengths back from the water — this is not a precaution people here treat as optional.From consistent third-party sources · Source
Johns IslandAngel Oak TreePartlyLeashed dogs are allowed in the designated areas, including the picnic ground, but not up at the tree itself — the root system is exactly what the city is protecting. Someone holds the lead while the other takes the photograph.Confirmed on their own page · Source
Mount PleasantBoone Hall Plantation & GardensPartlyLeashed dogs are welcome on the grounds and through the gardens and the Avenue of Oaks, but not inside the plantation house, not on the tractor tour, and not in the other buildings. Special events like the Pumpkin Patch are service animals only.Confirmed on their own page · Source
Edisto IslandBotany Bay Plantation Heritage PreservePartlyDogs are allowed across the 4,600 acres under voice control, but NOT on the causeway or the beach — which is the part everyone comes for. Grab a day pass at the kiosk. Closed Tuesdays and during scheduled hunts, and there is enough deer and turkey here that a dog with a poor recall will find them.From consistent third-party sources · Source
Sullivan's IslandFort MoultriePartlyLeashed dogs are fine on the paths, trails and grounds outside the fort. They cannot go inside the fort or the visitor centre, so bring someone who can hold the lead.Confirmed on their own page · Source
HardeevilleSavannah National Wildlife RefugePartlyYour dog can ride the four-and-a-half-mile Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive with you, in the car. Pets are not allowed on the refuge trails. Leashed walking is permitted at the Solomon Tract and north of I-95 off Purrysburg Road.Confirmed on their own page · Source
RavenelCaw Caw Interpretive CenterNo dogsNo pets other than service animals. Charleston County runs it as a low-impact wildlife preserve, and bicycles are out too.Confirmed on their own page · Source
CharlestonFort Sumter National MonumentNo dogsNo dogs at Fort Sumter, and the ferry operator does not carry pets — which settles it, since the boat is the only way out. Fort Moultrie, the other half of the same national park, does take leashed dogs on its grounds.Confirmed on their own page · Source
CharlestonMcLeod Plantation Historic SiteNo dogsNo pets other than service animals, and no bicycles. Charleston County runs McLeod as a historic site rather than a park, and treats it accordingly.Confirmed on their own page · Source
Hilton Head IslandPinckney Island National Wildlife RefugeNo dogsNo pets anywhere on the refuge unless they stay inside the vehicle, service animals excepted. It is posted at the entrance and it is enforced. Worth knowing before you drive out, because this is the most-walked trail system on the island and every visitor assumes the dog can come.Confirmed on their own page · Source