Fish Haul Beach Park Hilton Head
Quiet, tranquil beaches are difficult to come by but are precisely what you will find when visiting the Fish Haul Beach Park Hilton Head. When the tide is low, Fish Haul Beach extends far into Port Royal Sound, where treasures await. Walk along the shore to find some great shelling on the island. There is also ample white sand at the beach, which adds to the area’s beauty. Great amenities are included at this beach that looks more like a local area to hang out. Free Parking, outside showers, restrooms, and picnic tables add to the enjoyment of spending time at this Beach on the northern heel of Hilton Head.
- Getting to Fish Haul Beach Park
- Free Shaded Parking with a lot of spaces
- Wide Path to Beach with Beach Walkway across the soft, hot sand
- Wooden Bridge with Marsh Views
- Park Rules
- Fish Haul Beach
- Bringing your Pet
- Restrooms
- Outdoor Shower
- Picnic Tables
- Bike stations to lock your bike
- Pet Cleanup station with waste bags
Fish Haul Beach Park Information:
Where is Fish Haul Beach Park Located?
Located on the Port Royal Sound, Fish Haul Creek Park is in a great location at the North end of Hilton Head. Taking your vehicle to the park, you will take the William Hilton Parkway and turn onto Beach City Road. Take a left on Fish Haul Road and your first right on Mitchelville Road, where you will find Fish Haul Beach Park about 0.3 miles on your right.
Pulling into the Park, you will see numerous parking spaces, many shaded by the beautiful trees surrounding Hilton Head Island. You can also enter 124 Mitchellville Road in your GPS to get driving directions.
Take Baygall Road to Fish Haul Beach Park
When you turn onto Fish Haul Road, you can take the 2nd right on Baygall Road to also get to Fish Hall Beach Park. This is a better road because Mitchelville Road is dirt while Baygall Road is paved. This adds about 0.5 miles to your trip but is a nicer drive. As you drive down Baygall Road, take your right onto Mitchelville Road, and Fish Hall Beach Park will be on your left. You will also pass by Barker Field on Baygall Road and can see the best way to enter the park if you ride a bike.
Wide Path to the Beach
Walking to the beach is a fairly easy stretch. From the edge of the parking lot, you will see sidewalks leading to the entrance. The path is about 200 feet from the sand and is packed to make walking easy.
Once at the soft sand, a long mat allows for wheeled items to be more easily pulled or pushed down to the hard-packed sand.
Riding a Bike to Fish Haul Beach Park
Riding a bike on Hilton Head is one of the best ways to get around the island. If you are staying around the Port Royal area, Folly Field Beach, or over on Skull Creek, the bike ride to Fish Haul Beach is a fun outing. If, on the other hand, you are staying in Sea Pines, Palmetto Dunes, or Shipyard, it becomes a bit of a trek. No matter where you are staying, if you decide to bike to Fish Haul Beach Park, you can come into the park the same way as the cars or ride in on the path next to the soccer fields across from Barker Field.
The best path for riding a bike is to get on Fish Haul Road, turn onto Baygall Road, turn right onto Mitchelville Road, and turn left into the open area at Barker Fields on your left. You will come to a fork in the path as you ride past the soccer fields. Keeping straight will lead you onto a long wooden bridge across the marsh to a lookout area. Take a right, and head across another wooden bridge to the Fish Haul Beach Parking.
You will find multiple locations to park and secure your bike during your visit. Although Hilton Head Island is a very safe location, it is always a good idea to lock your bikes when leaving them unattended.
Wooden Bridges and Marsh Views
The wooden bridges and marsh views are amazing. Take your camera and go for a walk to see what wildlife you might find. This is a fun adventure for the family and does not take much time. From the parking lot, a path to the first bridge is found on the left side as you enter. Take this path, which quickly changes to a wooden bridge with marshland around you.
Continue on this path to a fork and take a right to another long wooden bridge that extends out into the thick of the marsh with a large wooden lookout station. Watching the birds fly in and out of the marsh area is a real treat.
Rules and things to be aware of at Fish Haul Beach Park
As you will find anywhere around Hilton Head, there are some things to keep in mind while at the beach. Some are for your protection and safety, and others for the beautification of the Island. Here are a few rules you will see as you take the walking path to the beach.
- Keep pets on leash
- Stay off dunes
- No alcohol
- Glass prohibited
- Do not disturb the wildlife (this includes turtles and nesting areas)
Walking along the Beach
At low tide, the beach area gets very wide and makes it easy to walk far out into the sound. It is important to note that submerged Oyster Shells can be painful when walking through the water or on the sand bottom at low tide. Always wear appropriate footwear when walking along Fish Haul Beach and in the water. As you enter the beach from the parking lot, if you walk to the right, it will likely be a little more crowded from guests who visit the beach from The Spa community on Port Royal Sound.
For the most seclusion, take a walk to the left, and you will likely be alone on your journey. At least for a while. Very few houses are seen from the beach in this direction for about 3/4 of a mile. Take a beach chair, and sit in the sand while reading your favorite book. This might become your most noteworthy spot in Hilton Head.
Dogs at Fish Haul Beach Park
Dogs are allowed at Fish Haul Beach Park, and owners must follow the rules when bringing their pets. These rules and guidelines are posted as you enter the beach, but follow the standard guidelines of all Hilton Head Beaches.
For more information, check out our important pet post; Does Hilton Head Allow Dogs on the Beach? Also, be sure to clean up after your pet to keep Fish Haul Beach Park in pristine condition for all guests.
Protecting the Beaches at Fish Haul Beach Park
Keeping the beaches on Hilton Head is important. All of the beaches are clean and well-kept, no matter where you visit on Hilton Head Island. One of the things you will notice at the public beaches is baskets to pick up trash.
- Take a Basket
- If you see trash along the way, pick it up
- Empty Trash in receptacles
- Return the Basket
Making these baskets available if you see any trash around Fish Haul Beach or Fish Haul Beach Park helps to keep everything neat. As you head towards the entrance to Fish Haul Beach, you will see this “tree of baskets” to your left. If you would like to help keep the area picked up, just grab a basket and pick up any trash you see along the way. It is such a simple concept, but if everyone helps, it keeps the area pristine.
Restrooms
Public Restrooms are available at Fish Haul Beach Park. Restroom facilities are located at the end of the parking lot, to the left of the entrance to the path leading to the beach (if you are looking in the direction of the beach).
Having restrooms at Fish Haul Beach Park makes this a great public location to hang out at the beach and not have to drive off each time you need a restroom break.
Picnic at Fish Haul Beach Park
Once you get to Fish Haul Beach, you might want to stay the whole day. Bringing some food to have a picnic is a great idea.
Spread a blanket on the wide sand beach or eat at one of the picnic tables provided at the park.
Shower Station
Spending a day on the beach gets you sandy all over. Rinsing off before you get into your vehicle can make you feel better and keep your car clean.
As you walk up the matting from Fish Haul Beach, an outdoor shower is available to the right of the path, just before getting to the parking lot.
Is Fish Haul Beach Park a good Family location?
Yes, and no! Fish Haul Beach Park is a great place to bring the family for a walk along the beach to find seashells. It is nothing like Coligny Beach Park, where there are many things to do. Waves are small because the beach is on the sound side of Hilton Head Island, and waves are much more fun on the Atlantic Coast side. Still, watching the airplanes come in low over the beach as they make their way to the Hilton Head Airport, walking along the beach, and sharing moments is always a fun experience. Since Fish Haul Beach is so quiet (most of the time), this is also a great place for photographs. If you have a photographer or you are taking your pictures, this is a great place to try.
Wildlife
Always be on the lookout for wildlife at Fish Haul Beach. Anywhere there is water, there is a potential for alligators. Most wildlife will be a beautiful array of ocean birds and sea turtles. Sea Turtles will start nesting on the Hilton Head beaches around May and are protected in the area.
Google Map of Fish Haul Beach Park