Bulls Island, South Carolina: Charleston's Pristine Barrier Island

Bulls Island, South Carolina, is located about 45 minutes outside of historic Charleston, but it is a world away. 

Among other things, it has the largest concentration of alligators north of the Everglades, and its biodiversity rivals that of a rainforest.

Let’s explore why this is one of the best day trips from Charleston!

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Updated 4/2022 | Originally written 5/2014

Taking the Bulls Island Ferry

Even though I grew up less than 20 minutes from the launch site of the Bulls Island Ferry, it took me until my mid-20s before I actually went to visit the barrier island. (Oops.)

The ferry launch is located in the countryside just above Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, in a place called Awendaw. You're headed towards the Garris Public Boat Landing in the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. 

If you're staying in downtown Charleston, follow Highway 17 north through Mount Pleasant to the launch turn off. 

The launch is signposted as you approach the Seewee Outpost--which has great ham breakfast biscuits!--and you'll need to turn right onto Seewee Road from Highway 17 at that intersection. 

[Please note: this intersection has seen several terrible crashes in recent years, so be careful when returning to Charleston. There's no left turn lane, and the vehicles on 17 don't slow down at all for the intersection.]

Once on Seewee Road, look for another signpost about the Garris Boat Landing. This will be on Bulls Island Road.

Parking is free, and the white Coastal Expedition pontoon boat will be waiting on you there. 

The captain or skipper will check your party in, and you'll have a quick spiel about life jackets and such. 

Once you leave the dock, the trip from Garris Boat Landing to the dock on Bulls Island took about twenty minutes.

Once we were docked, the captain handed us maps of the island, smiled, and said "Have fun!" as he drove away.

What to Do on Bulls Island, South Carolina

First, you'll want to get oriented, so I'd suggest spending a few minutes with your map. There are over 16 miles of hiking trails, so you'll need to plan your attack. 

When the captain drove off, the entire group that morning--Landon and I with seven other people--just stood there, a bit paralyzed with the idea that we were completely alone on an island.

Another couple snapped out of that quickly and began striding inland. They later admitted that they'd wandered around a bit and never gotten to the beach. (They hadn't used their map. Tsk tsk!)

My husband and I decided we wanted to do the cross-island hike, which was the most direct route to the Bulls Island beach. 

As soon as we left the rest of the group, we were overcome by the fact that we were in a place where the bobcats outnumber the humans.

Not ones to be daunted by a potential bobcat/ alligator meeting (what am I talking about--I NEVER WANT TO MEET A BOBCAT), we continued to traipse into the interior of Bulls Island.

Get in tune with the wildlife.

There we were, luxuriating in the heat, listening to the cicadas, and just loving life, when we had our first wildlife encounter--the first of many.

Just hanging out on the path ahead was a 6-foot alligator. It didn't seem like it wanted to move, and it waited until we were uncomfortably close to get back in the water.

Not fifty feet after our alligator encounter, I came face to face with my nightmare.

It was a snake, y'all.

And not just any snake--it was a water moccasin (also called a cottonmouth). 

These things are mean.

This one put its head up and looked at us, even though we were only about five feet away. 

Most snakes will slither away when you come up on them, but not cottonmouths. They can be aggressive. It took Landon smashing a stick in front of the thing to get it to go away.

I won't tell you what I was doing during this time.

Okay, fine. 

I was running around in circles, flapping my hands, and nearly crying, much to the bemusement of the group of college age girls who were behind us. 

I don't care. I hate snakes with a passion, and I will fully freak out if one comes near me. No shame.

I made Landon carry me on his back after that encounter. For 400 feet. In 90 degree weather.

He's a keeper, I tell you.

Once I got to the "safe" area (I'm not sure why that area was any safer than anywhere else--it was still surrounded by water and forest!), I decided to walk on my own. But my eyes were on super alert for more snakes. Luckily, none showed their nasty little heads.

Hang out on the beautiful Boneyard Beach!

After just a few more minutes of walking, we got to the beach. 

The Bulls Island beach is one of the widest I've ever been on, and it's definitely one of the most unspoiled (second only to some of the beaches I went to on a trip to Andros, Bahamas).

It was gorgeous! 

You’ll want to spend a good chunk of time exploring the beach, so keep that in mind as you map out your day.

If you're planning to mainly spend your time on the beach, you can bring chairs, towels, and even a tent on the Bulls Island ferry with you.

Just remember, you have to schlep all of that stuff about a quarter of a mile from the marsh-side boat dock, and back again at the end of the day. 

We didn't go that route since we wanted the flexibility to see all of the island, but a couple of other visitors that day did bring a few items. 

We spent the next hour exploring the beach area--we found all sorts of cool things! Did you know that Bulls Bay beach stretches over 7 miles?

There's no camping or long term recreation allowed on the island (other than the limited daily tours), so this beach is as close to nature as one can be in the 21st century. 

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Boneyard Beach is amazing for photos! 

Over time, these massive trees have been knocked down by storms and the encroaching salt water tide. They're too big to be swept out to sea, so they slowly become sun-bleached memorials to what they once were. 

I've only been to a few other beaches like this (Driftwood Beach at Jekyll Island, Georgia comes to mind), and the experience of exploring one is something you'll remember!

Landon and I had only booked a half-day on the island, so we had to head back to catch the noon ferry back to the mainland. We hurried back down Beach Road with me on full alert for snakes.

We didn't find any snakes, but we did see this very colorful bird.

When we showed the picture of the bird to the naturalists on the ferry, they got all excited because it's a purple gallinule, which is apparently a really rare bird. We're totally awesome ornithologists. 

(No, we're not.)

Landon and I decided that we had to go back for a full day on the island. I will be wearing snake boots and full body armor.

Get more ideas on what to do around Charleston!

Bulls Island SC Tips and Tricks

Bring your own water, and lots of it. 

There aren't any stores or concession stands on the island, so if you forget a drink, you'd better be happy with being thirsty. 

The same goes for snacks. 

You'll want a small backpack to carry essentials. 

You can load in your water bottle, snacks, a beach towel, sunscreen, and your camera. 

We love a foldable, lightweight backpack like this one.

Don't skimp on the bug spray.

Much of the island is covered in trees and brush--excellent places for the state bird of South Carolina, the mosquito, to be hiding. 

(You think I'm kidding about the whole "mosquito as bird" thing, but, seriously, these things can be huge!) 

Landon and I like these repellent bracelets, especially when we're out with our kiddos.

Use your map of the island. 

You'll get one on the boat. Keep up with it. 

The island is deceptively large, so it's essential to have your bearings about you. The ferry will leave without you if you're not there. 

Wear tennis/ hiking shoes.

We both wore flip flops since that's the go-to attire around here for 3/4ths of the year, but we should've gone with something closed in and more appropriate for long walks. 

Not only would my toes have felt safer around the snakes and such, I probably would've been more comfortable walking the many trails on the island.

If I had to do it over again, I'd probably pull out my beloved tie-dye Newport Keens since they're great for both walking and splashing in the water. I have these in the tie dye, and I'm going on the fifth summer of wearing the same pair without any issues.

Consider taking the Bulls Bay Beach Drop if you only want to see Boneyard Beach. 

If I brought my kids back with me, I would probably opt for that tour instead of the one we did. My kids are super scared of snakes and gators, so they'd be nervous wrecks walking across the island like we did. 

Plus, the Bulls Bay Beach Drop allows for more time at the beach, and you wouldn't have to haul your beach gear but a few feet off of the boat. This tour is also provided by Coastal Expeditions.

Make sure you're aware of which Bulls Island boat tour you're purchasing at checkout!

We did the Bulls Island Ferry to Cape Romain NWR tour. 

Compare that to the Bulls Bay Beach Drop, which has different docking times and drop-off location. 

There's also the Boneyard Beach Sunrise Expedition, which is phenomenal for nature photographers.

If you want a chance for recreation beyond an island hike, try the Bulls Island Paddle and Hike tour. You'll most likely have a dolphin or two swim right along side you!

All Bulls Island boat tours depart from Garris Boat Landing.

Reservations are required.

Garris Landing is out of the way for the typical Charleston visitor, so plan ahead and book online. 

Get to the dock early.

The captain will not wait for latecomers, and the boats depart precisely when they are advertised. 

To be safe, allow for a full hour of driving when coming from downtown Charleston, and around 45 minutes if you're staying in Mount Pleasant. 

You can bring your bike on the island.

However, you need to make a reservation for it on the ferry. There’s a spot on the reservation system to indicate this option.

This tour is best for older kids.

I wouldn’t feel comfortable bringing a little kid on this tour unless I was committed to babywearing on the hiking trails. While the wildlife is incredible to see, it’s not what you’d want your toddler haphazardly trying to touch.

However, elementary school kids and up will be able to stay on the paths and keep an eye out for everything on the island. I would recommend making an scavenger hunt sheet to see who could spot the most native plants and animals! (My kids love this game, and it’s an easy way to add some education into the day.)

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If you've got a free day and you're in the Charleston area, Bulls Island, South Carolina is a great way to see a microcosm of Lowcountry flora and fauna.

Phone: (843) 884-7684

Address: 498 Bulls Island Road, Awendaw, SC 29429

Admission: $40/adult, $20/child

Hours: Bulls Bay tours are held Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, 9 AM departure and 2:30 dock return. On busy days, a second 10:30 AM departure will be added. 

What isolated or protected natural places have you visited? Would you like to visit Bulls Island, South Carolina?

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