Capers Island Heritage Preserve (McCaskill Trail)

Trail Activities: t

  • Walk
  • Hike

Length:

5.00 miles

Type:

Network

Surface:

Natural

Difficulty: Easy

Trail Features: t

  • Visitor Center
  • Camping
  • Pets
  • No Fee
  • Camping

Summary:

The McCaskill Trail, which starts at the dock on the south end of the island, provides great access for serious birders and casual hikers alike.

Loading Trails

From the dock you will be walking mainly on old roads through maritime forest growth passing under live oak, magnolia, cedar, and palmetto trees. A large impoundment is home to wide assortment of animals such as raccoons, snakes, and alligators and water birds such as herons, ibises, wood storks, egrets, and bitterns. Along the shoreline you may see sandpipers, loons, cormorants, pelicans, and gulls. Due to erosion parts of the beach are lined with trees that are dead, but are still beautiful in their starkness. Some of this wood is beautiful, but it is illegal to remove anything from this island.

There are no facilities on this island, so bring everything you may need for your visit. Due to the rapid growth of foliage in this area, parts of the trail may be overgrown, so be aware that poison oak and poison ivy are abundant. Insect repellent is highly recommended about eight months of the year.

Camping: Primitive camping by permit only, call (843) 953-9300.

Directions:

Capers Island is only accessible by boat and anchoring at the dock on Capers Inlet (Marker 99 ICWW). Consult tide tables and have navigational charts before making this trip, because it is very easy to run aground.

No comments available.

Log in or create an account to comment on this trail.

SC Department of Natural Resources - Capers Island Heritage Preserve | P.O. Box 12559, Charleston, SC 29412 | (843) 953-9300 | Email

Download Coordinates
KML file Trail Segments (Paths)
Trail Features (Points of Interest)
Lat: 32.86389113792843
Long: -79.68028882267413