Trails: Sandpiper, Avian Loop, Connector, and Big Ferry Trails
Hike Location: Skidaway Island State Park
Geographic Location: southeast of Savannah, GA (31.94960, -81.05353)
Length: 4.3 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: February 2023
Overview: A multiple loop hike with good tidal marsh views and interesting human history.
Park Information:
https://gastateparks.org/SkidawayIsland
Hike Route Map:
https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=929409Photo Highlight:
Directions to the trailhead: South of Savannah, take I-95 to SR 204 (exit 94). Exit, go east on SR 204 for 6.7 miles, than angle right to enter Harry S. Truman Parkway. Drive Harry S. Truman Parkway 1.7 miles to Whitefield Ave. Exit and turn right on Whitefield Ave. Drive Whitefield Ave. east across the Diamond Causeway for 3.9 miles to Skidaway Island Park Road. Turn left on Skidaway Island Park Rd., which deadends at the park entrance. Pay the park entrance fee and park in the large parking lot in front of the Visitor Center.
The hike: When you drive east on the Diamond Causeway from Savannah, the last sign for Skidaway Island State Park is located beside a retirement home and two churches, making this park seem like an unlikely destination for a good hike. But do not let the development discourage you: cozy 588 acre Skidaway Island State Park offers a surprising amount of peace and solitude given its location. The park is separated from the City of Savannah by the Skidaway River, which is also part of the intracoastal waterway. Indeed, Skidaway Island State Park lacks only a beach from offering a sample of everything good about coastal Georgia.
In terms of amenities, the park boasts an excellent 87-site developed campground, 5 picnic shelters, 3 cabins, and 2 playgrounds. For hikers, the park offers 6 miles of trails exploring both the marshes and the forests, plus the trails explore some interesting constructions made by the people who lived and worked here centuries ago. This hike takes you on a grand loop tour through the park's trail system, thus exploring all of the natural scenery and human history this park has to offer.
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| Trailhead for Sandpiper Trail |
Start by walking around the right side of the very large and very nice Visitor Center to find the signed trailhead for the Sandpiper Trail. Very quickly you reach a long wooden bridge over a sunny marsh. A large number of tiny fiddler crabs were scurrying around the sunny marsh when I came here, and the views here are truly delightful if the heat and bugs are not too bad.
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| Fiddler crabs in salt marsh |
When you reach the island hammock on the other side of the second bridge, the Sandpiper Trail splits to form its loop. To take the most direct route to the Avian Loop Trail, the next segment of this hike, I turned right here. The island hammock is shady but potentially muddy, and I had to step around some wet areas on this segment of the trail.
At 0.5 miles, you need to turn right to leave the Sandpiper Trail and begin the Avian Loop Trail. A sign marks this intersection. After crossing a bridge over a tidal creek, the Avian Loop Trail splits to form its loop. Again to take the shortest route to the next trail, I turned right here to start hiking the Avian Loop Trail counterclockwise.
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| Crossing a tidal creek |
A short walk on another island hammock brings you to a trail intersection and some picnic tables beside Skidaway River at 0.8 miles. A couple of ladies were letting their dogs play in the river when I came here, and the picnic tables make a scenic spot to sit if it is not too early in the hike for a rest. When you are ready to continue, turn right to head east on the green-blazed Connector Trail.
True to its name, the Connector Trail connects the Sandpiper and Avian Loop Trails with the more substantial Big Ferry Trail. At first the Connector Trail passes through an open sunny area that might be wet if it has rained recently, but soon it gains a small amount of elevation to enter a nice pine forest with Spanish moss-draped live oaks and even some palm trees. The trail also passes through the primitive campground, and the wooden overnight shelters look like nice places to spend a night backpacking provided the heat and bugs are manageable.
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| Hiking the Connector Trail |
Just shy of 1.5 miles, you reach the east end of the Connector Trail and its intersection with the Big Ferry Trail. The trail going right will eventually be our route back to the Visitor Center, and you could go that way now if you are getting tired or running out of daylight. To also hike the Big Ferry Trail, which is probably this park's best trail, turn left and then turn right to begin the south arm of the Big Ferry Trail.
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| Hiking the Big Ferry Trail |
The trail treads near the park boundary on the right as it passes through more nice forest with tall pine trees and a dense understory of palmetto and holly. I heard some woodpeckers in this area and saw numerous other woodland birds. Just past 2 miles, the south and north arms of the Big Ferry Trail come back together. Turn right to begin the eastern section of the Big Ferry Trail.  |
| Liquor still ruins |
Soon you pass an area with a large number of shell middens, or mounds of oyster shell scraps left here by people centuries ago. Next you arrive at the ruins of a liquor still, which were left here much more recently. Skidaway Island was a popular site for illegal liquor production during Prohibition: it was easy for bootleggers to access, yet the island location and dense greenery made it hard for authorities to find the stills. Finally you reach the Big Ferry Trail's small easternmost loop. This loop features some trench earthworks built by slaves during the Civil War to prevent Union incursions on the island. A wooden bridge carries you over the deepest trench.
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| Civil War-era earthworks |
Now heading west, stay right at all trail forks to hike the north arm of the Big Ferry Trail's loop. A couple of views into the sunny salt marsh to the right emerge, and at 3.3 miles you reach the short spur trail that leads right to the observation tower. This tower offers a fantastic view across the salt marsh and the Skidaway River, and I saw several waterfowl including herons and egrets here.
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| View east from observation tower |
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| View north from observation tower |
Past the observation tower, the trail joins an old dirt road as it passes a couple of ponds. The park map calls these ponds alligator ponds, and while you may see an alligator here, they in fact are probably borrow pits from this road's construction. At 3.6 miles, you close the Big Ferry Trail's loop. Continue straight to keep following the old road and reach the paved park road at 3.9 miles. Turn right on the paved park road and walk along the shoulder of the road to return to the Visitor Center and complete the hike.
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