Unfortunately it is just TOO accessible. The best camping is on the ocean-side of the island. of Natural Resources will fax or e-mail you a free camping permit. Camping may occur only along riverbanks and on sandbars, which may be approached only by backpacking or boat. After a nice walk we headed back to camp and as the sun started to poke through the clouds the power boaters descended on Capers as though it WAS D-Day. Horse riding is allowed on roads open to motorized vehicle traffic except during deer seasons. The property is closed to all public access from November 1 to January 21, except for scheduled waterfowl hunts. Bicyclists may ride in groups no larger than five (5). South Carolina DNR officers occasionally patrol the island to make sure campers are in the designated areas. Once on the island, adventure seekers are free to peruse the island, bring a picnic and just get away for a while. "styles": { Horseback riding and all terrain vehicles are prohibited. Many times we witnessed what we came to describe as "Attention Deficit Disorder Shell Collecting": a power boat would pull up and a bunch of people would spring out with beers in hand, walk a hundred yards down the beach and back, hop back in the boat and roar off back into the ICW. Surely our site was fine. A camper may remain in one location no more than five consecutive nights. files. Capers is a large island, so break your hikes up day by day. The operation of a motorized vehicle behind any closed gate is prohibited. No bicycle may be operated in any manner or place that will damage or degrade any feature or habitat. Camping permit (free) required from the DNR (843)762-5077. } }, Camping on the island requires a permission from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, which only issues 80 per night. Capers is not for the faint of heart. } "margin-left": "-20px" "max-width": "100%", The night was warm and clear with thousands of brilliant stars and we turned in to the crashing of the waves across the dunes. Care needs to be taken when assessing the route because as the tide falls, what appears to be navigable can end up putting you in very shallow water, in marsh mud, or very sharp oyster beds. }, . Gas lanterns and gas grills only may be used by campers. This was Rob, Andy, Jay, Scooter, Scooter's nephew, and 11 kids on an overnight camping trip to Capers Island, SC. A permit is required for all camping. Defined in SC SECTION 51-3-145. More details Camping Area in Charleston, SC. Curiously, the free ride I had anticipated on the falling tide was in fact about a 1/2 mph current AGAINST us all the way to the point we turned out and caught the current going out Capers Inlet. "margin-left": "-20px" Dogs are not permitted. View all 7 photos. Are alligators present on Capers Island, South Carolina? 850 acres of coastal upland forest, 214 acres of shoreline, 1,090 acres of salt marsh, and over 100 acres of brackish ponds make up the island's diverse ecosystems. In the morning I made a little breakfast and took a hike up the coast to grab a few shells and enjoy the scenery. Along with shark, sea trout, red drum, flounder, spot, pompano, croaker, king whiting and black drum are all plentiful for catch among anglers. The beach is very wide and flat at low tide with the stumps and logs of palm trees littering the area; it almost looks like the beach at Normandy on D-Day with all the obstacles. }, <p>Horse riding is allowed only on roadways, firebreaks, and trails. A person may use an all terrain vehicle while actually engaged in hunting at any time hunting is allowed; provided, however, the operation of an all terrain vehicle is restricted to one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset with the exception of game retrieval, and an all terrain vehicle may be used only on open roads. The beaches on Cedar and Murphy Islands will be open year round, seven days a week. No camping will be allowed that may conflict with organized hunts. Salt marshes and the Intracoastal Waterway separate it from the mainland. How it works is that these lanternsvaporize allethrin, which is a synthetic copy of the active ingredient in chrysanthemum flowers that repels mosquitoes, black flies, and no-see-ums. We had another no-current assisted paddle back to the marina, which was now an incredible zoo of boats, humanity, cars and trailers. if (window.ShopifyBuy.UI) { Pleasant and follow Highway 17N until you come to the Isle of Palms Connector. Fishermen lined the beach along the inlet and we discovered the truth in what the Coastal Expeditions guide had told us. ShopifyBuyInit(); } else { They have access to a ferry, but only for parties of seven or more. Use of the Foothills Trail shall be limited to hiking and primitive camping. Photo submitted by John Martin. Belong anywhere with Airbnb. Boneyard beach is a great walk to do at sunrise. "@media (min-width: 601px)": { No fishing is allowed from the impoundment tide gate. Remember to get a camping permit from the DNR before you go. } } Horse riders must wear international orange clothing during open hunting seasons. View active FSBO listings on Capers Island Cir in Saint Helena Island, SC. The gravel paths throughout the park allow runners and cyclists to navigate through the park without any issue. Although, if you want to camp overnight you must obtain a free DNR permit. A camper may remain in one location no more than five consecutive nights. In retrospect, looking at the maps I concluded that the relatively large quantity of water in the Copahee and Hamlin sounds must funnel mostly out through Dewees Inlet, which would account for the adverse current all the way to Capers Inlet. var script = document.createElement('script'); To reach Gadsenville Landing, take Hwy 17 N for 15 miles. No groups larger }, Luckily, campfires are allowed on the island, so enjoy your night of crashing waves and unpolluted stars next to a warm, cozy fire. Be sure to get up early to catch the amazing sunrise while camping on the beach! They roared all over the place in everything from jet-skis to 50 foot yachts. From there, there is approximately 5 miles of a combined au natural trail that will at some points be overgrown, and other times be an old road bed (which makes things a little more straightforward). In addition to camping available for deer hunters, the designated camping areas are available during the period of March 1 until October 31 and during open periods between November 1 and February 28 of the next year. Directions from Charleston: Take Hwy 17 N to the Isle of Palms Connector. Cross Copahee Sound to the Intracoastal and head north along Dewees Island to Capers Inlet. Misdemeanor. } else { That means less crowded trails and more island to yourself. Whatever you do, go just around the corner of the inlet and make camp on the beach or trees facing the ocean, NOT the inlet. loadScript(); script.src = scriptURL; IOP Marina charged a $6 ramp/parking fee. Free, primitive camping is permitted on the island with a permit from the Department of Natural Resources. } One of the main attractions found on Capers is Boneyard Beach, a ghost-like forest of petrified trees sticking out of the sand, left behind by Hurricane Hugo. These 80 people may be divided into no more than 20 different groups. Either way, you will feel like you are in the middle of nowhere. The sun woke us at around 9 the next morning. I completed an overnight trip to Caper's Island (near Charleston) this past weekend. } Details. Park at the Gadsdenville Public Boat Landing at the end of Gadsdenville Road off of Rt. Two fisherman got hopped out and hollered that they were going to make camp right behind our site, beyond the dunes if we didn't mind. Fine: $25-200. Jan 6, 2023 - Rent from people in Capers Island, South Carolina, SC from $20/night. var scriptURL = 'https://sdks.shopifycdn.com/buy-button/latest/buy-button-storefront.min.js'; }, "product": { South Carolina Dept. 17. }, Camping is allowed by permit only. 8 miles. We were lucky and saw a pod of bottle nose Dolphins, and even a family of raccoons (they stole our breakfast, so hang your food where it can't be reached). Camping on the island requires a permission from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, which only issues 80 per night. We left the boat landing at very low tide and ended up dragging our kayak through pluff mud and then got lost in the marsh, adding about 2 miles to the trip. You will need it about 8 months out of the year. "@media (min-width: 601px)": { With the roll of thunder accompanying us we glided past the piled up oyster shells lining the banks of the ICW. "@media (min-width: 601px)": { /**/. }, } "total": "Subtotal", If you don't have the reader Fishing is permitted from the Santee River dock and the Hog Pen impoundment except during scheduled hunts. Camping is allowed in designated campsites during designated hunts only. "productSet": { The USGS (U.S. Geologica "styles": { "imgWithCarousel": true, If there is one backpacking/paddling trip you should take this season, it should be to Capers Island, and here's how to do it. }, } "cart": { SC. Owned by the state of South Carolina, Capers Island is an undeveloped barrier island in the Atlantic Ocean about 15 miles north of the city of Charleston. From the marina you can reach Caper's Island in approximately 2 hours paddling at a moderate pace. Still in shock that in all these miles of shoreline they had to pick a spot 50 feet away from us I nodded and we kept walking up the beach. var client = ShopifyBuy.buildClient({ The upland nature trail will be available during open periods stated above. Telephone them at 843-953-9300, they were VERY accommodating. Camping is restricted to primitive camping. James Island County Park Primitive Camping Area. Temporary primitive camping will be available to organized groups by permit. "margin-left": "20px", If you are planning on doing this trip, you MUST follow the tide suggestions. As you walk on this path you will come across camera-toting tourists, horse drawn carriages and incredible Charleston architecture. Each person must sign in and out of the preserve at a designated entrance/exit. Capers is a large island, so break your hikes up day by day. This is a lollipop loop trail that is on an old forest road. "button": "Add to cart" No person may enter any area of the preserve designated as a nesting area for birds. These 80 people may be divided into no more than 20 different groups. Horseback riding allowed on roads open to motorized vehicles and no horseback riding during any open hunting season. No trash is to be placed in any fire or buried. if (window.ShopifyBuy) { Road opening and closing schedules written below are given as general information. Sign up for updates on new adventures, videos from The Adventure Collective and special offers on merchandise. It was hilarious in a sick kind of way. The island lies about three miles from the mainland, and is approximately three miles in length and one mile in width. "contents": { "total": "Subtotal", Webb WMA is closed to the general public from one hour after official sunset to one hour before official sunrise. Call 843-568-3222 for inquiries and reservations. var client = ShopifyBuy.buildClient({ Left on 703 on IOP and when it makes the sharp bend to the left keep following it around to the left and straight ahead will be IOP Marina. Consult tide tables and have navigational charts before making this trip, because it is very easy to run aground. Entrance to the preserve is through a designated parking area. Find unique places to stay with local hosts in 191 countries. "products": { No person may enter any area of the preserve designated as a nesting area for birds. The maps show inland lakes, but they are toward the northeast end of the island and I'm not positive that they aren't brackish. Horseback riding is allowed by permit only on designated roads. There is limited parking at the boat landing. "productSet": { files. Camping on Capers Island Visitors are aloud to stop by the island anytime during daylight hours free of . View birds nesting and flowers blooming! It is by permit only; call the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources at (843) 762-5042 or 762-5062 to obtain a . "text": { Pleasant (843)884-7684. These permits are completely free; just make sure you obtain them through the proper procedures. of Natural Resources . Overnight visitors to the Webb Center are not restricted in hours of access. Especially in the cooler months. This island is known to the locals for its beauty and pristine beaches. ui.createComponent('product', { The island has a number of settings. by contacting Rachel Milan or 843-953-9360. var scriptURL = 'https://sdks.shopifycdn.com/buy-button/latest/buy-button-storefront.min.js'; Primitive camping only is allowed. Individual trips cannot be scheduled. The Santee Coastal Reserve will be open for limited public use year round except during annually scheduled hunts in November, December and January. "margin-bottom": "50px" Capers Island Tour, 4-8hrs With Nature Adventures. } function loadScript() { If you're up for an adventure, load up your kayak and head out to this island for an overnight or multi-night stay on one of the most beautiful reserves in the area. "text": { We're talking campsites with surreal ocean views, interrupted only by petrified trees, and the shade of centuries-old live oak canopies. Most people put in at Garris Landing (for a longer paddle route to Capers) or Gadsenville Public Boat Landing. I-26 to I-526 toward Isle of Palms. "button": "View product" Motorized vehicles, all terrain vehicles, and off road vehicles shall not exceed speed limits posted on Department signs. } Includes information on put ins and take outs, routes, tides, camping, etc. . 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