A Guide to Beaufort County Public Boat Ramps (Hilton Head Island & Bluffton)
Posted by Bill True on Thursday, December 29th, 2022 at 3:50pm.
When I started the research for this blog, I didn't realize how many ramps were managed by Beaufort County Department of Public works. I focused on the location of Beaufort County, the heart of the South Carolina Lowcountry, and quickly realized that the twenty-five boat ramps are spread across the twenty-two rivers and creeks that run through Beaufort County.
My next challenge was how to present such a large quantity of information that would be not only useful to my readers but would be in a format that would allow the boater or potential boater quick access to detailed information on each of the facilities. Here, Beaufort County is the hero. The Beaufort County, Department of Public Works maintains a database of relevant information and even pictures of each of the twenty-five boat ramp facilities.
In the following pages I will provide, by waterway, a brief description of each of the twenty-five ramps throughout Bluffton and Hilton Head Island with a link to the Beaufort County’s information page.
Boat Ramps by Waterway
Battery Creek
Parris Island Boat Landing 50 Marina Boulevard
Access to Batter Creek and Beaufort River
- 15 Parking Spaces (unpaved)
- Dual lane ramp (steepr than average)
- Courtesy dock
Port Royal Boat Landing (The Sands) 50 Sands Beach Rd
Access to Battery Creek & Beaufort River
- Heavily used; limited parking (34 spaces)
- Three lane ramp
- L-Shaped courtesy dock
Brickyard Creek
Brickyard Creek Boat Landing 275 Brickyard Point Road
Approximately 10 Parking spaces (unpaved)
- Ramp only; No courtesy dock
- Ramp is rough; Deep drop-off at Low Tide
- County has only Prescriptive rights to Property
Broad Creek
Cross Island Boat Landing 68 Helmsman Way
- 45 Parking spaces
- Access to Broad Creek and Calibogue Sound
- Courtesy dock
Approximately 20 parking spaces
- Small Boats, Kayaks, & Canoes only (gravel landing)
- Access to headwaters of Broad Creek (no wake zones)
- Very shallow water
Broad River
- Courtesy Dock and Ramp
- 50+ Parking Spaces
- Lighting
- Shares Parking and Restroom with Pier
- Co-located with Broad River Fishing Pie
Capers Creek
Access to Caper's Creek
- 10 Parking spaces
- Rough ramp
- Courtesy dock
Chechessee River
- SC 170 at Chechessee River Bridge
- 64 Parking spaces
- Access to Chechessee & Broad Rivers & Port Royal Sound
- Dual lane ramp; Courtesy dock
- No lighting
Colleton River
Access to Colleton, Okatie, and Chechessee Rivers
- Long fetch; Water can be rough
- Dual lane ramp and courtesy dock
- Approximately 55 parking spaces (unpaved)
Combahee River
- Combahee River
- Heavily used; Limited parking (approx. 14 unpaved spaces)
- Dual lane ramp
- Older courtesy dock
Factory Creek
Access to Lady's Island-Factory Creek
- Heavily used; Limited parking (16 spaces)
- Four Lane undivided ram
- Older courtesy dock
- Drop-off at low tid
Fripp Point Inlet
- Access to Fripp Inlet
- 16 Parking spaces (unpaved)
- Two lane ramp
- Central courtesy dock
Huspah Creek
- Access to Huspah Creek and Whale Branch River
- New floating dock
- 15 Parking spaces on unpaved lot
Jenkins Creek
- Access to Jenkins Creek and Morgan River
- New floating dock
- 20 Parking spaces (12 paved; 8 unpaved)
- Deep drop off at low tide
Lucy Point Creek
- Access to Lucy Point Creek and Coosaw River
- Heavily used; Limited parking (approx. 10 spaces)
- Dual lane ramp
- Courtesy dock
Mackay Creek
- Access to MacKay Creek and Calibogue Sound
- Very limited parking (4-6 spaces max.)
- Must know the Channel
Located off US 278 on Pinckney Island
- Access to MacKay and Skull Creeks
- Approximately 90 parking spaces
- New ramp and courtesy dock
- Co-located with fixed pier
May River
- Access to May River and Calibogue Sound
- Long fetch; Water can be rough
- Drop off at Low Tide
- Heavily used; Very limited parking (Approx. 20 spaces)
Access to May River
- Ramp only; No courtesy dock
- 20 Parking spaces
New River
- Courtesy dock
- 10 Parking spaces; Single lane ramp
- Shares restroom with Marshside Mama's
- Co-located with fixed pier
Station Creek
Heavily used on Weekends
- Approximately 100 parking spaces, Including overflow lot
- Three lane ramp
- Older courtesy dock
Sugar Hill Creek
- Sugar Hill Creek into the Combahee River
- 50+ Unpaved parking spaces; Heavily used during duck season
- Rough ramp; No courtesy dock
- Deep drop-off at low tide
- Smaller boats only; Creek very shallow at low tide
Wards Creek
- 20 Parking spaces (unpaved); No courtesy dock
- Small boats only; Shallow creek
- New ramp
Whale Branch
Access to Broad River and Whale Branch
- Dual lane ramp; Courtesy dock
- 18 Parking spaces (unpaved)
Wimbee River
- Access to Wimbee Creek
- 15 Parking spaces (unpaved)
- New courtesy dock
- Co-located with Wimbee Creek Fishing Pier
Enjoy the waterways of Beaufort County in the heart of the South Carolina Lowcountry.
-Bill True