Skidaway Island State Park, Savannah GA
Avian Loop Trail, Big Ferry Trail, Sandpiper
Loop, and Connector Trail
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LOCATION:
52 Diamond Causeway Savannah, GA 31411 PHONE: 912-598-2300 Reserve: 800-864-7275 RATES: $26 - $45 $5 parking fee CHECK IN/OUT: Check in at 1 pm/Check out before 1 pm. ACCESS: 7 am - 10 pm. MAPS: At Office SITES: 87 PULL THRUS: 70 WATERFRONT: n/a PICNIC SHELTERS: yes SITE SURFACE: dirt HOOK-UPS: Water & 30/50 Amp WIFI: At office CABLE: Yes SEWER: 17 sites BATH: Yes LAUNDRY: Yes DUMP STATION: Yes SHADE TREES: Yes POOL: No BOAT RAMP: Available outside park within 1/2 mile on the intracoastal waterway FEATURES: 3 playground, interpretive center, Geogaching, Cabins, nature trails, bike rental and activities with a ranger RANKING: 9 PET FRIENDLY: Yes NEARBY ATTRACTIONS Butterbean Beach Fort McAllister Marine Education Center and Aquarium Moon River District Oatland Island Pin Point Heritage Museum Savannah River Street Tybee Island Beaches Wormsloe State Historic Site |
Skidaway Island State Park borders Skidaway Narrows, a part of the intracoastal waterway, and is located near historic Savannah. Skidaway Island is one of Georgia's barrier islands, a chain of islands that lines the entire coast of Georgia. The park opened in 1975, after the property was transferred to the state of Georgia from the timber company that owned most of the island.
The park is part of the Colonial Coast Birding Trail. Large birds of prey, like bald eagles and ospreys, may be present in the park year-round. Ducks and loons winter over in the park, and songbirds use the island as a waystation during their spring migrations. In the summer, colorful nesting birds such as the painted bunting, bluebird, summer tanager and orchard oriole may be spotted while hiking. Skidaway Island is home to the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, a research institution operated by the University of Georgia and is used by scholars and researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Savannah State University and College of Coastal Georgia. The Jay Wolf Nature Trail and Aquarium at the Georgia Marine Extension Service is open to the public and very enjoyable. We camped here in August 2016 in our motorhome and loved the wide sites nestled under the live oaks and Spanish moss. The park is easy to get into but the roads do narrow a little in the campground. We didn't have any problems in our 35 ft motorhome. We returned in our Winnebago Travato van in 2018. We visited the Pin Point Heritage Museum in the Moon River District and had a personal guide through the restored oyster processing factory. She told us the story of Pin Point, a historic Gullah Geechee community. We also toured the Wormsloe Historic site under century old trees and tabby ruins. We then drove along the Bluff Drive in Moon River's historic riverside village. There are six miles of trails within the park offering boardwalks and observation platforms and wind through saltwater marshes and maritime forests. There is also a Nature walking trail within the park. The Avian Loop Trail is a one-mile loop that takes you to the intracoastal waterway where you might see a dolphin swimming. A sandy causeway crosses the largest tidal creek that flows into the park. The Big Ferry Trail is a two-mile loop or you can include the earthworks loop to make it nearly three miles. Bicycles and animals are welcome on this trail. The Earthworks are mounds built by slaves during the Civil War as part of the defense system against Union Troops. There are also a few alligator ponds along the way. Check out the Observation Tower for gorgeous pictures and bird viewing. The Sandpiper Trail Loop is a popular 1-mile loop taking you over salt flats and tidal creeks and through maritime forests. The boardwalks and level trail are ADA accessible. Leashed animals are welcome but no bicycles on this trail. Follow the alphabetized posts along the way to learn about the resources on this trail. The Connector Trail connects both the Sandpiper and Avian Loop Trails to the Big Ferry Trail and takes you through the unwanted Chinese Tallow Forest. There is an alligator pond along this trail and sometimes you can see a resident alligator. DIRECTIONS FROM ATLANTA:
I-75 south to I-16 toward Savannah. Exit at I-516 (#164A), which turns into DeRenne Avenue. Turn right on Truman Parkway and exit at Whitefield Ave and turn left. Follow to Skidaway Island on the Diamond Causeway and turn left on State Park Road. NOTE: Turn left at first light getting onto the Island. Sometimes GPS devices miss this turn GPS Coordinates: N 31.9493100 | W -81.053710                   |
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