Botany Bay Heritage Preserve in South Carolina awaits discovery.
The Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area on Edisto Island provides visitors with a view of South Carolina's untouched coastal wilderness. The preserve spans 4,600 acres a site that is a unique combination of natural beauty and historical significance which annually attracts visitors who love nature and history.
A Journey Through Time
“I loved these salt rivers more than I loved the sea; I loved the movement of tides more than I loved the fury of surf. Something in me was congruent with this land, something affirmed when I witnessed the startled, piping rush of shrimp or the flash of starlight on the scales of mullet. I could feel myself relax and change whenever I returned to the lowcountry and saw the vast green expanses of marsh, feminine as lace, delicate as calligraphy. The lowcountry had its own special ache and sting.”
— Pat Conroy, The Lords of Discipline
Botany Bay's landscape exposes its complicated history, which includes, the lives of those who once worked and lived on this land, including the enslaved Africans whose contributions are integral to its history. Formed from the merger of the Bleak Hall and Sea Cloud plantations in the 1930s, the area was once a hub for Sea Island cotton production. Today, visitors can explore remnants of this bygone era, including 19th-century Gothic Revival outbuildings and the foundations of antebellum homes, historical structures and silent witnesses.
Botany Bay Hertitage Preserve Photo Gallery
The photo gallery reveals the untamed natural beauty of Botany Bay Plantation which spans 4,600 acres on Edisto Island. The maritime forests and tidal creeks lead to one of the most beautiful beaches in the Lowcountry where weathered trees emerge from the sand like natural sculptures. The coastal sanctuary provides diverse wildlife and more than 100 bird species while offering walking trails and serene sunrises that reveal South Carolina's ecological and cultural heritage.
Nature's Masterpiece
The "boneyard beach" stands out as a major attraction because weathered trees form sculptural shapes against the Atlantic Ocean view. The preserve features maritime forests together with tidal creeks and freshwater ponds and three miles of untouched beachfront. The hauntingly beautiful shoreline provides photographers and beachcombers with a distinctive peaceful environment.
The area supports wildlife populations which include deer and alligators and sea turtles and multiple bird species including painted buntings and least terns. The preserve dedicates itself to conservation practices which protect these habitats for future generations.
Plan Your Visit
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The park operates from sunrise half an hour before opening until sunset half an hour after closing time every day except Tuesdays and scheduled hunting days.
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The park offers free admission to visitors who need to pick up day-use passes at the entrance kiosk.
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The park offers self-guided driving tours as well as hiking on the Pockoy Island Trail and beach relaxation opportunities. The site maintains a prohibition on shell collection because it serves to protect the natural environment.
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The beach causeway provides wheelchair accessibility to visitors.
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The preserve prohibits visitors from bringing pets and alcohol and drones and metal detectors. The site management requests visitors to refrain from taking any natural or historical objects from the site.
Getting There
The location of Botany Bay exists on SC Highway 174 within Edisto Island. The entrance becomes accessible after driving two miles down Botany Bay Road. The preserve has clear directional signs which lead visitors to their destination.