Pinckney Island Wildlife Refuge | South Carolina Public Radio

“P” is for Pinckney Island Wildlife Refuge. Pinckney Island Wildlife Refuge is in Beaufort County, between Skull Creek and Mackay Creek. The Refuge was established in 1975 and opened in 1985. It is comprised of four islands: Corn, Little Harry, Big Harry, and Pinckney. The largest island, Pinckney, is the only one open to the public. From 1736 to 1936, the refuge was owned by the family and descendants of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney and was a cotton plantation. From 1937 until 1975, the island was managed as a game preserve. Nearly two-thirds of the refuge consists of salt marsh and tidal creeks. During spring and summer, the freshwater ponds host large concentrations of nesting ibis, herons, and egrets. Pinckney Island Wildlife Refuge provides hiking and biking trails excellent for wildlife observation and photography.