Wild Rides: Discover Hilton Head’s Nature by Bike
From native plants to alligators, this Lowcountry beach community has just what nature lovers are looking for.
Thinking about Hilton Head Island might immediately conjure up images of sandy beaches and verdant golf courses. But as a Southern coastal city, we are home to an abundance of plant life that creates a welcoming habitat for wildlife, making this island a more special place to visit than you even realized.
Our Native Flora
You’re probably already familiar with Spanish moss, and the oak trees of Hilton Head are dripping with it. In addition to this recognizable Southern foliage that is neither moss nor Spanish, the island has many other types of vegetation to discover.
During spring or early summer, you’re likely to catch the big, white flowers on our majestic magnolias, while throughout the year, you can enjoy evergreen pine trees and cedar. You won’t want to miss our state tree, the easy-to-recognize palmetto, and we’re also fortunate to enjoy shrublike wax myrtle and colorful crepe myrtle trees.
From there, we can also talk about the native plants growing in our salt marshes, like sea oxeye, black needlerush and cordgrass. We also have freshwater marshes, surrounded by cattails, sedges and rushes. All of this vegetation enhances the island with a soft, lush appeal, but we have edgier landscapes too, thanks to thorny sandspur, saw palmetto and flowering yucca.
Our Residents Wear Feathers, Armor and Everything in Between
With such a diverse ecosystem, Hilton Head provides a home to many remarkable birds, small and large. Where else can you see sandpipers or spot a bald eagle, while delighting in graceful wading birds like egrets and the great blue heron?
Along the shore, you might get lucky and get a glimpse of a bottlenose dolphin. Meanwhile, our ponds and marshes offer the opportunity to cast your eye on a local alligator – definitely look but don’t touch! We’ve got plenty of other creatures roaming the island too, like rabbits, otters and wild boar.
Turtle Mania
There is no doubt the diverse range of fauna calling Hilton Head home makes this an exciting place to visit, but some of our favorite inhabitants are the type who carry their houses around. Our beaches are a nesting ground for the loggerhead sea turtle, who lays its eggs on the shore to the tune of about 120 per nest. From July through October, the adorable hatchlings creep out of their shells and head for the water under the cool moonlight.
In addition to the loggerheads, Hilton Head boasts six additional turtle species like leatherback sea turtles and green sea turtles.
The Best Seat on the Island
If you’d like to pull up a front-row seat to all this beauty the island offers, there is not a better option than one attached to an electric bike! On our guided e-bike tours, you’ll experience the island and its prickly, furry, or hard-shell residents in a whole new way.
Reserve your spot on a Beach Bum Tour, for a more relaxed ride, or a History and Nature Tour to cruise through the maritime forests and marshlands. You can’t imagine the new friends you’re about to make! More info at https://hiltonheadbicycle.com/hilton-head-island-electric-bike-tours/
