The sandy road carved a tunnel through the sprawling oak trees, straight as an arrow and as far as the eye could see. At the end, to the right and just a one-mile walk, a secluded beach of driftwood trees stand like works of art. Botany Bay is one of South Carolina’s best hidden treasures and is coveted by the locals as if it were a chest of gold.
The Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area is a 3,360-acre land managed by the Department of Natural Resources. It’s just 45 minutes from Charleston and less than ten minutes from Edisto Beach.
Visitors to the preserve can enjoy a scenic drive on the loop road, a long walk on the peaceful beach, and explore a bit of history.
Map
How to use this map: Click the icon in the top-left corner to open the Map Legend, then click on any of the legend items to display more information. If you have a Google account, click the star beside the map’s name to save this map to your account, then access the map from your smartphone during your trip.
Brief History of Botany Bay Plantation
In 1798, the Townsend family bought half the barrier island and built Bleak Hall Plantation. A few years later, they were joined by the Seabrook family when they bought the other half of the island and built Sea Cloud Plantation. In the 1840s, John Townsend, an ardent secessionist and state legislator, combined the two plantations as Botany Bay Plantation.
In 1968, John Meyer bought the former plantation. Meyer, a World War II pilot, made his fortune with hotels and real estate. But in his heart, he was a simple Southerner from Alabama who loved connecting with nature.
Meyer frequently visited the Botany Bay Plantation to hunt quail and enjoy the peacefulness of the remote island. In the 1970s, he built a dike with a water gate across a tidal inlet to create an upper brackish pond and a lower freshwater pond. He believed this would improve the water flow on his property and benefit the wildlife.
The state of South Carolina disagreed. As a result, Meyer was cited for building a dike without a permit and levied with a hefty fine. To avoid paying the fine, Meyer negotiated a deal with the state: upon the death of him and his wife, Margaret, the property would be handed over to the state for public use as a nature preserve.
John Meyer died of a heart attack on New Year’s Day in 1977, just a few years after formalizing the land transfer in his will. Margaret, however, remained at Botany Bay Plantation until her death in 2008 at the age of 86. Finally, Botany Bay Plantation was turned over to the state.
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Exploring Botany Bay
After the state took possession of the property in 2008, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources began the task of turning it into a public nature preserve. One question loomed over every decision: how could the property’s nature balance with public amenities?
An adventure at Botany Bay begins at the entrance gate on Botany Bay Road. Inside the gate, a small kiosk is a required stop for visitors. Everyone needs to fill out a day-use pass, free of charge, and place the information in the box on the kiosk. Typically, the kiosk is operated by a DNR employee, and you’ll find a brochure highlighting all the things to do.
After the initial task is completed, visitors are greeted with a majestic entrance into the preserve. A one-mile road, straight as an arrow and as far as the eye can see, cuts through a forest of oak trees and king sago palms. Sunlight filters through the trees, creating a patchwork quilt of daylight on the sandy road.
Botany Bay Road comes to an end at a T-intersection. To the right leads to a parking area and access to Driftwood Beach. To the left continues along the one-way loop road, eventually leading back to Botany Bay Road.
It’s time to choose your next adventure.
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Botany Bay Beach
The parking area is primitive. The trail to the beach is primitive. It’s part of the charm of Botany Bay – just so long as no one needs a restroom.
From the parking area, it’s about a 15-minute walk along the trail to Botany Bay Beach. The trail passes over a salt marsh, through a tiny grove of palm trees, and then another salt marsh. On clear summer days, the sunshine and humidity work together to beat down visitors earnestly, making the walk feel ten times longer.
But all thoughts of the one-mile walk disappear at the sight of the beach.
The last minutes on the trail are surrounded by a thick forest of palm trees, king sago palms, and underbrush. But at the edge of the forest, just where the sand gets deeper, and the ocean spreads out across the horizon, life’s worries come to an end.
Lifeless trees with barren limbs, long ago killed by the encroaching salty ocean, stand on the beach like gorgeous works of art. Flocks of brown pelicans frequently fly overhead, the surest sign of life on the beach. Crabs will periodically scatter across the sand and turtles will lay eggs on the beach.
Botany Bay Beach is about three miles long between the North Edisto River’s mouth and a small inlet. Large swatches of sand are perfect for chairs, beach towels, and umbrellas. Swimming, however, is not possible on this beach. Remnants of former fallen trees are hidden beneath the crashing waves, making it a dangerous affair to go for a swim.
Instead, just bring a good book and a bottle of water.
Pro Travel Tip: Botany Bay is a nature preserve. It is important to remember it’s illegal to remove seashells, driftwood, or plants from the preserve. Drones, metal detectors, and alcohol are not allowed.
Botany Bay Driving Tour
The entrance kiosk is sometimes manned, and the racks are sometimes filled with brochures. Hopefully, you will be able to snag one of the self-guided driving tour guides. The tour follows a 3.3-mile loop through the preserve and past the ruins of the former plantation.
Botany Bay Road is the “main road” through the preserve. Of course, the one-mile sandy road is unmarked and allows for two-way traffic between the entrance and the Driftwood Beach parking area.
The self-guided driving tour begins at the very end of Botany Bay Road. Straight ahead, the Bleak Hall Plantation Ice House is the most intact original building on the property. The building features curiously gorgeous architecture for something as simple as an ice house.
The 3.3-mile loop road begins at this intersection. It’s a one-way road and takes about 30 minutes to complete, so be sure you have the time before you start the journey.
The sandy road gently winds around the preserve past groves of trees, farmland, and marshes. Interestingly, the road crosses the dyke Meyer built in the 1970s – the reason this nature preserve is open to the public today.
There are plenty of places to pull over while driving the loop road. The pond is a great place to spot great white egrets preying for fish. The Sea Cloud Plantation ruins are beside the road, unfortunately, surrounded by a chain link fence to prevent theft.
Eventually, the loop road returns to Botany Bay Road. The exit is to the right, and more adventure is to the left. It’s time to choose your next adventure again.
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Things to Know Before You Go
Botany Bay is a curious place to visit. It’s incredibly primitive but immensely popular. No facilities have ever been developed, and none are ever planned. This makes it a wonderful place to connect with coastal nature, but also a place that comes with a few warnings.
- There are no restrooms at Botany Bay. The closest clean, public restrooms are at Edisto Beach State Park’s Environmental Learning Center. However, there are restrooms in gas stations and restaurants that are closer. Cellular reception is fairly good at Botany Bay, but I recommend downloading a Google Map for offline use just in case.
- Botany Bay is periodically closed to the public for deer and dove hunts.
- Botany Bay is generally open every day of the week except Tuesdays from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset.
- Getting information about Botany Bay is extremely difficult. There is no office, phone number, or email address. The best resource for additional information is this South Carolina Department of Natural Resources website – https://www2.dnr.sc.gov/ManagedLands/ManagedLand/ManagedLand/57
Getting to Botany Bay
Getting to Botany Bay is relatively easy – and it’s a fun drive from nearby Charleston and Beaufort!
From Charleston – 1 hour
Take US Highway 17 (Savannah Highway) south about 8 miles to Rantowles. Turn left onto Highway 162 toward Hollywood – but not that Hollywood. After fourteen miles, turn left onto Highway 174 toward Edisto Beach. After another fourteen miles, turn left onto Botany Bay Road. Follow the road to a sharp curve and look for the entrance on the left.
From Beaufort – 1 hour, 10 minutes
Take US Highway 21 north about fifteen miles, then turn right onto US Highway 17 (Savannah Highway) toward Charleston. Continue for thirty miles, then turn right onto Highway 174 toward Edisto Beach. After an 18-mile drive, turn left onto Botany Bay Road. Follow the road to a sharp curve and look for the entrance on the left.
Frequently Asked Questions
Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area is five miles from Edisto Beach, South Carolina – about halfway between Charleston and Beaufort.
Botany Bay is free to visit.
The Townsend family built Bleak Hall Plantation on the island in 1798. A few years later, the Seabrook family built the Sea Cloud Plantation on the other half of the island. Then, in the 1840s, John Townsend bought both and merged them as Botany Bay Plantation.
In 1968, John Meyer bought the former plantation for use as a quail hunting ground. He built an illegal dike and garnered the ire of South Carolina. As a condition for avoiding fines, Meyer deeded the property to the state upon his and his wife’s death.
Today, the state manages it as the Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area open to the public.
No. Botany Bay Beach is a nature preserve. It is illegal to take seashells, driftwood, or any other type of natural object found on the beach.
Yes. Visitors are allowed to take their dogs but they must be kept on a leash.
Yes, Botany Bay Beach is sandy.
No, it is not safe to swim in the water at Botany Bay Beach. Trunks of fallen knees are often hidden beneath the waves, making it dangerous to swim in the water.
