Chaplin Community Park
Chaplin is one of the largest, and nicest, parks on Hilton Head Island, where every member of the family can easily find recreation or a pleasant pass time. You can even find a few special things for "Rover" at this delightful family playground, as it includes the islands only official dog park! There is also a very nice playground, several tennis courts, very nice (and always clean) restrooms, a covered picnic pavilion (sorry, no grills), , plentiful free parking, showers and easy access to Burkes Beach. Chaplin also includes basketball courts, walking trails and a huge "multi-purpose' field, complete with soccer goals!
Chaplin Park is huge, with the entrance road, walking and biking trails, interlacing with each other as they also divide the various areas. The entire area from 278 to the ocean beach and from Singleton Beach Rd to Burkes Beach Rd. is park, with the service road and all the trials traversing from one of these roads to the other and dividing the recreation area in half. Free parking lots are scattered along the entire length of the entrance road, with more parking available at the dog park, which is entirely fenced to allow your pet unleashed play and free access to a drink of cool water. If you prefer to go straight to the beach, and don't mind paying to park, there are thirteen metered parking spaces at the end of Burkes Beach Rd., only feet from the sand trail that leads to the ocean. Parking here cost a quarter per fifteen minutes, the meters only take quarters, and there is no change available; so be sure you are prepared if you decide to use this convenience.
The soft white sand beach trail is lined with Sea Oats and Morning Glories. A small tidal creek crosses under a foot bridge along the trail. Islanders and visitors alike enjoy catching Blue Crabs in this little creek; high tide is the best time to soak a chicken neck here. Dogs are allowed to run and romp in the surf on all Hilton Head beaches; before ten in the morning and after five in the afternoon, but it seems this is the preferred beach of most island dogs! Most any morning you and your pet can make a new friend or two along this strip of sand.
Although most beach access areas on Hilton Head have been furnished with matting for ease of negotiating wheelchairs and strollers, the Burkes Beach entrance, unfortunately has none. If you do have a stroller or wheelchair you would like to get near the beach, you should probably consider nearby Folly Field, or Driessen Beach Park. You would also be well advised to bring along a cooler, as there are no vending machines and there are no stores within easy walking distance. Remember; no glass or alcohol, please. It is also important to remember, that as both a matter of courtesy, and local ordinance, you are responsible to pick up after your pet; special bags and trash cans are provided throughout the park for this purpose.
