The last great place

Looking for a summer getaway that’s off the beaten path but close to home? Discover the ACE Basin, one of the largest undeveloped estuaries on the East Coast, located between Beaufort and Charleston along U.S. Highway 17. To get the full ACE experience, you’ll want to veer off the main road to explore the towns, beaches, forests, rivers, wildlife centers and historic sites. Those who want to experience South Carolina’s natural side will find ample refuge in the ACE, which The Nature Conservancy dubbed “the last great place.”

Generally speaking, the ACE Basin is the land wedged between Hilton Head and Charleston, extending about 30 miles inland to include Walterboro, Yemassee and Gardens Corner. It is named for the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto rivers that drain the land and empty into St. Helena Sound north of Beaufort. Most of the ACE’s 350,000 acres consists of public land or private property protected from development by conservation easements.

Think of the ACE as a coastal crossroads, where rivers meet the sea and fresh and salt water collide to create barrier islands, salt marshes, tidal creeks, uplands, lowlands and brackish wetlands. This variety of interlocking landscapes is home to more than 250 bird species and serves as a crucial flyway during migration season. Summer birders can spot nesting painted buntings and piping plovers, as well as brilliant pink roseate spoonbills. Visitors can also see bald eagles, ospreys and red-tailed hawks patrolling the rivers while fox squirrels, beavers and bobcats roam the land. Human presence seems relatively scarce, spread thinly across the immense watershed.

A simple internet search of the ACE Basin reveals far more than can be covered here, but we’ve listed some of Audubon’s must-see summer spots. Halfway to Charleston, explore Bear Island, where long-abandoned rice fields have become wetlands and herons, black-necked stilts and wood storks pick through the Lowcountry’s famous pluff mud. Hike, bike or drive the 11 miles of roads at nearby Donnelley Wildlife Management Area. Be sure to load up on sunscreen and insect repellent before setting out to spot wild turkeys, Mississippi kites, indigo buntings and summer tanagers.

Three state parks showcase the range of the ACE Basin’s natural beauty. Hunting Island, with its lighthouse, fishing pier and expansive beaches, is South Carolina’s most-visited state park.

Closer to Charleston, Edisto Beach State Park’s four miles of ADA-accessible hiking trails and boneyard beaches make for a laid-back, tranquil experience. Or camp under the stars at Colleton State Park in Walterboro and kayak the Edisto River, North America’s longest free-flowing blackwater river.

Boaters can launch from 23 public landings in the ACE Basin, many of them free of charge. No boat? Hire a local guide to find the best spots for bass and sunfish fishing. Or take the easy route: cast a line near the Ashepoo River bridge and watch