Go on an Adventure

❶ Beach Horseback Rides

Head off the beaten path and onto the sand for a rollicking ride through the breakers of Seabrook’s North Beach. The resort island has one of the only area beaches that permits horseback riding, offering advanced riders the chance to roam the shoreline atop the center’s sturdy school horses. To participate in the beach outing, riders must have three years of current equestrian experience and be able to maintain control at a walk, trot, and canter. Greenhorns can opt for a walking ride along the surf or on trails through the serene marsh, where you’re likely to spot alligators, turtles, osprey, and other creatures. www.discoverseabrook.com, (843) 768-7541

Cool tip: Arrive at the barn half an hour or more in advance of your reservation (which is required) to visit with the resident horses, including Emma, the Arabian mare; Lacey Gold, the American Paint; and Silky, the Marsh Tacky.

❷ The Palmetto Trail

Five hundred miles of recreational path, dubbed the Palmetto Trail, are steadily being created throughout the state, and the nearest-to-us passages make for great backwoods hiking and biking. Follow the white blazes from the trail’s coastal endpoint at Buck Hall Recreation Area westward along the Awendaw Passage, which covers seven flat miles from the Intracoastal Waterway through maritime forest (don’t miss the scenic marsh overlook at Walnut Grove near mile marker three). Avid outdoorsmen may opt to continue onto the Swamp Fox Passage. Though you’ll battle rough terrain and find only one water station along these 47 miles of old logging railbed, the journey also traverses swamp, coastal pine forest, and grassy savannas teeming with wildlife. www.palmettoconservation.org, (803) 771-0870

Cool tip: The Swamp Fox Passage can be accessed from three trailheads and includes several primitive campsites along its course, so consider breaking it into multiple day-trips.

❸ Bulls Island

Hop aboard Caretta, Coastal Expeditions’ three-hulled vessel that ferries voyagers and naturalist guides to and from the largest barrier island within the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, for untamed adventuring along 16 miles of trails on a seemingly endless stretch of undeveloped shoreline. A mile-and-a-half hike through maritime forest lands explorers on the island’s northern beach, where low tide reveals primo shells for collecting. Along the sand, you’ll encounter one of the largest congregations of American alligators north of the Everglades, migratory bird species like black skimmers and orange-beaked oystercatchers, and an eerily beautiful graveyard of sun-bleached oaks and cedars known as “Boneyard Beach.” Potties and a storm shelter are the only developments on the 5,000-acre island, so be sure to pack wisely: plenty of water, sunscreen, bug spray, sturdy walking shoes, and food to refuel. www.bullsislandferry.com, (843) 881-4582

Cool tip: Coastal Expeditions also hosts Cape Romain lighthouse tours four times annually, including excursions on June 18 and July 16. While you can’t climb either tower on Lighthouse Island, visitors are permitted a look inside these historical landmarks.

❹ Charleston Zipline Adventures

Harness your inner daredevil with a two-hour zip-line canopy tour through 10 forested acres. With the assistance of specially trained guides, this heightened adventure launches from a 65-foot tower and winds through seven cable zip lines, three swinging bridges, and a 750-foot “mega zip” to wrap up the tour with a grand swoop. When you’re finished playing Tarzan in the trees, swing over to the climbing wall—standing at a towering 60 feet, it’s the tallest in the area. Since opening last summer, this Awendaw attraction has become popular for both local and visiting thrill-seekers, so advance reservations make for a smooth experience. www.charlestonziplineadventures.com, (843) 928-3947

Cool tip: For the mini monkeys, a Kids Zip zone offers smaller circuits that reach just 25 feet high and run on a continuous belay. Participants must be between five and 10 years old, weigh 40 to 180 pounds, and have a flat-footed vertical reach of at least 46 inches.

❺ The Eighth Annual Dirt Dash

Nothing boosts stamina like running hard-packed dirt trails through August heat in the Lowcountry. Since 2010, a few tough contenders have trekked over 5K, 10K, half marathon, and full marathon courses through the Francis Marion National Forest as part of Eagle Endurance’s annual Dirt Dash. But on Saturday, August 26, this fundraiser (this year benefitting Patriot Paws, a nonprofit training service dogs for disabled veterans) ventures to new stomping grounds at Middleton Place Woodlands, a huge parcel just across the road from the historical plantation of the same name. Race organizer and Mount Pleasant firefighter Chad Haffa promises a festival atmosphere with a Friday-evening fun run, live music, and food trucks at the finish. www.eagle-endurance.com, (843) 478-1779

Cool tip: Race registration includes the option to camp Friday night on the primitive sites at Middleton Place Woodlands.

Other Race Dates to Save:

Bulldog Breakaway Twilight 5K Series: June 1, 15, & 22, The Citadel
The Big Run 5K: June 7, North Charleston Riverfront Park
Race the Landing 5K Series: June 1, June 8, & July 13, Charles Towne Landing
Barrier Island Eco Tours’ Capers ECOrun 5K/10K: June 18, Capers Island
Charleston Sprint Triathlon Series: June 18, July 9, July 30, & August 13, James Island County Park
Firecracker 4 Miler: July 4, Laurel Hill County Park, Mount Pleasant

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Holy Spokes

Charleston’s newest bike share program, Holy Spokes, just rolled out this spring, connecting wannabe riders with rentable cycles. Reserve a bike online or with the SoBi (Social Bicycles) app and get a pin number to unlock your bike. When your spin’s complete, return your ride to any of the program’s 25 stations across the peninsula. Two-wheeling technology also calculates how many calories you burn aboard your cruiser, the amount of CO2 emissions you conserved, and how much moola you saved on gas. Holy Spokes’ annual memberships go for just $69. www.charlestonbikeshare.com