Tybee Island - Member Hike

Hike Name:	Tybee Island
Country:	United States
State:	Georgia
Nearby Town:	Savannah
Rating:
Directions:	Located 18 miles east of Savannah
Total Hike Distance:	6.00 miles
Hike Difficulty:	Easy
Permit Required:	No
Hike Type:	In & Out, Backtrack Hike
Hike Starts/Ends:	South Beach
Trails Used:	The shoreline dude
Backcountry Campsites:	No
Backcountry Water Sources:	None
Management:	City Park Service
Contact Information:	http://www.tybeeisland.com/
Best Season:	Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
Users:	Hikers, Bikers, Dogs
Road Conditions:	Primary Paved Roads, Secondary Paved Roads, Maintained Gravel or Dirt Roads
Hike Summary:	Okay, calling this a hike is probably a sin, but due to the severe lack of trails that don't involve you possibly being eaten by an alligator, it'll do. Here's the best route for us. Drive to Tybee and follow the signs for the Tybee Ilsand Lighthouse. Park in the North Beach parking area, fees are around a buck/ hr or get a year pass for seventy-five dollars. Grab a quick bite to eat at North Beach Grille, great burgers and humus. Walk down the Northernmost decking to the beach and turn left if you want to get some great sea shells and watch dolphins and the cargo boats. Beginning in April you'll also see a lot of rays in the water. I like North Beach better for sea shell collecting and am never disappointed. Now just, turn South and begin your hike. It's about three miles to South Beach. There is a fishig pier near downtown Tybee Island and plenty of places to eat. There's a great pizza joint and ice cream for the kiddies. I'm not too fond of Fannies, too expensive, but Spanky's is good. Down on South Beach, just keep walking past the pier you'll come to where the Back River empties into the Atlantic. When the tide is out you can find all kinds of critters in the tidal pools and is another great spot to watch the dolphins and wake surfers. This area is also known Right Whale breeding area in the Winter and Spring. Sand dollars are everywhere but please only take the dead ones as the population is getting masacred in this area now that Tybee's been outted as a good vacation spot. If you hang around for sunset, the Back River is the place to be, just turn right at the tidal pools and walk along the rivers edge and stop before you get to the expensive looking houses, although none of the owners ever give us grief. The Back River area does have some dangerous currents when the tide is going out so I suggest extreme caution as people drown there every year. We wade across when the water's really shallow and then the boy's on my shoulders still. A lot of rays get stuck and it's a good opportunity to watch them as well as catch some hermit crabs and other critters. A lot of jellyfish in the area as well but haven't been stung so far. ONE REQUEST: PLEASE ONLY TAKE DEAD SAND DOLLARS FROM THE BEACH AS THE POPULATION IS IN SOME VERY BIG TROUBLE. LEAVE SOMETING FOR YOUR KID'S KIDS PLEASE.