Cherry Grove Park
& Boat Ramp

What Is Cherry Grove Park?

Drive a few blocks off Ocean Boulevard toward the waterway and you'll find a small, unassuming park that most visitors to Cherry Grove Beach never discover. Cherry Grove Park and Boat Ramp sits at the edge of Williams Creek — a tidal waterway that feeds into the broader ICW system running behind the beach. It's a quiet county park that gives you direct water access, a proper boat launch, a long wooden pier, kayak slips, and marsh views that belong in a magazine.

There's no admission fee. No concessions, no lifeguards, no crowds. Just moving water, shade trees, a covered pavilion, and the kind of stillness that's almost impossible to find on the oceanfront side. It's the kind of place where a morning visit feels like a reward for knowing where to look.

The entrance sign says it all — a heron, spartina grass, and a warm welcome. This is the real Cherry Grove.

How to Get There

The park is easy to find once you know it exists — which is half the battle. From the main Ocean Boulevard strip in Cherry Grove, head west toward the waterway. Minnow Drive takes you right to the entrance. The drive takes about three minutes from the beach. You'll pass vacation rentals and residential streets before the road opens up and the waterway appears in front of you.

The entrance is clearly marked — look for the gravel lot on your left and the boat ramp sign as you approach the water. There's ample parking, and even on busy summer weekends it rarely fills up completely.

The park entrance off Minnow Drive — the road leads straight to the waterway.

The Boat Ramp

The park is managed by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources — the same agency that runs boat ramps across the state — which means the facilities are well-maintained and the ramp itself is built to handle real use. This isn't a rough gravel slide into the water. It's a proper, wide concrete ramp with a floating dock alongside it, designed for trailers and regular launches.

The ramp gives you direct access to Williams Creek, which connects north and south through the ICW. From here you can run a boat up toward the Cherry Grove Inlet, work the back channels for fish, or paddle in either direction through the marsh. On a summer morning, you'll often see locals backing down trucks with bay boats while kayakers slip off the ramp next door — the park handles both without conflict.

The SCDNR sign marks the official launch — Cherry Grove Boat Ramp on Williams Creek. Free to use, all vehicles and trailers must park in designated spaces.

The concrete ramp in action — wide, gradual, and easy to back a trailer down. The floating dock to the right gives passengers a stable place to board.

What to Do Here

Kayaking & Paddleboarding

This is the best free paddle launch in Cherry Grove — and the park makes it easy. There's a dedicated kayak and canoe slip right next to the boat ramp, separate from the power boat traffic, with its own dock and ramp. Colorful kayaks are regularly staged there by rentals and regulars alike. The signs say it clearly: this area is for kayaks only, no fishing or crabbing from the launch.

The water here is calm, tidal, and sheltered — beginners get comfortable fast. Paddle north and you'll work through the marsh channels toward the inlet. Head south and the ICW opens wide with waterfront homes on both sides. Either direction gives you a completely different view of Cherry Grove than the ocean ever will. Dolphins work these back channels regularly — especially on morning incoming tides.

The dedicated kayak slip — separate from boat traffic, with its own dock and a steady supply of colorful boats ready to go. Signs make clear: kayaks only from this area.

Kayaks and a SUP board ready to go — the shade trees and sandy ground make staging gear easy before you hit the water.

The Pier & Waterfront Walk

One of the best features of the park is a long wooden pier that extends well out over the waterway. It's a proper structure — wide, sturdy railings, room to spread out. From the end of the pier you get an unobstructed view in both directions down the channel, which makes it as good for watching the water as it is for fishing.

Running alongside the waterway between the pier and the boat ramp is a new wooden rail fence and a sandy walking path with benches. It's the kind of waterfront walkway you'd pay for at a resort — quiet, right on the water, and almost always uncrowded. Grab a bench and watch the tide move. You could spend an hour here doing nothing and feel like you got the better end of the deal.

The pier stretches far out over the waterway — wide enough to spread out, with great views in both directions down the channel.

The waterfront walkway along the park — new wooden railings, a sandy path, and benches overlooking the waterway. This is what most people drive right past.

Looking down the waterfront railing toward the pier. The whole park is oriented around the water — every angle has a view.

Fishing

The pier and the banks around the ramp are active fishing spots year-round. Flounder, red drum, and speckled trout move through these channels with the tides — but Williams Creek will also surprise you. On a recent visit we pulled a fully-puffed northern puffer fish off the pier, which made for a better photo than it did a catch-and-keep moment. The waterway keeps it interesting.

Early morning and the couple hours around incoming tide tend to be most productive. You don't need anything fancy — a simple bottom rig with live or cut bait will work. South Carolina does not require a saltwater fishing license for most recreational shore anglers, but check current SCDNR regulations before your trip to confirm.

The waterway will surprise you. A fully-puffed northern puffer fish caught right off the pier — not what you expect, but exactly the kind of thing that makes a morning here memorable.

Wildlife & The Waterway Views

The marsh ecosystem here is alive in a way the beach often isn't. Great blue herons and egrets work the spartina edges at low tide. Ospreys patrol overhead. If you sit still long enough on one of the waterfront benches, you'll see more wildlife than most people notice in a week of beach vacation.

But it's the views that stop you. From the pier and the waterfront walk, the ICW stretches wide in both directions. To the north, the waterway channels through marsh grass with Cherry Grove homes lining both sides. To the south, palm trees and beach houses with private docks line the left bank while a natural marsh island holds the right. Boats cruise by. The light moves across the water. It's a genuinely beautiful place.

A boat works its way up the channel — from the pier and the waterfront walk, you have a front-row seat to everything moving on the waterway.

Looking south across the spartina marsh toward Cherry Grove Beach — the same beach town, a completely different world. An egret is standing in the shallows if you look closely.

Looking north up the ICW from the pier — the channel runs deep and wide, flanked by marsh grass and Cherry Grove homes. This is the view kayakers paddle into every morning.

Looking south down the ICW — waterfront homes with private docks line the left bank, a natural marsh island holds the right. Perfectly still water on a calm morning.

The Park Amenities

Cherry Grove Park is better equipped than it looks from the road. Beyond the boat ramp and kayak slip, the park has a covered pavilion with picnic tables and charcoal grills — the kind of shaded waterfront seating you could spend a full afternoon under. The pavilion sits right at the water's edge with open views across the channel.

The restrooms are a genuine surprise — a newer, clean cinder-block building with two private, lockable stalls and proper facilities. For a free county park, the maintenance level here is legitimately good. Horry County and the SCDNR keep it up, and it shows.

The covered pavilion with picnic tables and a charcoal grill — waterfront dining with zero dollar overhead. A great spot to post up for a few hours.

Clean, private restrooms on site — two stalls, well-maintained. Better than what you'll find at most free public parks.

Best Time to Visit

The park is worth a stop at almost any time, but a few windows are especially good:

• Early morning — Wildlife is most active in the first two hours after sunrise. The water is often glassy, the light is beautiful, and you'll likely have the ramp to yourself before the boat trailers start arriving.
• Around low tide — Exposed mudflats bring out herons, egrets, and shorebirds in force. Fishing along the banks is also productive on the outgoing tide.
• Incoming tide for paddling — Launch on an incoming tide and the current works in your favor heading up-channel. You'll ride it back out effortlessly.
• Fall — Crowds thin, temperatures drop to perfection, and migratory birds pass through. The marsh turns gold and the light stretches long. Arguably the best time to be anywhere in Cherry Grove.

Plan Your Visit

Cherry Grove Park is a five-minute detour that most vacationers never take — which is exactly why it's worth taking. If you're spending time in Cherry Grove, build at least one morning or afternoon here into your trip. Bring a kayak if you have one, a fishing rod if you fish, and a camera regardless.

Pair it with a walk out to The Point. The park gives you the waterway and marsh side of Cherry Grove; The Point gives you the inlet and the open ocean. Between the two, you'll see more of what makes this place special than most visitors discover in an entire week.