Good place to ride with a couple of caveats. First, you need to go EARLY in the am or you will get trafficed to death but you won't care because you will be so hot you'll be glad for the mercy killing. Second, the island assumes all bikers are equal and they want you to stay on the paths which are designed for people going 10 mph on beach cruisers with no helmets. So what I always do is ride out on Kiawah Island Parkway very early in the morning and then ride back on the designated paths. You might get one or two snotty comments from a motorist as you ride out on the roads (there are signs everywhere saying don't do it) but basically, the Kiawah police will just let you be when they see you are on your road bike and not going 10 mph.

Once you get to the first gate, you are good to go. I like to ride out onto the main road, go through the roundabout, go several miles on the main road (bike path on the shoulder) and then take a right on River Road. River Road is a 10-12 mile stretch, scenic, covered with live oaks, etc. There will be some traffic but not a lot. Makes a great 25 mile loop. There are also lots of short branchig roads off of River but they generally are short and I don;t mess with them.

Another ride I like is to go to Seabrook which is very scenic.

I also like to go out and do sprints and hard tempo work on road leading to the Ocean Course.

You'll see lots of road bikers down there, just ask them where they like to go. I would also recommend calling Kiawah info and seeing what they recommend. I'm sure that there are lots of great rides when you get away from the Island but I am so boring that I am content to just do the same rides day after day and year after year so the rides above suffice, for me.

No matter when you go, or where you go, it will be flat, hot and windy.

Edit: One thing I forgot to mention. If you've previously been to Kiawah you already know this but just in case you haven't: (1) the running is SUPERB. Great runs all over the place on the trail system, the beach, the golf courses, the roads, etc.; (2) they will let you swim laps early at the pool at the Nature Center. There is some specific time you have to work around when they clean the pool (maybe 7 or 8??) but otherwise the morning is fair game for lap swimmers and you will have the pool to yourself.

I heard that the police there are horrible towards cyclists. I havent been there in years, but I read a thread on another cycling forum that the police or security really enforce no cycling on the roads and it has to be done on trails.

I have rode around Charleston and James Island before with no issues.

If possible, take a mtn. bike or hybrid out on the sand (something you don't mind getting really dirty). Sand is hard-packed so that riding is quite easy. You can ride up and down the coast, no problem. You'll see a lot of people doing that. It is a lot of fun!

Excellent response that covers most. I was there three weeks ago teaching a course and the "go early or get hot" rec is a good one. The River Road paralleling the Stono River is a bit tight for my tastes so I do laps on Governor's Drive (on the road, not the bike pathway), just past the Vanderhorst gate out to the Ocean Course returning on Flyway Drive.. I have talked with security several times over the years, and after I explain myself, they've always left me alone. When I went to Seabrook, one year the gate guards just waved, one they wouldn't let me aboard.

Kiawah is a beautiful place. You'll be shortchanging yourself if you don't ride both Blue Heron Pond Road, to the end, and Eagle Point Road, slowly. It's heaven.

The comments on the Night Heron Park pool are good ones and you often have the pool to yourself. It's neither 25y nor 25m but might be 100 feet. Might be.

I don't know anything about riding on the beach but many do it.

John

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John H. Post, III, MD
Orthopedic Surgeon
Charlottesville, VA

We have a house in Kiawah and to be honest it would not be safe to ride a road bike on the paths at speed. There are so many cruisers and walkers to doge that it wouldn't be worth your time. The roads would be the only way to go. Generally past the second gate is less crowded. Its like riding in a sauna there right now though, but its super flat and fairly scenic. Trails are excellent to run if you give up on the bike!

bikecharleston.org has a great list in calendar format of all of the group rides in the area.

Bringing this one back from the dead. Curious if anyone has input on this route being viable. Approximate departure time, 5am-ish.

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