Information Source: nps.gov and writer's own
Georgia’s secluded island in the southeastern United States is a must-see for wild and wandering souls. From long stretches of unoccupied beach scattered with sand dollars and conch shells to uninhabited maritime forests and marshes, the explorer in me leaped with excitement as I roamed and explored on foot.
Teeming with wildlife such as feral horses, white-tailed deer, armadillos, and bush pigs, Cumberland Island is an enchanting wilderness retreat. There are 19,000 acres of upland, 18 miles of beach, and 5 campgrounds to enjoy. You can cycle (bicycles can be hired at the ferry port on the island), take a guided tour (called Lands and Legacies through the northern island by van), hike and camp, and swim on uncrowded beaches.
In this post, I'll cover my experience taking a ferry to the island to hike and camp. I'll share links and step-by-step information on how to book your trip so that you can enjoy the wild beauty of Cumberland Island yourself.
A Night on the Island
My husband, Chris, and I set foot on Cumberland Island one Spring morning in March. We'd grabbed a bite from a local cafe within walking distance of the St Mary's port, collected our ferry tickets, and hopped on board with our backpacking in tow.
We then braved the wind to stand on deck and enjoy the midday sun, which was pierced with squeals, shrieks, and arms flapping towards the island: a pod of dolphins had been spotted gliding beside the boat. My inner child was awakened.
We docked and dodged the flurry of backpacks that stampeded off the boat, before receiving our 'island expectations" brief.
My backpack weight was bearing down on my shoulders—an indication that I might have overpacked for our night of camping. The campsite we'd chosen required a few hours of hiking and had no fresh water source so I'd been a little too excited when packing.
Finally, we were released and bounced towards Stafford Beach. Forest above and dirt below, two hours of uncrowded trail awaited.
Midway through a dense leafy area, we heard loud rustling a few feet away. It stopped us in our tracks. We peered over the layers of vegetation, not entirely sure what to find (we were well aware that wild animals were roaming freely). Nothing caught our gaze but the rustling continued. I dropped to my stomach to look beneath the leaf layer, determined to face whatever I found rather than be surprised by it. For the first time, I spotted an armadillo in the wild. I fought back the urge to scream with excitement as I jumped up and hauled my other half over to introduce him to this cartoon-like creature. He continued about his business scratching in the sand (the armadillo that is) and I was enthralled.
Two-thirds into the walk, after adjusting my pack straps several times, we came to a clearing with bright light: a beach portal beaconed us. I couldn’t resist and ran towards the sand, near toppling as the backpack slammed into me. Miles and miles of empty beaches unfolded before our eyes.
I sprinted to the water, bag and shoes abandoned, splashing and laughing at the sun. We found sand dollars (pansy shells) and drew in the sand, completing the rest of the journey to camp along the seashore.
I was desperate to spot a wild horse and saw something blurry appear on the sand ahead. I squinted at the lump, edging closer until it came into view.
A single-seater sofa? How unexpected. Although it wasn't the horse I was hoping for, I was happy to mount to the beach throne for a moment of quiet contemplation.
A zebra-stripped pole and a short walk up a dune led us back to the forest and campsite. While many campsites had been claimed, we found a tree-protected sanctuary near the restrooms, with a fire pit and perfect low branches for hanging hammocks.
While setting up camp, we noticed three sleeping bag sacks of food strung up in a nearby tree. Neighbors! And then we saw it. Tip-toeing down the string of a sack suspended above us was a squirrel. It scratched around, hovered on the sack, and then darted off clutching something bright in its paws. Then another squirrel repeated the activity. And again.
The squirrels sat giggling on the branches munching on brightly colored balls. We were mesmerized.
A closer look revealed that they’d eaten through the bags to get their paws on a packet of MnM's. We'd be hiding our bags in the restrooms!
Too late in the day, we decided on a sunset walk. Darkness was rapidly engulfing us on our failed attempt to find a high point to marvel at the sky. We did, however, come across herds of skittish white-tailed deer, darting off once spotted. Lastly, almost back at camp, we squinted in the fading light at a dark shape on our path. On closer inspection, a large bush pig stood before us. It spotted me and I made a run at it to scare it off. Just kidding, I know better than to interfere with wildlife and would probably scale a tree if it looked at me too long. It disappeared into the forest and we hustled back to the tent.
Now dark, we decided to build a fire for warmth, light, and s’mores (but mostly for s’mores).
We ended off the perfect adventure day stumbling along the trail to the beach to view the stars in all their glory, with no light pollution to dim the shine.
3 steps to book a camping weekend on Cumberland Island
*do so in advance to guarantee a spot
Choose the campsite that meets your needs.
There are a variety of campgrounds with various amenities and different distances from the ferry port. Only one has running, drinkable water. Decide which you’re comfortable with.
Campgrounds
Sea Camp details
Half a mile from the ferry dock
16 individual sites (each able to accommodate 6 people)
2 group sites (each able to accommodate 20 people)
Restrooms, showers, drinking water
Dish Washing Area
Picnic tables
Food storage Cages
Boardwalk Beach Access
Stafford Beach
3.5 miles from the dock
10 sites
Restrooms, showers
No drinking water (treat it or boil it)
Fire rings at each site
A short trail to the beach
Wilderness Campgroups: Challenging
There are 3 to choose from and 4 permits allotted per campground. Even so, there are no designated spots but there are signs to guide you on where to set up camp. At all three, there are no showers/restrooms available, no fires allowed, and water taken from the provided sulphur wells must be treated before drinking.
Hickory Hill
5.5 miles north of ferry dock
Yankee Paradise
7.5 miles north of ferry dock
Brickhill Bluff
10.5 miles north of ferry dock
View all campsite rates here.
Select an available ferry time slot.
Ferries depart at 9 and 11:45 a.m. daily in spring, summer, and fall. They return at 10:15 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. daily (and at 2:45 p.m. March through August). For winter departures, view info. here.
Book your return-trip ferry here. For more information call 912-882-4335. (Keep the ferry order number on hand as it is needed when booking a campsite.)
Collect tickets 30 minutes before the ferry departure time from the Mainland Visitor Center at 113 St Marys Street, St Marys, GA 31558. You'll need proof of purchase and an ID. If you're late, tickets will be distributed to walk-in visitors. Ask the staff to direct you to the overnight parking.
Book your campsite
Phone the campsite with your ferry booking information and book a campsite here (you will get redirected to recreation.gov when booking). For more information or to book over the phone call 912-882-4336.
Pack the essentials
If camping, bring enough water to drink, a hat and sunscreen, and a headlamp for the night.
Other useful items
cooking utensils and plates,
lighter/matches,
food in a bag,
tent,
sleeping pad and bag,
rope for hanging food,
bag for trash,
towel and bathing suit,
hiking/camping clothes,
warm clothes for the evening,
toiletries,
insect repellent.
This is your encouragement to visit Georgia's Cumberland Island, lose yourself in nature, spot local wildlife, camp under the stars, explore secluded beaches, and reconnect with yourself.
Much love,
Kate x