Cumberland Island makes for a unique and fun outdoorsy getaway! The island is about 56 square miles and home to an undeveloped coastline, maritime forests, marshlands, a herd of horses and more. A day trip to Cumberland Island is an easy and wonderful way to explore this unique national park site!
This guide covers general information about visiting Cumberland Island, along with an itinerary for hiking and more. It’s based on my experience visiting Cumberland Island in April 2022.
A Brief History of Cumberland Island
Cumberland Island is the largest and southernmost barrier island in Georgia. The first inhabitants were indigenous people who spoke the Timucua language some 4,000 years ago.
Later, the island was under control by the Spanish, who arrived in the 1550s. They built a mission on the island and some 300 native people and Spanish missionaries lived there for a period of time.
Then, James Oglethorpe of the British Army arrived in 1733. He signed a treaty with the Creek nation that ceded the island to England, conflicting with the Spanish claim. He then established a fort on the north side of the island.
In 1765, a mansion was built on the southern end of the island called Dungeness. It later burned down. Then in the 1880’s, the Carnegies purchased the land and built another mansion at the former site of Dungeness. It was built as a giant, 59-room castle which included a golf course, pools and 40 smaller buildings to house the 100’s of servants who worked there.
After the Great Depression, the mansion was abandoned. It burned in 1959, but the ruins still remain. Eventually, the island was sold to the national park service to be preserved in 1972.
Things To Know Before Visiting Cumberland Island
- There are zero services on Cumberland Island, so you’ll need to bring all of your own food and essentials, and pack out all of your trash. However, there is potable water in a few locations marked on the map.
- In addition to the cost of the ferry, there is a $10 entrance fee per person to visit the park. This is covered under the America the Beautiful Pass.
- There is a population of feral horses on Cumberland Island! It’s estimated that there are about 150-200 horses. Horses were brought to the island in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, and are not native to the island. As a result, they compete with native species for food. The horse population here is not managed at all by the park service, meaning they are affected by natural causes such as parasites, viruses and more. The horses can also be dangerous, make sure to give them plenty of space.
What to Bring on a Day Trip to Cumberland Island
- A water bottle
- Food
- Extra layer of clothing
- Insect repellent
- Sun protection
- A trash bag
- Beach gear and a bathing suit if you want to swim
- Hiking gear if you plan to hike
How To Get To Cumberland Island
The only way to get to Cumberland Island is by boat, and your options are the passenger ferry or a private boat. It’s highly recommended to make your reservations for the passenger ferry in advance. The ferry leaves from the town of St. Mary’s.
The ferry schedule varies depending on time of year. It runs 7 days a week in the spring, summer and fall, but only 5 days a week in the winter. Typically, you can leave for the island on a 9 AM ferry and leave at 4:45 PM, making it the perfect length of time for a day trip.
The ferry takes about 45 minutes. The ferry is two levels and has both indoor and outdoor seating. I was kind of amazed by how many people they could fit on it.
When to Visit Cumberland Island
You can visit Cumberland Island year round, but it’s quite hot in the summer months. I recommend avoiding June through September, as the mosquitoes will be out and the temperatures will be high. However, this might be a good time if you want to spend your day swimming in the ocean.
If you want to hike and explore on foot, the best time to visit tends to be December through April. March through April are the busiest months, so you’ll likely experience fewer crowds if you visit between December and February. It might be a bit chilly during these winter months, but it should be quite nice if you have the right layers.
Things To Do on a Day Trip to Cumberland Island
Hiking on Cumberland Island
The island has over 50 miles of trails, so in my opinion, hiking is the best thing to do on Cumberland Island. There are a variety of sceneries throughout, including an undeveloped coastline, maritime forests, wetlands, marshes and historical sites.
For my day trip to Cumberland Island, I hiked the Dungeness Loop Trail and enjoyed beach time in the middle. We went counter-clockwise and saw the Dungeness Ruins first. The ruins are fascinating and it’s amazing how big the area is. In addition to the main house, there is a greenhouse, stables and more.
You can’t go inside the ruins, but can admire them from the outside.We also saw several of the horses around this area.
After hiking past the ruins, there was a marsh area with a boardwalk, which was a beautiful area. Soon, we reached the beach and hung out there for a while. We even saw baby horses on the beach. The coastline is very pristine with white sand and protective dunes.
However, my favorite part was the loop back towards the pick up point. This stretch of trail near the campground is lined with huge cypress trees and palmettos. Thick spanish moss hung from the cypress branches.
Finally, the River Trail that you’ll take to complete the loop gets more narrow and feels like a dense jungle. This beautiful loop is full of variety. It’s flat with easy terrain for most of the loop.
This southend trail is popular for day trippers. If you’d like a more backcountry experience, you hike towards the North End on the Parallel Trail. Due to the length, this is typically done as a backpacking route.
Bring Your Own Bike
If you have a bike, it’s a great way to explore Cumberland Island. You can bring your bike on the passenger ferry, but space is limited (15 bikes per trip), so you should reserve in advance.
Unfortunately, they do not offer bike rentals.
Bikes can be ridden on any roads on the island not marked private, but can only be on a small portion of the beach.
Take a Guided Tour
There are several ranger-led tours that you can enjoy during your day trip to Cumberland Island. There’s a talk at the Dungeness Historic Area, a talk about life on the beach, and more. Check the national park website for times and details.
If you’d like to see a larger portion of the island via a passenger van, you can take the Lands and Legacies Tour. This tour will take you to historic sites such as the Plum Orchard Mansion, the First African Baptist Church and more. It runs every day that the ferry operates, but be sure to make a reservation in advance, as space is limited.
Camping on Cumberland Island
This guide focuses on taking a day trip to Cumberland Island, but I wanted to mention camping as well. Cumberland Island National Seashore offers camping at Sea Camp, Stafford Beach or at some Wilderness sites in the northern part of the island. Campsites become available 6 months in advance and you can make a reservation on recreation.gov.
Final Thoughts
I hope this guide helps you plan a fun day trip to Cumberland Island National Seashore! This unique national park site is beautiful for hiking, swimming and history, and is a great place to have on your East Coast bucket list.
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