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Places We Protect

Cumberland Island

Georgia

Miles of dunes stretch along a beach on the Cumberland Island coast.
Cumberland Island Cumberland Island’s natural treasures are preserved in large part by Cumberland Island National Seashore, established in 1972. © NPS Natural Resources

Protecting Georgia’s Natural Treasures at Cumberland Island

Overview

Description

The southernmost of Georgia’s barrier islands, Cumberland Island is also the largest, if marshland is excluded from acreage. Larger than Manhattan, the island is approximately 16 miles long and 3 miles at its widest.

Visiting Cumberland Island

Accessible by ferry, the island is open to deer hunters, fishers, campers and anyone who wants to enjoy one of Georgia’s best preserved barrier islands. To preserve the fragile habitat, bicycles, pets and indiscriminate dune crossing are not allowed.

Access

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Explore our work in this region

Life on Cumberland Island

Cumberland Island is a haven for wildlife. These critical habitats harbor a wide diversity of life. Loggerhead turtles nest on the island’s northern beach, alligators inhabit the ponds and swamps, and shorebirds like pelicans, egrets and herons can be spotted foraging or flying.

Big brown pelicans, small black and white terns and skimmers, and gray sea gulls stand on the coast as waves wash ashore.
Two brown and beige alligators, about five feet long, lay side by side in the middle of a thin, shallow creek.
Hundreds of gray and beige shells blanket the shoreline where water meets sand.
A small gray turtle hatchling on beige sand, on its way to the ocean.
Big brown pelicans, small black and white terns and skimmers, and gray sea gulls stand on the coast as waves wash ashore.

Shorebirds, Little Cumberland: Shorebirds, including sea gulls, black skimmers, terns and brown pelicans. Little Cumberland Island. © Alan Cressler

Two brown and beige alligators, about five feet long, lay side by side in the middle of a thin, shallow creek.

Alligators: Two alligators rest together in a tidal creek on Cumberland Island, Cumberland Island National Seashore © Alan Cressler

Hundreds of gray and beige shells blanket the shoreline where water meets sand.

Eastern oyster: Eastern oysters harden the shoreline at Cumberland Wharf, Cumberland Island, Cumberland Island National Seashore © Alan Cressler

A small gray turtle hatchling on beige sand, on its way to the ocean.

Loggerhead sea turtles: A loggerhead sea turtle hatchling on an east coast beach. © Kate Tillery/TNC

Journeys to Cumberland Island

 

Five decades of land conservation in Georgia have made space for some of the world’s oldest sea turtle monitoring projects.

Read "Hope for Loggerhead Sea Turtles in Georgia"

A Natural Barrier

Sand beaches and dune systems protect the island from the sea, and the island, in turn, protects the salt marshes separating it from the mainland. Its interior is a well-preserved maritime forest dotted with freshwater ponds, saltwater coves and swamps.

A Legacy of Protection

Cumberland Island’s natural treasures are preserved in large part by Cumberland Island National Seashore, established in 1972, which protects 17.5 miles of beaches and 36,415 acres of dunes, forest, swamp, ponds and marshes.

The National Seashore is managed by the National Park Service and encompasses the Cumberland Wilderness, established in 1982, for a total of 9,886 acres.

In 1999, The Nature Conservancy finalized the purchase of 1,108 acres on Cumberland Island and transferred 934 acres to the National Park Service to manage for public enjoyment. The remaining 173 acres are still owned by TNC and are managed by the National Park Service.

Contact Information

Southeast Georgia Conservation Office
U.S. Hwy 17 South—Butler Island
P.O. Box 484
Atlanta, GA 30309
912-437-2161

Sights of Cumberland Island

Candler Beach Waves meet the sandy beach, and dunes tower up the shore. Cumberland Island, Cumberland Island National Seashore © Alan Cressler
Burbank Point A large tree is preserved along Burbank Point, Cumberland Island, Cumberland Island National Seashore. © Alan Cressler
Dunes, Candler Beach Dunes with grasses and other plants create a natural barrier between the sea. Candler Beach, Cumberland Island, Cumberland Island National Seashore. © Alan Cressler