Cumberland Island

Review

Cumberland Island is an excellent coastal backpacking destination, and will certainly give you a trip to remember for a lifetime. The Island is home to 18th century Spanish ruins, wild horses, the first African Baptist church in the settlement, and very intelligent raccoons (I learned this the hard way).  Cumberland  Island is 14 miles long from end to end, and the main trail is flat and composed of crushed gravel, although there are smaller marked trails that wind through maritime forest and onto the beach.  Pick up a map at the outpost located on the island and you will have all you need to explore what this place has to offer. You will need to plan way ahead and make reservations for your campsites, as this trail is very popular and only allows a certain number of backpackers at a time. The Cumberland Island ferry departs from St. Marys, GA, and is open year round. Pay attention to the rules, don’t make the wild horses angry, and enjoy the massive beach with absolutely nothing to hinder your ocean view.