Cumberland Island: From Camping to the Carnegies

There is only one place on Earth where you can find wild horses, secluded white beaches, live oaks draped in Spanish moss, and the skeletal remains of a once-famous mansion. The Cumberland Island National Seashore, the southernmost and largest barrier island on the Georgia coast, is just that place. A trip to Cumberland Island can satisfy your mind's curiosity with its historical secrets or relax it altogether with its tranquil scenery.

Cumberland Island's natural beauty

Cumberland Island is one of the largest undeveloped barrier islands along the Georgia coast. The National Park Service protects almost 36,000 acres of the island, including miles of unspoiled beaches.

There simply isn’t one way to describe the scenery on Cumberland Island; it offers a variety of breathtaking landscapes and backdrops. Take a few photographs on the island, and you can easily convince someone that you have visited multiple countries and traveled many miles.

The quiet beaches bring peace and splendor together, particularly in the evening when the soft lull of the waves blends into the pastel-colored sky. Walk in any other direction and you’ll run into a different kind of majesty, such as salt marshes full of fiddler crabs, shrimp, and alligators.

Read more about Cumberland Island's Wild and Wonderful Ecology.

Cumberland Island's history

The most intriguing part about Cumberland Island is its history. Once a working plantation, followed by a winter retreat for the wealthy Carnegie family, Cumberland Island is now home to the descendants of enslaved people and aristocrats, as well as wild horses with bloodlines that trace to the royal stables of the King of Arabia. The stories of the people weave a captivating tale of wealth, poverty, privilege, and sacrifice.

Although inhabitants of Georgia’s coast can be traced back thousands of years, starting with a Timucuan tribe, a more concrete history begins with 16th-century Spanish missions and James Oglethorpe’s 17th-century British forts. Oglethorpe also named a hunting lodge Dungeness in honor of a beloved landmark in England. The Dungeness name and remnants of the properties associated with the land remain to this day.

After the American Revolution, the island attracted prominent families with famous pedigrees, such as General Nathaniel Greene, George Washington’s most trusted officer. He and his wife borrowed the Dungeness name and began construction on a four-story mansion that would undergo several iterations over the next century. Dungeness lands then fell into the hands of Robert Stafford, who purchased most of Greene’s property at auction. He built his own sprawling mansion and plantation of more than 1,300 acres.

The Civil War brought more change to the island as formerly enslaved people, locals, and others trying to navigate Reconstruction all attempted to carve out a living and a life here. Near the turn of the 20th century, members of the renowned Carnegie family made their way to the island, purchased 90 percent of the land, and built a Scottish castle aptly named Dungeness. Though it burned down in 1959, the bones of the behemoth house, as well as many other properties the Carnegie family built, still stand today.

Read more about Cumberland Island's Historic Sites.

Three ways to experience Cumberland Island

Day visitors and campers reach the island by taking the Cumberland Island Ferry from the Cumberland Island National Seashore Visitor Center in St. Marys, Georgia, to the Sea Camp Dock. The boat ride itself is a wonderful way to see Cumberland's beauty from the water.

Guided tours of Cumberland Island

The best way to unlock Cumberland's secrets, whether historical or natural, is with a guide. You can take a Jeep tour as part of your stay at the Greyfield Inn, or choose the Land and Legacies Tour, which offers motorized tours that start at the Sea Camp Dock. It's best to reserve the motorized tour when you book the ferry. You’ll cover several hundred years of history in just a few hours, all while traveling the interior of one of the largest maritime forests remaining in the U.S.

Staying overnight on Cumberland Island

Camp overnight, or be a guest at the upscale Greyfield Inn, made famous by John F. Kennedy Jr.’s wedding. (Guests of the Greyfield Inn take the hotel's private ferry, the Lucy Ferguson.)

Biking on Cumberland Island

To truly explore the island further, you need a bike and a good pair of walking shoes. Guests at the Greyfield Inn have bikes at their disposal as part of their rooms. Otherwise, bikes are available for rent at the Sea Camp Dock. Bike rentals are first-come, first-served, though, so do this before anything else, including the tour.

Exploring Dungeness Ruins

A favorite destination is the Dungeness Ruins, the remains of Lucy Carnegie’s island mansion. Lucy, whose husband Thomas was the brother and business partner of steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, once owned 90 percent of Cumberland Island and built grand homes for her children, including Greyfield.

Take a Cumberland Island Walking Tour to explore the Dungeness Historic Area in-depth, and learn the tumultuous history of the island as you stroll down palmetto-lined trails. Visit the historic graveyard, enter the Carnegies' servants' quarters, and view the oldest building on the island, built more than 200 years ago.

Know before you go

A visit to Cumberland Island takes some preparation because visitors are limited and there are no concessions on the island. Start your planning and make reservations through the Cumberland Island National Seashore website. The site offers tips for a great visit and information on tours and activities.