It was a last-minute decision for us to go visit the nearby Cumberland Island, Georgia’s largest and southernmost barrier island.  This is a National Seashore and protected by the National Park Service. There is no bridge to drive there and we managed to get the last two seats on the 9am ferry, one of only two that take tourists over.

The Cumberland Queen II

Once on the island you can rent a bicycle or hike the many trails through the forest.  With a permit you can hike to one of the few primitive camping areas and stay the night or two or up to seven.

Backpacks for the Serious Hikers/Campers

For an extra charge we took the Lands and Legacies van tour. Our driver drove us over some very rugged back-country dirt roads through the “wilderness” to the island’s historic sites and explained a lot of the colorful and controversial history of the island and the Carnegie family that used to own it.  We did see several of the wild horses that inhabit the island as well as several armadillos.  There are wild hogs here too, but we did not see any of those.

Cumberland Island Wild Horses

Cumberland Island

Several miles into the island we find Plum Orchard, an 1898 Georgian Revival mansion, donated to the National Park Foundation by Carnegie family members in 1971.

Plum Orchard

Lands and Legacies Van Tours

Cumberland Island

Wild Horse

First African Baptist Church where John F Kennedy Jr was married in 1996

First African Baptist Church

Waiting for the Return Ferry

The Lands and Legacies Van Tour lasted about 6 hours.  We got back to the visitor center just in time to catch the last ferry back to the mainland.

• Gasoline Expense:  none
• Lodging Expense:   $22.40
• Ferry Fee:               $38
• L & L Tour:             $27