NPS · Georgia

Cumberland Island Wilderness

Managed by the National Park Service, Cumberland Island Wilderness protects sparkling white beaches and sand dunes, freshwater lakes, and saltwater marshes. It is Georgia's largest and southernmost barrier against seaborne storms. The island measures about 16 miles in length and 3 miles at its’ widest, with approximately 1 mile of water and marshland separating it from the mainland. A maritime forest is the centerpiece of the island, providing shade for the deer that attract hunters during six managed hunts. When the hunters appear (usually a few days every month from November through February), visitation and camping are restricted on parts of the island.

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).

Wilderness9,907 acresNPSGADesignated 19821 campground within 10 mi
Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Cumberland Island Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationWilderness
Managed byNational Park Service
StateGeorgia
Size9,907 acres
Designated1982, by Congress
Center point30.87° N, 81.44° W
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 9)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Cumberland Island Wilderness50°60°70°80°90°January: 2.83 inches of precipitationFebruary: 2.82 inches of precipitationMarch: 3.31 inches of precipitationApril: 2.77 inches of precipitationMay: 3.71 inches of precipitationJune: 6.29 inches of precipitationJuly: 4.58 inches of precipitationAugust: 6.53 inches of precipitationSeptember: 5.20 inches of precipitationOctober: 4.39 inches of precipitationNovember: 1.68 inches of precipitationDecember: 3.06 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 52.6°F averageFebruary: 55.1°F averageMarch: 60.3°F averageApril: 66.3°F averageMay: 73.5°F averageJune: 78.9°F averageJuly: 81.2°F averageAugust: 81.1°F averageSeptember: 77.9°F averageOctober: 70.3°F averageNovember: 61.0°F averageDecember: 55.3°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Brunswick 23 S, 4 miles from the center point at 25 feet, station USW00063856 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 47 inches a year.

Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

None of the 1 federal campground within ten miles sits inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

NPS · 8.3 mi
Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits
Reservable47 sites

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Park System units within 30 miles · Park Atlas
National Seashore · Adjacent
Cumberland Island National Seashore
National Monument · 20 mi
Fort Frederica National Monument
Ecological & Historic Preserve · 24 mi
Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve
National Register listings within 15 miles · 18 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Guidebooks for Georgia

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Hiking Georgia
    Donald Pfitzer and Jimmy Jacobs, 2020
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • 50 Hikes in the North Georgia Mountains
    Johnny Molloy, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Afoot and Afield: Atlanta
    Marcus Woolf, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Cumberland Island Wilderness?

9,907 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Cumberland Island Wilderness?

The National Park Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Cumberland Island Wilderness in?

Georgia.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Cumberland Island Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1982.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Cumberland Island Wilderness?

Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.

Source: Where to camp

How do I get to Cumberland Island Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 30.867° N, 81.441° W. Cumberland Island National Seashore is adjacent. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Which national parks are near Cumberland Island Wilderness?

Cumberland Island National Seashore (adjacent), Fort Frederica National Monument (20 mi) and Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve (24 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near Cumberland Island Wilderness?

The National Register has 18 listings within 15 miles, including Duck House and Little Cumberland Island Lighthouse.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.