Day Trip: Cumberland Island on Foot

Wild Horses in front of the Dungeness Manor Ruins

A day trip to Cumberland Island, Georgia is always an adventure. Arriving 30 min prior to ferry launch, in St. Mary’s, Georgia you get instructions about how to keep the island beautiful. (Pack up all your trash, bathroom locations, etc.) The Ferry, Lady Cumberland, brings up up to the dock on Dungeness Ruins or Sea Camp.

The Cumberland Lady docked at Sea Camp

Looking back at Dungeness Dock

A tour about life on Cumberland Island is in the works when you disembark at Dungeness dock, though I skip it and run ahead in order to beat the crowds at the ruins of what was once the home of Lucy Carnegie. (Photo Essay on Dungeness.)

Looking into the sun at the Dungeness Manor Ruins

Wild Horses are never far from the scene on Cumberland, even with horses being a normal sight, something about them being wild makes them far more intriguing than their domesticated counterparts… Or maybe it’s just the setting.

Wild Horses on Cumberland Island

“Car Graveyard” of Dungeness Ruins

After Dungeness Manor and the “Car Graveyard” it’s off to the beach. Walking through the dunes is a bonafide work out, but well worth it, just to see the beautiful white sand and to feel it slip between the toes of your sandals (there are pokers, don’t walk barefoot just yet!)

Cumberland Beach is wide, expansive and never ending! I could walk on the beach forever. I’m not much of a sun-tanner, so instead I walk, feed the gulls, and pick up shells- “Sand Dollars” and “Shark Eyes” are my favorites to collect on Cumberland.

Excited Seagulls on the island

“Earnings” come in the form of sand dollars

The walk on the beach up to the Sea Camp entrance back to the rest of the island is a leisurely one. You don’t want to get back too soon, as then you’ll be playing the waiting game (and probably swatting off the pesky gnats).

Path at Sea Camp

If you get dropped off at the Sea Camp Dock you might be in luck! There are bike rentals available- first come first serve!

One of the lucky few that rented a bike

The circuit– Ferry Drop off at Dungeness dock, to the beach. Follow the beach up to Sea Camp and then inland to the Sea Camp Dock is about 3 to 4 miles of walking- so wear comfortable shoes!

Sea Camp dock after a long day