Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits

undeveloped beach complete with sea oat covered dunes, light sands, blue sky, and crashing waves
dungeness ruins under pink clouds
undeveloped beach complete with sea oat covered dunes, light sands, blue sky, and crashing waves
undeveloped beach complete with sea oat covered dunes, light sands, blue sky, and crashing waves
large live oak branches extending over sand road

Featured amenities

Showers Showers

Available sites

43 total sites

About Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits

Whether you are looking to spend a night with family and friends around a campfire under the moss covered branches of the live oak trees, or looking for the rugged challenges and solitude of the wilderness, you will find it on Cumberland Island National Seashore. The park includes a designated Wilderness area, undeveloped beaches, historic sites, cultural ruins, critical habitat and nesting areas, as well as numerous plant and animal communities. The national seashore also offers a wide variety of camping opportunities.     Watch the "Camping on Cumberland Island" video for information to help you plan an d prepare for your trip.  Campgrounds Cumberland Island offers five campgrounds , which include designated campsites at Sea Camp and Stafford Beach; and Wilderness campsites at: Hickory Hill, Yankee Paradise and Brickhill Bluff. Camping is only permitted in these five campgrounds. A permit is required to camp in any of these five camping areas. Getting There   Visitors must take a boat to the island. Most visitors arrive via the Cumberland Island Ferry from St. Marys, Georgia (see Park Concessioner Services below).  The ferry does not transport automobiles or RVs. Check the ferry schedule prior to reserving your Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permit unless you are traveling by private boat. The ferry does not operate on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from December through February. Island Information Cumberland Island is 18 mi (18 mi) long and .5 mi (.5 mi) to 3 mi (3.1 mi) wide. Bring your cell phone if possible. Use airplane mode to reserve battery power. There is electricity at the Sea Camp Ranger Station, Sea Camp Campground, and Stafford Beach Campground for recharging devices. Dial 911 to report emergencies and disturbances.  There are no stores, restaurants or other amenities on the island. After arriving on the island, campers must hike, walk or bike from the dock to the campgrounds and transport all gear. There is no transporation service. The distance ranges from .5 mi (.5 mi) to Sea Camp to 10.5 mi (10.6 mi) to Brickhill Bluff.   Carts of any kind and wheeled coolers are not allowed north of Sea Camp Campground.  Hammocks permitted only with hammock stands. New for 2021. See Superintendent's Compendium  Be prepared for extreme weather, sun exposure, and a variety of insects. Ticks, no see-ums, and mosquitoes are prevalent during summer months; protect yourself accordingly. Understand your limitations; the island has no conveniences; be prepared for a remote setting and a harsh environment. Bicycle and Carts For information on using carts and camping with bicycles visit the Cumberland Island Camping Page  For information on bicycle and cart rentals, as well as transporting your bike to the island visit Cumberland Island Ferry webpage .   Ferry Reservations, Bicycle and Cart Rental, and Tour Reservations - Contact: Cumberland Island Ferry at www.cumberlandislandferry.com or call (877) 860-6787.      Cumberland Island Ferry passengers must check-in at the Cumberland Island Mainland Visitor Center in Saint Marys at least 30 minutes prior to their ferry departure time: https://www.nps.gov/cuis/planyourvisit/be-ready.htm  Campers must deboard the ferry at the Sea Camp Dock (not at the Dungeness Dock).  

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Open year round

This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.

365 Days

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Showers Showers
Water and Hygiene

Water and Hygiene

  • Potable Water
  • Showers
Water Access

Water Access

  • Beach Access
Missing information?

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

43 Sites Available

Site
Price
⛺ 001, Loop: Sea Camp Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 001, Loop: Stafford Beach Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 002, Loop: Sea Camp Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 002, Loop: Stafford Beach Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 003, Loop: Sea Camp Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 003, Loop: Stafford Beach Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 004, Loop: Sea Camp Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 004, Loop: Stafford Beach Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 005, Loop: Sea Camp Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 005, Loop: Stafford Beach Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 006, Loop: Sea Camp Tent
Campfire
⛺ 006, Loop: Stafford Beach Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 007, Loop: Sea Camp Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 007, Loop: Stafford Beach Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 008, Loop: Sea Camp Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 008, Loop: Stafford Beach Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 009, Loop: Sea Camp Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 009, Loop: Stafford Beach Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 010, Loop: Sea Camp Tent
Campfire · Shade shade
⛺ 010, Loop: Stafford Beach Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 011, Loop: Sea Camp Tent
Campfire · Shade shade
⛺ 012, Loop: Sea Camp Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 013, Loop: Sea Camp Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 014, Loop: Sea Camp Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 015, Loop: Sea Camp Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 016, Loop: Sea Camp Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ 1, Loop: Brickhill Bluff Tent
⛺ 1, Loop: Hickory Hill Tent
Yes shade
⛺ 1, Loop: Yankee Paradise Tent
Shade shade
⛺ 2, Loop: Brickhill Bluff Tent
Yes shade
⛺ 2, Loop: Hickory Hill Tent
Yes shade
⛺ 2, Loop: Yankee Paradise Tent
Yes shade
⛺ 3, Loop: Brickhill Bluff Tent
Yes shade
⛺ 3, Loop: Hickory Hill Tent
Yes shade
⛺ 3, Loop: Yankee Paradise Tent
Yes shade
⛺ 4, Loop: Brickhill Bluff Tent
Yes shade
⛺ 4, Loop: Hickory Hill Tent
Yes shade
⛺ 4, Loop: Yankee Paradise Tent
Yes shade
⛺ Brickhill Bluff - Wilderness, Loop: Brickhill Bluff Tent
⛺ GN, Loop: Sea Camp Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ GS, Loop: Sea Camp Tent
Campfire · Yes shade
⛺ Hickory Hill - Wilderness, Loop: Hickory Hill Tent
Yes shade
⛺ Yankee Paradise - Wilderness, Loop: Yankee Paradise Tent
Shade shade

Reviews (1133)

What Guests Are Saying

Cumberland Island National Seashore offers a beautiful and peaceful camping experience, with spacious, clean campsites and ample amenities like drinking water and cold outdoor showers. Many visitors appreciated the island's stunning landscapes, diverse wildlife, and opportunities for exploration, often recommending longer stays to fully enjoy the area. While some noted challenges such as heat, rain, and occasional issues with park staff or facilities, the overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing a desire to return.

Review Summary

4.7
1133 reviews
5
80.8%
915
4
12.9%
146
3
3.9%
44
2
1.6%
18
1
0.9%
10

Ken L

Verified

March 19, 2021 • Stayed at: Hickory Hill - Wilderness, Loop: Hickory Hill

5

Beautiful! Thank you for all you do to keep Cumberland Island a great place to visit!

Adam D

Verified

March 19, 2021 • Stayed at: Hickory Hill - Wilderness, Loop: Hickory Hill

5

Our experience was amazing, and we are excited to go back!

Sam V

Verified

March 22, 2021 • Stayed at: GN, Loop: Sea Camp

4

Cumberland Island is a beautiful place. The feral horses are a sight to see but their population is difficult to manage and there are too many of them to be sustainable and healthy. I've been there numerous times with groups and it is always special. The history, various ecosystems, wildlife, weather, ferry ride, and backpacking campsites and trails make for a delightful and memorable experience.

Fred S

Verified

March 22, 2021 • Stayed at: Hickory Hill - Wilderness, Loop: Hickory Hill

5

Beautiful island full of history.

Lila D

Verified

March 28, 2021 • Stayed at: 008, Loop: Stafford Beach

5

A beautiful island, so peaceful. watch for ticks and chigger! We had a small injury and the park rangers all went above and beyond. Highly recommend for a day or rustic camping.

Mark R

Verified

March 31, 2021 • Stayed at: 011, Loop: Sea Camp

5

Always an Adventure

Caroline A

Verified

March 31, 2021 • Stayed at: 001, Loop: Sea Camp

5

LOVE the bear (and racoon) proof storage bins! Not ant proof, but hey, already had my stuff containerized.
Very informative and helpful volunteers, kept me up to date on ferry pick up locations as changes occurred.
Rangers thorough and personable, and mossy live oak sunrise beauty eternal. Thanks!

Robb W

Verified

April 4, 2021 • Stayed at: 001, Loop: Sea Camp

5

Wonderful island. Lots of fun wildlife roaming. Kids loved the beach and climbing the trees. We had an armadillo that visited our camp site nightly much to everyone’s delight and we heard horses clomp through camp at night and saw them on the beach in the morning.

The campsites are huge. I was worried about our 6 person tent fitting, but that was no issue at all. The fire rings did not work for us, they are very high and have no ventilation holes drilled in the inner ring (the outer ring had vent holes, but not the inner ring which was odd and seemed to be a mistake). All to say we failed at building a fire - it would only burn when we pointed our small portable fan down into the ring which was not a viable solution. Glad we brought a stove otherwise cooking anything would have been a fail.

My tips:

We went with children and brought their bikes and rented adult bikes from the ferry company. I recommend bikes, especially with kids if you wish to wander farther afield.

We were lucky with a low bug week but I saw a tick on the outside of our tent immediately after set up, so be warned - take repellent!

Showers and toilets were clean but cold as all get out. I actually found Stafford shower to be a bit nicer than sea camp but both were clean enough to meet my needs.

Water at sea camp doesn’t taste great so bring drink mix or your own water as needed.

We packed in plastic tote tubs and brought along a folding hand truck to transport them to and from car and ferry. Once on island we put the tubs into the provided carts. Pulling the laden carts to camp was a little workout but not terrible. Having someone push the cart from behind makes things much easier so make sure to assign someone the task so everyone doesn’t run to camp / the beach and leave you with the cart alone :-)

That’s about it - this was our boys first multi night camp without a car or rv nearby and they loved it.

Janine S

Verified

April 4, 2021 • Stayed at: 012, Loop: Sea Camp

5

Best place to camp. Takes some planning and effort, but worth it. Beautiful Island.

Robb W

Verified

April 4, 2021 • Stayed at: 001, Loop: Sea Camp

5

Wonderful island. Lots of fun wildlife roaming. Kids loved the beach and climbing the trees. We had an armadillo that visited our camp site nightly much to everyone’s delight and we heard horses clomp through camp at night and saw them on the beach in the morning.

The campsites are huge. I was worried about our 6 person tent fitting, but that was no issue at all. The fire rings did not work for us, they are very high and have no ventilation holes drilled in the inner ring (the outer ring had vent holes, but not the inner ring which was odd and seemed to be a mistake). All to say we failed at building a fire - it would only burn when we pointed our small portable fan down into the ring which was not a viable solution. Glad we brought a stove otherwise cooking anything would have been a fail.

My tips:

We went with children and brought their bikes and rented adult bikes from the ferry company. I recommend bikes, especially with kids if you wish to wander farther afield.

We were lucky with a low bug week but I saw a tick on the outside of our tent immediately after set up, so be warned - take repellent!

Showers and toilets were clean but cold as all get out. I actually found Stafford shower to be a bit nicer than sea camp but both were clean enough to meet my needs.

Water at sea camp doesn’t taste great so bring drink mix or your own water as needed.

We packed in plastic tote tubs and brought along a folding hand truck to transport them to and from car and ferry. Once on island we put the tubs into the provided carts. Pulling the laden carts to camp was a little workout but not terrible. Having someone push the cart from behind makes things much easier so make sure to assign someone the task so everyone doesn’t run to camp / the beach and leave you with the cart alone :-)

That’s about it - this was our boys first multi night camp without a car or rv nearby and they loved it.

Location & Directions for Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits

101 Wheeler St, St. Marys, GA 31558 United States

Elevation: 2 ft

Getting There

<p><strong>NPS VISITOR CENTER/FERRY CHECK-IN:</strong> </p>
<ul>
<li>Take Exit 3 from Interstate 95. At the exit stop light turn east on to Highway 40. </li>
<li>Follow the signs traveling east into Historic St. Marys. Highway 40 East will become ...

Nearest town

St. Marys, GA - 0.2 mi

About 2 min to downtown

Highway access

Cumberland Island National Seashore is accessible via Exit 3 from Interstate 95, which is approximately 5 miles to the west. From the exit, travelers use Highway 40 east into Historic St. Marys.

Policies & Rules

Cancellation policy

  • Reservation fees are non-refundable. For campsites, cabins, lookouts, yurts, group sites, and similar stays, we charge a reservation service fee of $8.
  • Standard cancellations usually have a $10 cancellation fee. Customers can generally cancel before the check-in date online.
  • Late cancellation rules differ by stay type.
    • Individual campsites: cancelling after 12:00am local time the day before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
    • Cabins, lookouts, and yurts: cancelling less than 14 days before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
    • One-night reservations: a late cancellation usually forfeits the full amount paid, up to the total original reservation cost.
  • Modifications are allowed before the cut-off window, but fees depend on the change. Changing to dates completely outside the original reservation dates may trigger a $10 change fee. Extending or shortening a stay that still includes original dates usually has no change fee, though refunds may depend on timing and facility rules. Switching to the same type of campsite for the same dates usually has no change fee, but price differences are charged or refunded.
  • Early departures may or may not be refunded. At certain facilities, partial refunds may be possible if staff can mark the site available for other visitors. No refund is given for a night if the early departure is requested after that day's check-out time.
  • Security deposits are separate. Security deposits may be refunded to the original payment method if the facility is left in acceptable condition, as determined by the property.

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Last updated: October 18, 2026

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Approx. 28 mi away (straight-line distance)

Elevation: 7 ft

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