Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits

Cumberland Island National Seashore — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: St. Marys, GA, GA

Price: From $9 per night

Price range: $9–$40 per night

Rating: 4.7 out of 5 (667 reviews)

Season: May through October

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

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): strong signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: T-Mobile. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 100%.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Restrooms, Electric Hookups, Fishing, Boat Launch

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/cumberland-island-national-seashore-camping-permits to be notified when sites open up.

Cumberland Island National Seashore offers a unique wilderness camping experience with moss-covered live oak trees, undeveloped beaches, and historic sites. Campers consistently rate it 4.9/5 stars, praising the wild, solitary nature of the island despite the physical challenge of hauling gear.

Wildlife alert: Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Pileated Woodpecker, Atlantic Boat-tailed Grackle, Gopher Tortoise, and Florida Softshell Turtle

Insider tips for Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits: Book early as this is a federal campground with limited availability Bring bikes for easier movement around the island Confirm reservations several months in advance (January-February for summer dates)

Skip Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits if: You need electric hookups or full RV facilities — no hookups at most sites. You prefer year-round camping — seasonal operations May through October only. You have mobility issues — campsites are 0.5+ miles from ferry dock requiring gear hauling.

Best time to visit Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits: May-October — Official operating season for camping permits.

Nearby campgrounds: Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Overnight Camping Permit (Folkston, GA), Ocean Pond Campground (Lake City, FL), Group Landing (Sanderson, FL).

Cell Phone Coverage at Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits

Cell signal at Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits (St. Marys, GA): strong overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: T-Mobile.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Cumberland Island National Seashore — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits

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St. Marys, GA, GA★ 4.7 (667 reviews)From $9/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

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.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesBackpackersSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Bear boxesYes — at every site
ToiletsFlush toilets
PetsNot allowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsElectric Hookups
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
RestroomsBoat Launch

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need electric hookups or full RV facilities — no hookups at most sites✕ You prefer year-round camping — seasonal operations May through October only✕ You have mobility issues — campsites are 0.5+ miles from ferry dock requiring gear hauling

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with limited availability

Bring bikes for easier movement around the island

Confirm reservations several months in advance (January-February for summer dates)

Best: May-October

Official operating season for camping permits

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G + 5G · 100%
Verizon
4G · 100%
AT&T
4G + 5G · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: T-Mobile.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Pileated Woodpecker, Atlantic Boat-tailed Grackle, Gopher Tortoise, and Florida Softshell Turtle

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
912-882-4336 X254· Cumberland Island National Seashore
Getting there →

NPS VISITOR CENTER/FERRY CHECK-IN: Take Exit 3 from Interstate 95. At the exit stop light turn east on to Highway 40. Follow the signs traveling east into Historic St. Marys. Highway 40 East will become Osborne St. Once you reach the waterfront, turn right at the stop sign onto St Marys Street. The NPS Visitor Center is in the two story, blue building one block down on the left. The Mainland Visitor Center is located at 113 St. Marys Street West, Marys, GA 31558. Use this address to arrive at th

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Cumberland Island National Seashore fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Cumberland Island National Seashore before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits cost per night?+
Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits costs $9–$40 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits open?+
Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits?+
Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits?+
Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits is rated strong. Best carrier: T-Mobile. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits open, and what are check-in times?+
Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Cumberland Island National Seashore on FacebookCumberland Island National Seashore CampingCumberland Island Ferry Reservations
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$9 /night★ 4.7 (667)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits cost per night?+
What season is Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits open?+
Does Cumberland Island National Seashore Camping Permits have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Overnight Camping Permit

Folkston, GA

From $20/night

Ocean Pond Campground

Lake City, FL

From $12/night

Group Landing

Sanderson, FL

From $100/night

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