News Release

Cumberland Island National Seashore is beginning to increase recreational access to the beach and trails

Date: May 1, 2020
Contact: Jill Hamilton-Anderson, 912 882 4336 x257

[St. Marys, GA] – Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Cumberland Island National Seashore is increasing recreational access to the island. The National Park Service (NPS) is working service-wide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis.
Beginning Saturday May 2^nd, Cumberland Island National Seashore will reopen access to:  

• Beaches, public docking spaces, and trails.

Since the start of Covid-19, the NPS has followed the most stringent guidance, whether that be local, state, or federal. In light of the new Georgia restrictions on beaches, the use of chairs, tents, umbrellas, and/or coolers are also prohibited on the beaches of Cumberland Island.

Restrooms on the south-end of the island will be accessible. In addition, entry fees are waived.

With public health in mind, the following facilities remain closed at this time:

• Ice House Museum, Sea Camp Ranger Station, Plum Orchard Mansion, campgrounds (including wilderness camp sites), the mainland Visitors Center and mainland Museum, ferry boat operations.  

“This has been a very difficult time for our community, our families, and our world. The park is thrilled to be able to take this small step forward with the hope it will help provide some with an opportunity to find peace and joy in visiting the seashore,” said Superintendent Gary Ingram.

The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners continues to be paramount. At Cumberland Island National Seashore our operational approach will be to examine each facility function and service provided to ensure those operations comply with current public health guidance and will be regularly monitored. We continue to work closely with the NPS Office of Public Health using CDC guidance to ensure public and workspaces are safe and clean for visitors, employees, partners, and volunteers.  

While these areas are accessible for visitors to enjoy, a return to full operations will continue to be phased and services may be limited. When recreating, the public should follow local area health orders like those found at Camden County Emergency Management, Glynn County Emergency Management, Charlton County Emergency Management, Nassau County Emergency Management, and Duval County Emergency Management.  Practice Leave No Trace principles, avoid crowding and avoid high-risk outdoor activities.

The CDC has offered guidance to help people recreating in parks and open spaces prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We will continue to monitor all park functions to ensure that visitors adhere to CDC guidance for mitigating risks associated with the transmission of COVID-19 and take any additional steps necessary to protect public health.   
We have fun and interesting content about Cumberland Island National Seashore all of the time, so for people who are sheltering-in-place, check us out at:
 

•  https://www.nps.gov/cuis/index.htm
• https://www.facebook.com/CumberlandIslandNPS/ 
• https://www.flickr.com/photos/116462146@N08/

Details and updates on park operations will continue to be posted on our website and social media channels. Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus.
www.nps.gov

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.