Field Trips

The ferry ride to the island can be an adventure in itself.

NPS Photo

Cumberland Island is a wonderful place to introduce your students to the unique ecosystems found along the coast of Georgia. With wide, empty beaches, sprawling live oaks, sweeping marshes and historic ruins, Cumberland has a bit of everything and is sure to enchant your students.

Cumberland Island is a primitive place, and because of it's remote nature, a field trip to the island requires advance planning. Your visit can be self-guided, with activities facilitated by teachers and chaperones, or you can apply for a ranger led activity.

Take time to read the information on our education pages (linked below) to discover what is available and what it entails to take a trip to the island. Once you are ready, or if you have additional questions, our education ranger is ready to help you finalize your visit.

Inquiries can be sent to [e-mail]

 

Field Trip Logistics

Taking a field trip to Cumberland Island takes advance planning. Check out the following information before setting up your trip. Give us a call if you have further questions. 912 882 4336 ext 254

Plan Your Trip

Make Ferry Reservations

Cumberland Island is only accessible by boat/ferry. There are no bridges to the island. The Cumberland Island Ferry’s carrying capacity is 145. Private charters can carry 145 people. School groups may reserve up to 60 tickets for the 9:00 a.m. or the 11:45 a.m. sailings to the island. Larger groups require a private charter. Reservations can be made up to six months in advance by calling 877-860-6787. Reservations made over 30 days in advance require the ferry to be prepaid to hold the reservation. The trip to the island takes 45 minutes.

Directions

The starting point for your field trip will be the Cumberland Island National Seashore Visitor Center located in downtown St. Marys, Georgia. To get to downtown St. Marys, follow I-95 (North or South) to Exit 3 in Georgia. Take the left turn off the exit ramp onto Highway 40 East. Continue for about 10 miles until it dead ends at the St. Marys waterfront. The two story blue building is the Cumberland Island Visitor Center. Please check in upstairs.

Parking

Bus and private vehicle parking is located one block west of the visitor center. Cars and vans are encouraged to park in the lot behind our administration building. Busses will find parking on the east side of Seagrove Street.

Arrival Time

Please plan to arrive & check in at the Visitors Center 30 minutes before your scheduled ferry reservation.

Plan Your Activities

Teacher Led Activities:

When planning a field trip to Cumberland Island, teachers should plan activities which are teacher or chaperone led. You can find a variety of activities in the Curriculum Materials section of our website. Lessons can be adapted or modified to meet the needs of your group and they provide a good starting point when planning your time on the island.

NOTE: While on the island,  only empty shells & shark’s teeth may be collected. All other resources can be observed and then returned to its proper place. Please help keep Cumberland Island a special place by respecting and protecting our natural resources and private property.

Public Programs:

School groups are invited to join public programs, but should not count on the availability of public programs for their field trip content as public programs may be canceled or rescheduled due to staffing constraints. Our daily Dungeness Footsteps History Walk takes place twice daily, when a ranger is available, and starts shortly after the ferry arrives at the Dungeness Dock. 

Ranger Led Programs

Additional ranger led programs may be scheduled once a ferry reservation is made. Ranger led programs are scheduled on a first come, first requested basis, and can be booked only after your ferry reservation has been scheduled and confirmed. Ranger led programs are available as staffing permits and are generally one hour in length. To request a ranger led program, please fill out section 1 and 2 of the program reservation form. Submit this form to cuis_info @nps.gov. (submitting a program request does not guarantee a program for your group. All requests will be reviewed and programs will depend on ranger availability.)

Lunch

There is no food service available on the island. Plan to eat outdoors at the picnic tables located throughout the park. Everyone should come prepared with a hearty bag lunch and beverages. Water bottles can be refilled at the fountains located throughout the park. The is no place to leave gear and supplies behind, so plan to carry all your items. Large coolers can become a burden to carry/drag and must not be left unattended. Also, please note that Cumberland Island is a “pack it in, pack it out” park. There are no trash receptacles on the island, so please be prepared to carry your garbage back to the mainland.

Bathrooms

There are ADA bathrooms at the Cumberland Island Visitor Center and on the island at Dungeness Dock, Sea Camp Ranger Station, the Campground and the Laundry House in the Dungeness Historic District. There are also bathrooms on the ferry, but these may not meet ADA standards. Please refer to the Cumberland Island Map for more details on the locations of these facilities.

Special Needs

The National Park Service encourages students with special needs to participate in programs as much as possible. The park has several beach wheelchairs available for use. The big balloon tires allow for access through soft sand, but they need to be pushed. More information is available online.  Please call to discuss any special arrangements and/or program adjustments.

Prepare Your Students

Students will enjoy the trip more if they are well prepared and know what to expect. You should also provide the same information to your adult chaperones and anyone else accompanying you on your field trip.

What to Wear

The coast is likely to be cooler & breezier than inland areas. Students should come equipped with seasonally appropriate clothing and rain gear. There is no vehicular transportation on the island. Students should wear comfortable walking shoes. Hats help keep the bugs off and shade the head in warmer months and help keep the heat in, in the winter

Comfort Gear

Sand gnats, ticks, and mosquitoes can be found on the island year round. Students should bring plenty of insect repellant. Sunscreen is also recommended, year round.

Rules

Please review any class rules that would apply in a field trip setting. Teachers & chaperones are responsible for student discipline during the visit. Teachers may want to consider bringing a whistle to help get students’ attention while on the trip.

Cumberland Island Background Information

To help your students get the most out of their field trip, you may want to provide some basic history and background information on Cumberland Island prior to your visit. Check out this video about Cumberland Island created by Expeditions in Education. In addition, if you plan to use one of the Cumberland Island lesson plans or activities, you can also prepare your students by reviewing the lesson with them before you come.

Ensuring Student Safety

Cumberland Island is a remote island with limited amenties. Response time for emergengies will be longer than expected due to the remote conditions. For the safety of your students, you must be prepared for any emergency situation. While prevention of any injuries is the goal, the following information will help to prepare you should an emergency arise.

Chaperones

Students should be well supervised at all times. Plan to have at least one adult chaperone for each 10 students.

Health Forms

Group leaders should have health forms and permission slips for all students, parent aides, and educators with them on the trip. Review the health forms and note any unusual allergies or health needs prior to the trip. The local hospital needs this information to treat injured persons. The hospital must also be able to reach a parent or guardian by phone in order to treat a child. Phone numbers for all participants should be easily accessible.

First Aid

roups occasionally choose to bring their school nurse on trips to handle any health needs. If this is not possible, a person certified in first aid training should accompany the group. The teacher should carry a first aid kit, as well as any necessary medications for the students.

Heat

If you are planning your trip in August/September or April/ May, be aware of the potential for hot temperatures. You will be outside all day walking in the heat. Make sure your group is staying hydrated, taking frequent rests in the shade, and are wearing sunscreen. Make any accompanying chaperones aware of the conditions and be cognizant of any underlying conditions that heat could make worse. 
NOTE: In the heat, the Dungeness dune crossing can be come treacherously hot during the afternoon hours. Avoid this crossing in the afteroon hours. 

Emergency Vehicles

If possible, one group leader or adult should plan on driving a separate vehicle to the Visitor Center, rather than riding the school bus. In an emergency, an injured person can be transported back to the mainland by NPS boat. Leaders would need to be able to accompany an injured student and/or ambulance to the hospital.

General Items

Items that can help make the trip more comfortable and pleasant, include: garbage bags, whistle, spare sack lunch, sunscreen, bug repellent, hat, compass, and a map (maps are available at the visitor center and docks). Pencil and paper are good items to have if you want students to take notes. Remember, once you are on the island, there is no going back to the bus!

Swimming/Wading

If you plan to include swimming or wading activities during your visit, you will need to have a certified life guard present. There are no lifeguards present on Cumberland Island beaches. Check the rip current risk and water conditions before your trip. 

Inclement Weather

In the event of severe weather, you may want to use the bathrooms as shelter.If you hear thunder or see lightning, leave the beach. 

Who to Call for Help

If an emergency arises, call 911. Provide dispatcher with your location on Cumberland Island and stay on the line until help arrives.

Educational Fee Waiver

Visiting schools may apply for an academic fee waiver to cover the cost of the park entrance fee. Anyone 15 or younger does not pay the fee. This waiver will help cover chaperones entering the park. We will waiver chaperones on a 1:10 adult:student ratio. 

Please fill out sections 1, 2 and 5 of this educational fee waiver form and submit to the park 3-4 weeks prior to your trip. Applications will consider three criteria: 

Eligibility: National or international applicants must prove they are a school or bona fide academic institution by submitting one of the following types of documentation: (1) a statement confirming educational or scientific tax exemption from the IRS or the applicant’s national, state, or local tax authority; or (2) a statement from a bona fide academic institution meeting one of these eligibility standards, confirming that the group visiting for the purpose of providing academic credit based curriculum; or a statement of accreditation or recognition as an educational institution from a legitimate international, national, regional, state or local authority for the applicant’s location.

Educational Purpose of the Visit: Applicants must provide a written statement (documentation) verifying that the visit supports a specific curriculum for which academic credit is offered.

Relevance to Park Resources or Facilities: Relevance to park resources must be described. Applicants must provide a written statement identifying the park resources and/or facilities that will be used to support the educational purpose of the visit, and how they are relevant to that purpose.

 

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  Ranger Led Trips

  Apply for a free ranger-led field trip experience

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  Teacher Led Activities

  Plan your own Cumberland Island field trip