Cumberland Island Faces Proposed Visitor Increase

National Park Service plan suggests more than doubling daily visitors to the island's wilderness area.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The National Park Service has released a Visitor Use Management Plan for Cumberland Island National Seashore that proposes increasing the daily visitor cap from 300 to 700, as well as adding new amenities like beach pavilions, kayak rentals, and an on-island store. Environmental groups are raising concerns about the potential impact on the island's wilderness, wildlife, and solitude that draw visitors.

Why it matters

Cumberland Island is known for its pristine beaches, designated wilderness areas, and rare species like the piping plover. The proposed visitor increase and infrastructure additions could threaten the island's delicate ecosystems and the visitor experience of solitude and natural scenery that draws people there.

The details

The plan suggests more than doubling the number of daily visitors allowed on the island, from 300 to 700, and providing more amenities like beach pavilions, kayak and canoe rentals, allowing bikes and e-bikes on a stretch of beach, more campsites, and an on-island store. Environmental groups are concerned this will damage the island's wilderness character and critical wildlife habitats.

  • The public comment period on the plan is open until February 21, 2026.
  • The current visitor cap of 300 per day was set in the 1984 general management plan.

The players

Wild Cumberland

A nonprofit dedicated to protecting the wilderness, native species, and ecology of Cumberland Island.

Center for Biological Diversity

A national environmental organization that is concerned the plan contradicts the original intent for Cumberland Island to become wilder over time.

One Hundred Miles

A coastal conservation group that supports increased visitation but wants to see stronger management practices and enforcement to protect the island's habitats.

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What they’re saying

“This is a 133% increase, so more than double what is currently allowed on the island. And 300 (the current limit) was defined in the 1984 general management plan.”

— Dani Purvis, Board Member, Wild Cumberland (The Current GA)

“My biggest concern is that this is a giant step backwards from where the island is supposed to be heading. This is one of the last wild islands in the country, and the original intent of its founding legislation was for this island to gradually become wilder over time.... We're going in the opposite direction.”

— Will Harlan, Southeast Director, Center for Biological Diversity (The Current GA)

“The Cumberland National Seashore offers unparalleled opportunities for the public to learn about and explore coastal Georgia wilderness, and OHM believes everyone should have the opportunity to experience it first hand. But we are very concerned that the VUMP lacks adequate management practices and enforcement to ensure the proposed increases to visitation will not threaten the island's pristine wilderness, critical wildlife habitat, and threatened species.”

— Alice Miller Keyes, Vice President of Coastal Conservation, One Hundred Miles (The Current GA)

What’s next

The public has until February 21, 2026 to submit comments on the Visitor Use Management Plan to the National Park Service.

The takeaway

The proposed increase in visitors to Cumberland Island raises concerns about preserving the island's wilderness character, protecting critical wildlife habitats, and managing the impacts of more people and infrastructure. Balancing increased access with environmental protection will be a key challenge for the National Park Service as it finalizes the plan.