There are no food services at Cumberland Island National Seashore and only a few places where you can get safe drinking water, most of which are located at the Sea Camp and Dungeness areas. There are restrooms and water north of Sea Camp, but the water is not safe to drink unless it is boiled and purified (except at Plum Orchard Mansion). Even the safe water has a slight chlorine / sulfur taste to it, so try to bring as much of your own as possible. I drank it and found it not too unpleasant, but it’s definitely not purified drinking water. If you will be depending on the island’s water, one suggestion is to bring powered drink mix to mask the bad taste. Day trippers should be able to carry enough water for the day. It is the multi-day campers who may need to replenish their water supply.
You can purchase bottled water on the ferry.
All restrooms have modern plumbing and are not portable or chemical toilets.
Restrooms and safe drinking water (unless noted) are located in the following places, south to north:
CARNEGIE LAUNDRY BUILDING
This is not a place to do your laundry if you get dirty during your visit but a historic building from the Carnegie era. It has been converted into a restroom with a drinking fountain, plus antique laundry washing equipment is on display inside. If you are standing at the entrance to Dungeness Mansion, take the dirt road to the left. About a quarter mile down is the laundry building. Picnic tables are in the yard. Across the road is a large, white building, the former carriage house and stable.
ICE HOUSE MUSEUM
If you are standing at the Dungeness ferry dock, look to the left for a white building. This is the former Carnegie ice house, a building used to store and keep ice cold. Today it is a small museum with a restroom located on the back side. Clean drinking water is available. Picnic tables are in the yard.
SEA CAMP RANGER STATION
This is the only building at the Sea Camp dock. There is a restroom on the side of the building.
SEA CAMP CAMPGROUND
A half mile from the Ranger Station is a bathroom facility for the campground, but anyone in the area can use it. The route to the campground is the same route used to get to Sea Camp Beach, so there are all sorts of people besides campers passing through. There are cold showers in the bathroom building, but these are meant for the campers only. Swimmers can use the outdoor rinse-off showers.
STAFFORD CAMPGROUND
There is a restroom at the Stafford Campground, but no safe drinking water—it must be treated. For the most part, the only people traveling to this campground are campers.
PLUM ORCHARD MANSION
There is a restroom and safe drinking water at the mansion. The restroom is on the back side of the house.
THE SETTLEMENT
There is a restroom, but no safe water at The Settlement, the northernmost point open to tourists within Cumberland Island National Seashore. It is inside the Beulah Alberty house and is only open during the day time.
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Last updated on July 29, 2024