Wild horses on Cumberland Island’s Grand Avenue

Horses have been on Cumberland Island for hundreds of years in conjunction with human habitation. However, the horses currently on the island were left behind by landowners in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Today the horses roam the island and receive no medical treatment from veterinarians, living and dying as nature sees fit.

As a tourist who looks forward to seeing the horses, it is hard to imagine that there are people who want to get rid of them, including the National Park Service and environmental groups. They argue that the horses are not native to the island, that they destroy the habitats of native species, and that they can cause injury to visitors, all the while forgetting that bringing 300 tourists a day to the island isn’t natural either. Not to mention the dozens of Carnegie-era mansions and service buildings.

If you’ve come to Cumberland Island National Seashore with hopes of seeing wild horses, where is the best places to find them? Luckily, while much of the island is impossible for day trippers to reach on foot, the best places to see the horses are all within walking distance from either of the two boat docks.

The best and easiest place to see the horses is at the Dungeness historic district, which is a half-mile walk from the Dungeness ferry dock, the first stop the ferry makes when arriving from St. Marys. From the dock, walk straight out on Coleman Road—the only road—for about a third of a mile until it dead ends into Grand Avenue, the main road through the park. Take a right and follow the signs to Dungeness. Behind the mansion ruins is a huge yard, and the horses love to graze on the grass in the open field. What makes this the best location for horse viewing is that you can get close to them, but stay at least 50 feet away. A few days before my last visit a lady was trying to get a “selfie” with a horse and got kicked. She had to be carried out by helicopter to the local hospital. Horse injuries are not only dangerous, but expensive.

Wild horses at Dungeness Mansion on Cumberland Island

Wild horses on the lower terrace behind Dungeness Mansion on Cumberland Island

Dungeness is the main destination of most visitors due to its close proximity to the docks, and aside from horses, there are many ruins of buildings from the Carnegie era. If you would like to take a full walking tour of the historic district, visit the Dungeness Area Tour web page for complete information. The National Park Service has failed to identify many of the buildings, but the virtual tour here on National Park Planner identifies nearly all of them.

The other two places to see horses are north of Sea Camp dock. These locations are best reached on bike, and I certainly do not recommend the journey just to see the horses. Most day trippers heading north are making a bike trip to see Plum Orchard Mansion, which is about eight miles away.

About 3.5 miles north of Sea Camp is the largest plot of cleared land within the Cumberland Island National Seashore boundary, Stafford Field. This was originally part of Robert Stafford’s cotton plantation. When the Carnegies purchased the land in the late 1800s, it was converted into a golf course, and then in more modern times, an airstrip, which is what the field is used for today. Being a large field with plenty of grass, it is no surprise that the horses like it too. The only problem is that the field is so large that the horses can stay far from the road, and I don’t suggest walking through the tick-infested grass to get a better look at them, plus the field is still private property. For those on foot, stick to the Dungeness area. A 7-mile round trip hike just to see horses is not worth the effort, especially since you can see them by hiking a mile round-trip to Dungeness.

Horses at Stafford Field

If you make it all the way to Plum Orchard Mansion, where tours are given each day the ferry operates, you may find horses on the grounds there as well. Again, this is a large field with plenty of grass.

Sasha enjoys a picnic while watching the wild horses at Plum Orchard on Cumberland Island

Horses can show up just about anywhere on Cumberland Island. I’ve encountered them on the roads, on the hiking trails in the middle of nowhere, and on the beaches and sand dunes. However, these are blind-luck sightings. If you want to see horses, guaranteed, stick to Dungeness.

Wild horse on the sand dunes at Cumberland Island

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