Maritime Forest in Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia, United States

Coastal quiet, untamed life. Maritime forest in Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia, United States

Before you hit the beach, you'll hear it—the rustle of leaves in salty air, the creak of twisted trunks, the hush of an old world. Welcome to the maritime forest of Cumberland Island National Seashore on the southernmost stretch of Georgia's Atlantic coast. Salt spray, sandy soil, hurricanes? The trees here stand their ground. Live oaks bend but don't break. Saw palmettos crowd the ground like leafy bodyguards, while Spanish moss hangs from branches like nature's fringe. This maritime forest is one of the best remaining examples of this rare habitat in the United States. Thanks to its national seashore status, the island has been spared from the concrete creep seen on other coastlines.

What you see here is the forest as it's been for centuries—a few ruins from the days of Scottish American industrialist Thomas Carnegie and the occasional feral horses grazing through. The horses are descendants of animals left by settlers long gone, and they're now unofficial mascots of the area. Alongside them, you might spot armadillos digging through the undergrowth, woodpeckers hammering tree trunks, or raccoons engaging in tiny heists. Trails like the South End Trail or the Parallel Trail weave through dense foliage, sometimes giving glimpses of marshes or hidden historic sites. So next time you think of the coast, remember: the real drama isn't always on the shore. Sometimes, it's rooted just beyond the dunes.