Cumberland Island was once
a Gilded Age getaway; now a
19th-century mansion is
returning to nature.
beach (nps.gov/cuis).
Or try the ultra-deluxe lodging at
the Greyfield Inn, built by the Carnegies in 1900. Rooms start at $350
(greyfieldinn.com).
Isle Royale
National Park
Key West to Dry Tortugas
(yankeefreedom.com and
sunnydayskeywest.com).
The park is open year-round and
camping on the beach is welcome
(nps.gov/drto).
Isle au Haut
When one of the only ways to
reach your destination is by mail
boat, you know you’re off the
beaten path. Isle au Haut is a
pine-covered slab of rock 7 miles
off the coast in Maine’s Acadia
National Park. Mink, snowshoe
hare, and otters roam a forest of
spruce, pine, cedar, maple, and
oak; ravens, eagles, and the occasional osprey soar overhead. The
southern end of the island drops
into the North Atlantic down dramatic 100-foot cliffs. A small town
features a café, a gift shop, and a
year-round population of about 50
hardy souls who brave ice-choked
harbors and brutal nor’easters
each winter.
Get There, Stay There
Book a spot on the mail boat,
which leaves from the town of
Stonington through mid-October
(isleauhaut.com). You can camp
in one of five lean-tos, from May
15 to October 14 ( nps.gov/acad)
At the Keeper’s House Inn, you
can spend a night at the secluded
Robinson Point Lighthouse, which
is powered by solar panels and
windmills. Management is about
to change hands, so check out
the website to get the latest info
(keepershouse.com).
Cumberland Island
National Seashore
This charming isle lies just off the
coast of Georgia, but it seems to
belong in a fairy tale. Salty ocean
breezes that slow tree growth
have created a bent and buckled forest of live oaks, with
some trees shaped like arches.
Visitors can explore the area via
a boardwalk that crosses a sea
of white sand dunes. Another
attraction is Dungeness ruins,
the remains of a 6,700-squarefoot mansion built by the Carnegie family in 1884; the house is
a 2-mile hike from the beach.
Get There, Stay There
Ferries leave from the village of
St. Mary’s. Camping is available
at backcountry sites or near the
This smattering of more than
400 islands in the northwest
corner of Lake Superior was
formed when lava burst through
the earth’s crust a billion years
ago. Today, the resulting
1,300-foot Greenstone Ridge is
forested with conifers and paper birch, and the islands are
home to wolf, moose, and bird
populations. Lakes, streams,
swampy beaver ponds, and
bogs provide a transportation
grid for kayakers and canoers.
Get There, Stay There
The park is open April 16 through
November 1. A ferry leaves
from Houghton, Michigan, and
there are 36 campsites (nps.
gov/archive/isro). The Rock
Harbor Lodge has rooms with
lake views and private cottages
(isleroyaleresort.com).
Fire Island
Though it’s best known for the
summer cottage scene that attracts nearby New Yorkers, this
barrier island 50 miles from
Manhattan also features serene
beaches and several unspoiled
shore ecosystems. Its sunken
forest is a dense spread of oak,
black gum, sassafras, shadbush, and holly—some trees
predate the Declaration of Independence. Hundreds of species of birds swing by on their
way up the Atlantic migratory
flyway, and giant leatherback
sea turtles, harbor seals, finback whales, and humpbacks
are all occasional visitors.
Get There, Stay There
There are plenty of ferries that
link to the island, and marinas
at Sailors Haven and Watch Hill
cater to private boats. Camping
is available ( nps.gov/fiis).
To
find
cottage
rentals,
check out Fire Island Finder
( fifinder.com).
Cape Lookout
National Seashore
These three storm-battered North
Carolina barrier islands have 56
miles of undeveloped beaches.
And although four-wheel-drive
vehicles are allowed in designated
areas on the two northern islands,
South Core and North Core, the
southernmost Shackleford Banks
is for trekkers only. It’s here that
you’ll find vine-entangled maritime forest and more than 100
wild horses along the beaches.
Get There, Stay There
The islands are accessible by frequent ferries, and there are rustic
cabins on the northern two islands, where vehicle camping is
also allowed. There are no established campgrounds on Shackleford, which means you can settle
in just about anywhere on the
beach, but there are no services
( nps.gov.calo). ✤
Fire Island’s sunken forest.
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