Cannon’s Point Preserve – St. Simons Island, Georgia

Just thirty minutes from where we live on the north end of St. Simons Island is a 608-acre peninsula called Cannon’s Point Preserve. I found this walking trail from our local Golden Isles visitor’s website. My goal this year is to explore the surrounding areas of where we are located. I want to be able to share how adventurous Georgia can be. There is a lot to explore.  

Cannon’s Point Preserve 

The preserve is a six-mile marsh interface. It is the last intact maritime forest on St. Simons Island. The land was purchased by the St. Simons Trust to preserve the rich ecosystem and the history that remains. Wildlife such as oysters, fish, birds, and manatees can be found on the preserve.  

History 

Cannon’s Point has a special piece of Georgia History. You can find Native American shell middens dating back to 2500 B.C. They were the first to occupy the land. There are ruins of John Couper’s thriving plantation. Mr. Couper purchased the land in 1793 and built his home in 1804. He experimented with different forms of plant cultivation. He grew a variety of crops such as the Sea Island Cotton, citrus tree, and sugar cane to name a few. This resulted in John Couper’s plantation to become Georgia’s experimental station. 

Ruins 

To diverge yourself in the rich historical scene, you have to do some walking. We only walked a small mile or two. We walked the 4.5-mile trail to be able to observe the shell middens from the Native American era and parts of the plantation. Each part of the plantation has a small trail to it. Among the ruins that remain is the main house plantation with a detached kitchen. You can view the entire mansion from the observation tower at the very end of the trail.  

Know Before You Go 

Here are some things you need to know before you visit: 

• Free to the public. 
• Open 9am – 3pm 
• Every visitor should bring their own water and snacks. 
• NO PETS ALLOWED. 
• Take only pictures, leave only footprints. 
• Watch for tics. 
• Limited Restrooms. 

My Ohana has never walked more than two miles at a time. I decided to test my spawns’ hiking abilities while giving them a glance into Georgia’s History. It was a pleasant experience. There was only one spawn to complain about the entre 4.5-mile walk. To be fair, she is the smallest of them all. We have survived our first Georgia Hiking Trails. Where should we go next?