The Blackbeard Island Wilderness now contains a total of 3,000 acres and is managed by the Fish & Wildlife Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Georgia. In 1975 the Blackbeard Island Wilderness became part of the now over 110 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of "...increasing population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing mechanization,..." you play an important role in helping to "...secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness" as called for by Congress in the Wilderness Act of 1964. Please follow the regulations in place for this area, and use Leave No Trace techniques when visiting to ensure protection of its unique natural and experiential qualities.

Regulations:
Motorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport are generally prohibited on all federal lands designated as wilderness. This includes the use of motor vehicles (including OHVs), motorboats, motorized equipment, bicycles, hang gliders, wagons, carts, portage wheels, and the landing of aircraft including helicopters, unless provided for in specific legislation. In a few areas some exceptions allowing the use of motorized equipment or mechanical transport are described in the special regulations in effect for a specific area. Click here for additional regulations or contact the agency.

Contact Information:

U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex
1000 Business Center Drive, Ste 10
Savannah, GA 31405
Phone: 912-652-4415
Fax: 912-652-4385
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday thru Friday. Closed Federal holidays.

Click here to see where Blackbeard Island Wilderness is on a map.

Blackbeard Island is accessible only by boat. Transportation to the island is not provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Arrangements for trips to the refuge can be made through local boat captains and marinas.

Please contact the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex headquarters at (912)652-4415 or savannahcoastal@fws.gov for more information. A public boat ramp on Harris Neck NWR (Barbour River Landing) may also be used as a launching site for trips to the island. From the Barbour River ramp, Blackbeard Island NWR is 18 nautical miles.