Hiking to Cockspur Island Lighthouse – Georgia

The smallest lighthouse in Georgia, the Cockspur Island lighthouse, can be viewed by walking along a short trail to an overlook. Located inside of Fort Pulaski National Monument (which is just outside of Tybee Island, Georgia), this little lighthouse has suffered years of wear and tear – from hurricanes to war! Let’s take a look on how to visit and see the Cockspur Island Lighthouse, near Tybee Island, Georgia.

Quick History on the Cockspur Island Lighthouse

The Cockspur Island Lighthouse guided ships as they entered the South Channel of the Savannah River in Georgia. The first iteration of the Cockspur Island lighthouse was built in 1837 but was destroyed by a hurricane. The lighthouse was rebuilt but ended up being in the direct line of fire from Union forces during the American Civil War. Fortunately, Cockspur Island Lighthouse only suffered slight damage.

Throughout the years, hurricanes continued to strike the little lighthouse and at one point, the lighthouse keeper’s residence was completely destroyed. After that, the lighthouse keeper’s residence ended up over at nearby Fort Pulaski.

In 1909, the lighthouse was decommissioned as ships switched over to using the North Channel of the Savannah River, instead of the South Channel as it was wider, deeper and easier to navigate. At this point, the National Park Service stepped in and now has ownership of the lighthouse.

The lighthouse is made of brick but its foundation is built on a pile of wood on top of an oyster bed.

Cockspur Island Lighthouse – Location

The lighthouse is located inside of Fort Pulaski National Monument, which means you will need to pay an admission fee to access the trail to the lighthouse.

Admission is $10 per person, or an America the Beautiful pass will be accepted to allow access for up to 4 people in your party.

Fort Pulaksi National Monument is only about a 10 minute drive from Tybee Island, Georgia.

Hike to Cockspur Island Lighthouse

The hike to Cockspur Island Lighthouse is 1.5 miles round trip and is on completely flat, packed dirt. You will find a trail marker shaped like a lighthouse, marking the start of the trailhead. Much of the trail is shaded by vegetation and palm trees. I thought it was a nice, relaxing hike out here. This is an out-and-back trail.

You cannot visit the lighthouse up close or go inside, as the National Park Service has current restoration efforts ongoing to protect both the lighthouse and the fragile environment surrounding the lighthouse. So even if you visit at low tide, you cannot walk the breakwater to the lighthouse.

The hike to Cockspur Island lighthouse begins at the Visitor Center. You will walk to the left side of the fort, go past the cemetery and then continue on to the back of the fort. You will see a strip of mowed grass – keep following the path and you should see signs for the lighthouse trail.

If this all sounds confusing, just ask at the visitor center and they will help direct you!

We visited during December and didn’t encounter any mosquitoes or other bugs, but I’ve heard that the trail is very buggy during the warmer months, so be prepared with bug repellent if you want to do this trail.

When you reach the end of the trail, you’ll be able to see the the lighthouse from afar. You cannot get too close to it, so you will want to bring a telephoto lens to get better photos. If you are visiting at low tide, you’ll be able to see the island on which the lighthouse resides; during high tide, the entire island is under water.

If you’re lucky, you may see a ship – on our visit here, we saw a dredge.

If you want to get closer to the lighthouse, you can take a kayak tour with an outfitter, but you will not be able to land your kayak on the island, else you will risk a hefty fine from the National Park Service.

You can also get closer to the lighthouse by taking one of the dolphin tours in the Tybee Island area.

If you like lighthouses, check out all my lighthouse-related posts here! I’m always adding new posts!

Cockspur Island Lighthouse – Final Thoughts

While this wasn’t the most beautiful lighthouse I’ve ever seen, it was a nice hike out here. The lighthouse is, to put it nicely, very rustic-looking but I think it adds to its charm. If you’re in the Tybee Island area or are visiting Fort Pulaski National Monument and have a spare 40 minutes to do a short, easy hike, you should add this to your itinerary!

Have you ever been to Cockspur Island Lighthouse – either via hiking or on a kayak or boat? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!