At approximately 26,000 acres, Ossabaw Island is Georgia’s third largest barrier island. Nearly 9,000 acres are high ground; the remainder is tidal wetlands. The island is roughly 10 miles long and 7 miles wide at its widest point.

All visits to Ossabaw Island must be hosted either by the Ossabaw Island Foundation (TOIF) or the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA DNR). A ll Other Visits to Ossabaw are Scheduled and Approved Through the TOIF:

Ossabaw Island has a 5,000-year history of human residents and visitors, and the island’s cultural heritage is rich in ethnic and racial diversity and in the ways these many cultures made Ossabaw Island their home. So, what’s in a name?

At approximately 26,000 acres, Ossabaw Island is Georgia’s third largest barrier island, located 30 minutes south of Savannah on the Atlantic coast. Nearly 9,000 acres are high ground; the remainder are tidal wetlands. The island is roughly ten miles long and 7 …

Paint, sketch, write, or take photos on Ossabaw Island. Let the island be your muse. After a brief history presentation, you’ll have several hours to wander the North End on your own and experience the island’s inspiring features of marsh vistas, maritime forests, wildlife sightings.

Ossabaw Island’s 9,000 upland acres are dominated by maritime forest, characterized by massive live oaks (Georgia’s state tree), several holly species, southern magnolia, dogwood and other hardwoods.

Experience Ossabaw Island from sundown to sunup on one of the Ossabaw Island Foundation’s weekend or extended stay retreats. Plan your own group retreat or choose to tap into Ossabaw’s wealth of research opportunities.

Ossabaw Island in the News; Ossabaw Oracle Newsletters; Photographers and Artists

Ossabaw Island is uniquely protected in Georgia by its status as a heritage preserve. Many areas owned by the state have the heritage preserve designation, but are called Wildlife Management Areas, parks, or natural areas.

Elizabeth DuBose, Executive Director of the Ossabaw Island Foundation, was honored with a Governor’s Award for the Arts and Humanities. The awards were announced by Governor and First Lady Kemp and presented in partnership with the Georgia Council for the Arts, part of the...