Maritime forest in Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia, United States Jun. 17, 2025

Before you hit the beach, you"ll hear it—the rustle of leaves in salty air, the creak of twisted trunks, the hush of an old world. Welcome to the maritime forest of Cumberland Island National Seashore on the southernmost stretch of Georgia"s Atlantic coast in the United States. Salt spray, sandy soil, hurricanes? The trees here stand their ground. Live oaks bend but don"t break. Saw palmettos crowd the ground like leafy bodyguards, while Spanish moss hangs from branches like nature"s fringe. This maritime forest is one of the best remaining examples of this rare habitat in the United States. Thanks to its national seashore status, the island has been spared from the concrete creep seen on other coastlines.

© Chris Moore/TANDEM Stills + Motion

palette

Today in History

Paddle power
A grand view
Jun. 17, 2024Pollinator Week

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Celebrating Canada and Englands common bond
Dec. 11, 2024International Mountain Day
Our forgotten forests
Dec. 21, 2023December solstice
Sep. 17, 2023Cuban tody, Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, Cuba
Jun. 25, 2025Glastonbury Festival begins
Hangin around
Jun. 13, 2024Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Nov. 15, 2023Rapa Valley in Sarek National Park, Sweden
Where two continents meet
Apr. 16, 2024Union Square, Manhattan, New York, USA
Park of the Monsters
A kiss and a sigh
Aug. 7, 2024St. Joseph North Pier Inner and Outer Lights, Michigan, USA
Nov. 2, 2023Death Valley National Park, California
Books are mans best friend
As curious about you as you are about them
Trails leading to the gateway of nature.
Gateway to Latin America
Bridging the gap two ways
Jul. 2, 2025Spine-cheeked anemonefish
Jul. 5, 2025Tour de France
Dec. 24, 2024Silent night, sparkling lights and hearts full of joy
A labyrinth of luxury
Jul. 2, 2024Italica, an old Roman city in Santiponce, Andalusia, Spain
Let there be lights!
Mar. 29, 2025Superbloom in Carrizo Plain National Monument, California, United States
Reddy for winter
One of the oldest parks in Quebec
May 8, 2025World Donkey Day