Within Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge lies a 3,000-acre wilderness area. Species present include wood stork, loggerhead sea turtle, piping plover, peregrine falcon, American alligator, West Indian manatee, and bald eagle. Blackbeard Island is accessible only by boat, which must be arranged privately. Sapelo Island is open to the public and offers the opportunity to observe a typical barrier island natural community. The island's rich ecosystems includes diversified wildlife, forested uplands, vast expanses of Spartina salt marsh and a complex beach and dunes system.
Visitors can use an observation tower to make bird and wildlife-viewing easier.
Also, there are trails, bridges, a marsh observation deck and boardwalks over sand dunes. Interpretive signs provide a self-guided tour with detailed information about the island's flora and fauna. The island is home to the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve, which is managed by the Parks and Historic Sites Division of Georgia's Department of Natural Resources. Hog Hammock, an historic African-American community, is on Sapelo Island. Contact the McIntosh County Chamber of Commerce, Darien, Georgia for more information.