okefenokee swamp best time to visit

Okefenokee FAQ & Resources

What’s the best time of year to visit the Okefenokee?

There are advantages to every time of year, but if you want to avoid mosquitoes and the heat, the best time to visit is from October through early April!

What makes the Okefenokee so special?

The Okefenokee is the largest intact freshwater swamp on the Atlantic Coastal plain, it contains a wide diversity of habitat types, and it is extraordinarily beautiful.  The Everglades are larger, but they have been highly modified by humans. If you like birds, flowers, interesting plants (insectivorous plants!), amphibians and reptiles, wonderful views, and a starry sky, you will love the Okefenokee.

What kinds of boats can you take into the Okefenokee?

Private outboards motors of 10 HP or less are allowed on most of the water trails within the National Wildlife Refuge.  Jon boats with motors can be rented from SCF SP and Okefenokee Adventures at the Refuge headquarters in Folkston, GA.  About half of the trails are limited to non-motorized kayaks and canoes.  All three main entrances provide guided tours on pontoon boats. 

How do you camp within the Okefenokee?

Camping is allowed by reservation and permit within the ONWR on platforms and some islands within the swamp. Please visit the refuge website at  https://www.fws.gov/refuge/okefenokee  for more information about camping within the Refuge

Are canoes or kayaks better for beginning paddlers?

Canoes can generally carry more camping gear, but are harder to steer for beginning paddlers. Most beginners have an easier time with kayaks.

Do people ever get eaten by alligators in the Okefenokee?

No alligator attacks on humans in the swamp have been recorded in the last 80 years. It is important, however, not to feed gators or try to touch them. Habituating gators to human contact makes them dangerous.

What’s the best time to plan for looking at the night sky?

A bright moon washes out the sky with light, so if you want to see a lot of stars, you want to look at the moonrise and moonset times and pick dates and times when you will be able to see a moonless sky. The Milky Way is best in mid-summer and also good in mid-winter.

Is the Okefenokee a National Park?

No, the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is not a National Park. The main focus of a National Wildlife Refuge is to preserve habitat and biodiversity, but providing nature tourism opportunities is also part of the mission.

Will mining on Trail Ridge make the swamp dry up?

No, mineral sand mining on Trail Ridge will not make the swamp dry up or disappear.  However, depending on how the mining is conducted, mining could divert enough water from the swamp to make natural drought conditions more frequent and more severe, and thereby alter the ecology of the swamp.

Links and Resources

Documentary – Okefenokee Protection Alliance (protectokefenokee.org)

EcoSense for Living | Okefenokee Destiny/Everglades | Season 6 | PBS

Georgia Outdoors | Okefenokee | PBS

GPB Education | Okefenokee Swamp Live | PBS

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge site

Okefenokee Park site

Okefenokee World Heritage Bid – Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge UNESCO

Stephen C. Foster State Park site

UGA Marine Extension Alligator Research

Visit the Swamp

Quick Links

Natural History

Human History and Recreation & Tourism

Conservation

Everything You Need To Know For Visiting The Okefenokee Swamp 

At the end of April, Amanda and her sister-in-law took a day trip to the Okefenokee swamp to see what it was all about. They didn’t quite know what to expect and were pleasantly surprised at how much they enjoyed it and were sad that they didn’t have more time to explore! This post delves into everything they learned about visiting the Okefenokee Swamp and the fun activities they did so you can plan your own trip to this little oasis.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. That means at no additional cost to you, we may earn a commission from your purchase which will go toward bringing you more travel tips, tricks, and tidbits .

Where is the Okefenokee Swamp?

First things first, a common question is “Can you visit the Okefenokee Swamp?” and the answer is YES! The Okefenokee Swamp is a national wildlife refuge that welcomes visitors to come enjoy the nature oasis and learn all about the ecosystem and the history of the swamp and its residents (both human and animal!).

The Okefenokee Swamp is located in the southeast region of Georgia near the Florida border, approximately 4 hours south of Atlanta, Georgia and 1.5 hours north of Jacksonville, Florida. It is a great day trip option from both St. Simon’s Island and Jekyll Island , since they are only around 1.5 hours away by car. 

When is the best time for visiting the Okefenokee Swamp?

If you are able, we HIGHLY suggest planning your trip for sometime between late September and late April. This is the best time of year for visiting the Okefenokee Swamp because the mosquitoes and biting flies are not in season. This also means you’ll avoid the horrid heat of summer where it can get into the 90s to low 100s*F. As Georgia natives, we may be used to this type of weather during the summer months, but we still hate it and advise everyone to avoid it if possible. 

You can kayak in the swamp, enjoy a boat tour, canoe, camp on the water in the middle of the swamp, and hike to name just a few activities. Depending on how many activities you are looking to do and how much you are wanting to see, you can easily spend between 4-5 hours or a whole 8 hour day exploring the park! 

Must Have Items For Visiting The Okefenokee Swamp

• Refillable water bottle
• Bug spray – Especially if you are visiting between May and September
• Waterproof bag for valuables if doing water activity .
• Small backpack to hold belongings
• Friction defense stick – A lifesaver if you have thick thighs and plan on wearing shorts when visiting the Okefenokee Swamp!
• Your comfiest walking shoes – Amanda wore her Allbirds when she visited, and they were perfect!

A Little History & Fun Facts About The Swamp

The Okefenokee Swamp is roughly 400,000 acres in size, which equals 625 square miles (1,600 kilometers)! More than 15,000 alligators call the Okefenokee Swamp home along with thousands of birds, turtles, snakes, black bears, and other wildlife! 

The shape of the swamp is actually similar to a bowl or basin which makes it perfectly designed for gathering rainwater. In fact, all of the water in the swamp is from rainwater. There are no rivers or creeks feeding into the swamp. Isn’t that cool?

Despite relying exclusively on rainwater, the swamp has never fully dried out. There is always standing water in the swamp, with the depth of the water typically averaging three feet.

The Okefenokee Swamp is the largest black water swamp in North America. It’s referred to as black water because you can’t see into it. In fact if you were to put your hand into the water (which we personally wouldn’t dare do), you wouldn’t be able to see your fingers at the end of your hand.

This darkness is due to the peat in the water which is created from the decaying trees laying at the bottom of the swamp. The water is actually more of a heavily diluted tea color when you pour it into a clear cup. But fun fact: the water is surprisingly safe to drink! Our boat tour guide actually took a big gulp to prove it and claimed it tastes like green tea! We’re taking his word for it.

In the 1890s, the state of Georgia didn’t have the same standards for conservation that it does today, so there are actually a couple of man made canals within the swamp. While this is unfortunate, it provides an excellent access point today that is utilized by Okefenokee Adventures.

The Okefenokee Swamp is the second most lightning prone location in the United States with the first location being Tampa Bay, Florida. However, fire has been necessary for the swamp to thrive – many of the trees within the swamp are pyrogenic, which means they require exposure to intense heat to propagate. The swamp has seen roughly 8-10 fires caused by lightning strikes since 1840 with five of the fires causing major damage.

If you’re a nature lover, you may enjoy our list of 10 Books With Nature As A Main Character . These books have plots that entwine flora and fauna in such a way that it is as if nature itself is a central character to the storyline.

With so many alligators, is the Okefenokee Swamp safe to visit?

Yes! Gators are mostly docile animals and will leave you alone as long as you leave them alone and give them space. However, female alligators are very territorial and heavily guard their nests during mating season (April – July). Despite this, there have been 0 reported alligator attacks since 1937, so the odds are certainly in your favor for safety.

Things To Do In the Okefenokee Swamp

Exploring the Okefenokee Swamp SHOULD be on your bucket list – it is one of the seven natural wonders of Georgia and a wonderful way to experience nature. There are over 120 miles of water trails throughout the swamp that are ready to be explored! 

As you begin planning your day full of exploration, you’ll see two different segments that can easily be mixed up: Okefenokee Adventures and Okefenokee Swamp Park. These are two different partners with the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge that work together to bring visitation and educational opportunities to the guests of the swamp.

The Okefenokee Swamp Park is a non-profit that opened its doors 75 years ago. While there is an entrance fee & general admission fees for this portion of the swamp, it includes a good bit. You can take a train ride, view exhibits, and attend a nature show. There are also package bundles that include a 45 minute boat tour as well if you are looking to get on the water with a guide!

The Okefenokee Adventures side has been open since 2000 and offers an array of guided tours, bike and boat rentals and overnight camping excursions. There is an option to book a multi-entrance & multi-day pass, so you can fully experience all that the swamp has to offer! 

Amanda & her sister-in-law did the 10am guided boat tour through Okefenokee Adventures, then headed over to Swamp Island Drive to explore the Chesser Island Homestead, which included a walk the Chesser Island Boardwalk to the observation tower.

During their day they saw countless birds and turtles, 1 snake, and only 3 alligators! Their one regret from the day trip is not renting a kayak or canoe to further explore the swamp and enjoy the water more! You can either easily recreate their itinerary or choose from the available options below to curate your own.

Guided Tour Options through Okefenokee Adventures

Amanda and her sister in law did the 90 minute boat tour and absolutely enjoyed every minute of it! The guide was incredibly knowledgeable, entertaining, and had a palpable passion for the swamp. This is an excellent option for those wanting to get out on the water but not necessarily get in kayaks or canoes to do it. The boats have a canopy overtop but open sides to help protect from the sun, which was very appreciated and made for a comfortable ride! We highly suggest booking a reservation online. 

Another boat tour option is the Sunset Prairie Tour which is a 2 hour tour at sunset of the waterways after they are closed to all other visitors. Advance reservations are required.

If you are looking to get out on the water in a motorboat, kayak or canoe with a guide, Okefenokee Adventures also offers four hour guided tours . Advance reservations are required, and they offer discounts for groups.  

If you are looking for a more immersive adventure, then the guided overnight excursions may be a good fit for you and your group. Okefenokee Adventures provides the gear, food, and an expert guide for the whole excursion. There are options from 1 night to 4 nights on either an overwater platform campsite or on one of the islands in the swamp! A permit and reservation are required for this excursion.

Self-Guided Tour Options through Okefenokee Adventures

Kayak & Canoe Rentals – if you are looking for the DIY experience and the best way to see Okefenokee Swamp, you will want to rent a kayak or canoe. This is a very popular option & highly recommended! Amanda’s biggest regret is NOT doing this! 

Bike Rentals – If you are looking to explore the swamp from land, then renting a bike is a great idea! You can rent a bike to explore the Swamp Island Drive which is a 7.5 mile paved roadway looping around Swamp Island (more on this area of the swamp below). There are many walking trails on this portion of the island to explore and places along the way where you can park your bike.

Camping – there are seven overwater shelters and two island campsites available within Okefenokee Swamp. The swamp is a designated dark skies location with little to no light pollution – so it’s a FAB place to see all of the stars in the sky at night time. Camping in the swamp is the only way (besides the sunset prairie boat tour) to see the stars because the waterways close to all other guests prior to sunset. Reservations have to be made via phone (no online option available) and permits are also required. If you need to rent gear, Okefenokee Adventures has a wide array of gear available for rental with advance reservation. 

Swamp Island Drive – If you are looking to explore the swamp while staying on land, then consider driving the 7.5 mile loop on Swamp Island Drive. Here you can explore the Chesser Island Homestead, the home to a family of pioneers in the mid 1800s.

This historic home is furnished with traditional furnishings, as well as the syrup shed, chicken coop, garden and smokehouse. If you are lucky, you may be greeted by a historian on the front porch ready to share all of their knowledge of the original family and their connection to the swamp. Amanda was able to enjoy this special experience, and it was such a treat! The man was a treasure trove of information. We could have sat on that porch with him and listened to him talk all day! It was definitely a highlight of our time in the swamp.

The Swamp Island Drive is also home to the the Chesser Island Boardwalk, a 1.5 mile roundtrip boardwalk trail weaving through the swamp. During this walk Amanda saw an alligator napping in the water, turtles, and a snake slithering in the water – luckily there weren’t any animals on the boardwalk itself during her visit!

The boardwalk trail is a great way to explore the swamp and see it (and some wildlife!) up close while not being on the water directly. There are multiple shaded lookout points during the walk with benches to take a break if needed. At the end of the boardwalk is another gem worth exploring – a 50 foot tall observation tower where you can get a bird’s eye view of the swamp surrounding you!

If you’re visiting the Okefenokee Swamp soon and have any questions, ask away in the comments below!

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3 thoughts on “Everything You Need To Know For Visiting The Okefenokee Swamp ”

Looks like most stuff is closed Tuesday and Wednesday-can you still drive the loop on those days

Oooh the okefenokee swamp looks incredible for nature lovers! All those turtles, gators and birds! I am also in love with the fabulous vines hanging down from the trees. Beeeautiful!

I wonder why it is so prone to lighting strikes!?

Great post! I haven’t been here before. Looks like a fun adventure!

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Visit Okefenokee Swamp: Top Ten from Georgia’s [Huge] Hidden Gem!

By Author Julie Kieras

Posted on Published: April 22, 2021  - Last updated: April 25, 2021

Actually, it’s rather hard to “hide” the Okefenokee Swamp, given that it takes up a space about half the size of Rhode Island on the Georgia / Florida line. Yet, most people don’t even know the Swamp is there! Our family enjoyed an Okefenokee Swamp visit this spring, and discovered it is truly a huge, hidden gem at the bottom of the state of Georgia. 

This is a sponsored post. 

Visit Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia

I wanted to visit the Okefenokee because it’s a part of our homeschool studies this year. Yes, the Okefenokee gets a mention on our US Geography map in Classical Conversations Cycle 3! It’s a name that is fun to say, but we didn’t know much about the place. So on our drive back from Florida, we made a two-day visit.

There are three entrances (west, north, and south), and since they are a half-of-Rhode-Island width apart, don’t expect to visit them all in one day! We visited both the northern  and southern sections. Each one takes about four hours to adequately explore all the major highlights.

Okefenokee Swamp Park is located in the northeast corner of the swamp at Waycross, Georgia. This location has plenty to explore, plus so many fun activities for kids like Eye on Nature shows, live animals to touch and hold, and more!

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge with Okefenokee Adventures is at the southeast end, in Folkston, GA. This location has boating / fishing / camping excursions, plus day hiking activities and Swamp Island Drive, a 7 mile road through the swamp ending at a boardwalk on Chesser Island and the Chesser Homestead.

We visited both the northern  and southern sections. Each one takes about four hours to adequately explore all the major highlights. The Stephen S. Foster Park is on the western side of the swamp, but we didn’t visit this location. 

Okefenokee Swamp – Our Top Ten 

Check out the youtube video here .

I think it’s obvious, seeing American alligators is a number ONE reason to visit a swamp! We visited in spring, so the air was cooler and the gators were a bit slow to come out. Still, my boys counted twenty gators from all our walking and boating excursions.

At Waycross, there are several captive gators that can’t be released to the wild; you can observe them from safety of the boardwalk. Tour guides say that in warm weather, gators are just everywhere in the park, even on the sidewalks!

2. Guided Boat Tours

Glide through dark waters that reflect ancient cypress trees standing like sentinels of time. A silence both lovely and eerie surrounds you! You can almost feel the gaze of gators as you pass “gator trails” they’ve made – then suddenly, the serrated back of a gator cuts through the glass surface, and just as swiftly and silently disappears.

Truly, a boat tour through the swamp is the BEST way to observe the beautiful and mysterious Okefenokee because you get so close to the wild side of the swamp. 

Both locations offer boat rides into the swamp. 

• The Folkston boat tour through Okefenokee Adventures is about 90 minutes and an additional fee.
• The Waycross boat tour is about 45 minutes and included in your entrance fee. 

Although you’re only scratching the surface of the swamp when you tour these locations, you’ll feel like you’re in the heart of the Okefenokee. The tour guides are locals who know so much history and have personal experiences to share. They delighted us with their stories, jokes, and lore.

Fun things we got to see:

• Gator trails – alligators actually engineered many water trails through the swamp vegetation! They do this to catch their prey who use the trails because they are easier than breaking new trails.
• Gator nests – which look like debris and compost but are actually mud mounds where alligators mamas lay their eggs!
• Cultural Sites – like replicas of moonshine stills!
• Turtles – there are about half dozen turtles and tortoises native to the swamp. 
• “Trembling earth” – Okefenokee means trembling  earth, which is a description of the floating islands of trees and grasses throughout the swamp.
• Beautiful scenery  all around and reflected in the black water of the swamp. There’s even a beautiful area called Mirror Lake that is perfectly reflective!

3. Train ride!

At Waycross, you can also go on a 45 minute train ride on the Lady Suwanee through the swamp and stop off at a replica homestead cultural site. Along the way, the tour guide will fill you in on all the flora and fauna and history! Then you can hop out and go through the homestead to see how families lived in the swamp a hundred years ago. 

4. Live Animal Demos!

At the nature center in Waycross, you can view a short video of the swamps beauty, and learn more about the areas creatures from a naturalist on staff. Eye on Nature shows in the amphitheater are also available. We got to touch a ground tortoise, and hold a snake and a baby gator! This was the highlight of the whole trip for the boys.

5. Nature’s grocery store (aka, the flora & fauna) 

I was fascinated by the many edible plants in the swamp. From water lily tubers and swamp “asparagus,” berries, and even bay leaves and a pepper hotter than a ghost chile! Fish and game abound – you can see how settlers managed to survive and thrive out in the swamp!

6. Observation towers

Each location has stunningly high observation towers at the end of boardwalks or accessible by boat. Definitely take a walk up and survey the swamp in a 360 degree view. It’s really incomprehensible how expansive the view is from that high up!

7. Homestead history

Both locations have a homestead has a cultural site as a window into the past. In Folkston, the Chesser homestead on Chesser Island.

At Waycross an actual homestead was brought over and setup for touring, which you can access from the train ride. At this location, alligators are nearby, and a mini farm is being established with pigs and chickens. Except for gators, it seems like a really lovely place to live!

8. Hike the boardwalks

Walk into the swamp on boardwalks that take you right through the waters and prairies. We saw a small gator, snake, turtles, and plenty of lizards and birds. One section does require a waiver (but on our visit, this section was still underwater, so we didn’t access it). The observation towers are accessible from these boardwalks as well. 

9. Diverse wildlife

Beyond gators, you’ll spot beautiful birds, lizards, and turtles, and very likely, a snake. Look out for other critters like otters, raccoons, deer, and bobcat. And apparently, summer is “spider season,” so if that is your kind of thing… I’m just glad we went in April! 

10. Blackwater swamp

Okefenokee is the largest freshwater and Blackwater swamp in America. The black water was so intruiging, I had to ask about it. Turns out, the water is actually ice tea colored, but looks black. The brownish color comes from tannic acid released by leaves that fall into the swamp and sink to the bottom. Although it might seem “dirty” the swamp a water is actually 90% pure water!

Where to Stay near Okefenokee Swamp

It’s true, the Okefenokee is a bit off the beaten path. But there’s a delightful place to getaway right across from the northern entrance at Waycross. The Laura S. Walker Park has campground for tenting and RV’ers and cabins for those who like more comforts of home. 

We stayed overnight in a two-bedroom cabin on the edge of a lake. We enjoyed a full kitchen, living room, full bath, as well as a screened in porch and outdoor picnic area with fire pit. Everything was tidy, comfortable, and well-maintained. We enjoyed a quick s’mores dessert outside by the fire (until the mosquitos came out – don’t forget the bug spray!). 

The best part is that Laura S. Walker Park is just a 45-minute drive from the other entrance at Folkston, GA. So you can plan a lovely two-day getaway and enjoy both of the Okefenokee experiences.

Plan to visit the Okefenokee Swamp!

Our family loves to travel, and there is something truly special about traveling to a location you have studied in school and getting that first-hand experience. So many people drive through Georgia on their way to Florida destinations. A visit at Okefenokee Swamp is worth the rabbit trail!

–>If you are a Classical Conversations family, you will LOVE getting to see one of our country’s most Prominent Features and putting a “face to a name” on our CC Cycle 3 Map! It’s the perfect homeschool field trip!

Check out the websites for Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge-Folkston and Okefenokee Swamp Park-Waycross for more details and updated rates, hours and travel info!

Ask me anything you like about our time in the swamp! I am happy to answer! 

Check out my other travel blog posts!

• Chincoteague Island, Virginia – where the wild ponies are!
• 10 Must-Do Activities on Block Island, Rhode Island
• A sweet getaway on coastal Connecticut
• Our favorite campground at Emerald Lake State Park in Vermont  (also here , and here )
• Travel guide to Washington DC with Preschoolers
• Homeschool Guide to Washington DC with elementary kids
• Visit George Washington’s Mount Vernon
• Frugal Family Guide to Myrtle Beach

Thanks to Okefenokee State Park for complimentary passes to the parks and Laura S. Walker Park for the overnight accommodations. All opinions are my own!

Wednesday 8th of September 2021

tHANKS FOR SHARING THIS.

Friday 23rd of July 2021

Thanks a lot for writing this great article, as after reading your article I planned this trip with my family there & it was amazing.

Heather Herrin Roberson

Saturday 22nd of May 2021

So glad you stopped and enjoyed the swamp and even more so that you took the time to write such a lovely article about it. If you want to learn more about the rail road system and incorporate that lesson in with the lesson on the swamp, look for a book about Lydia Stone Crews. Below is a link to tell you about her as well as information about the book. I live in Hickox, GA, which borders both counties with the Folkston and Waycross entrance. Thank you for bringing your family to visit our little slice of Heaven , God's country as we call it around here. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.jacksonville.com/amp/6346963002

Decia Roberson

Thursday 20th of May 2021

I am proud that we were able to both entertain and educate your family this year with our beloved Okefenokee Swamp. It truly is a natural treaure. The ecosystem found here at the swamp is unique. Species of both animal and vegetable are home here and found nowhere else in the world! Did you know even the alligators are affected by rising global temperatures! Yes! The female alligator lays her eggs in the giant nest she has prepared just for this purpose. Once a year, she spends weeks guarding her little unborn babies as they lay and develop under the mud and muck until the start emerging as little gators. What you may not recall from science 101 is that the actual sex of each hatchling was determined inside the egg based on the temperature of each egg! Therefore, the ratio of male gators and female gators is at a pivotal point. Come back and see us some time. We'd love to have you for supper! (Pun intended!) -Decia Roberson-Corbitt

Marie McAllister

Friday 14th of May 2021

Living in this Okefenokee world in 31503, simple pleasures enjoying small cyprus stands, knees on the side of dirt roads with soft grounds and blackwater. Caught SWAMP FEVER here.

Visiting the Okefenokee Swamp

Are you planning to travel to Okefenokee Swamp anytime soon? The Okefenokee is your ultimate vacation spot, covering more than 400,000 acres of land on the Georgia-Florida line. It is home to over 12,000 alligators! They are everywhere you look and are definitely a sight to see. In addition to the abundance of wildlife, there are plenty of activities for you to immerse yourself in and sites to visit. It is also one of the seven natural wonders of the state of Georgia.

What is the Best Time to Visit the Okefenokee Swamp?

One of the best times to visit the Okefenokee Swamp would be the period of late spring and early summer. The weather during this period is just perfect — warm and breezy. Plants happen to bloom during this period, making it a colorful and beautiful place. Animals in Okefenokee Swamp are also more active during this period. You will be able to make the most out of your trip and get to explore the entirety that Okefenokee Swamp has to offer.

However, when it comes to the wildlife, each season is different. For the best wildlife observation experience, early mornings or late evening is the best time. This is because they are up and about. It gets scorching hot during the summer. Therefore, if you intend to make your way to the Okefenokee Swamp during the summer, ensure that you make an early morning trip.

Another great time to visit is fall. During this time, Okefenokee sees fewer crowds. The majority of guests flock to the Okefenokee camp during spring break. You’ll also get to see the migrating Sandhill Cranes in autumn!

What to Do While at Okefenokee Swamp

Boat riding is one of the main activities in the area. It would be best to make it a top priority to ensure that you get on one of these guided boat rides. During the tour, you also get the opportunity to climb the 90-foot tower, where you will be able to get a panoramic view of the swamp, and see gorgeous native plants and wildlife.

The boat rides cost between $22 and $27. Group tours are also available upon request and you may be able to get a discounted rate and longer trips with larger groups. This generally means you have 12 or more people in your traveling group.

At times, though, it can be challenging to go out for a boat ride as it really depends on the water level. In most cases, no refunds are made because of unfavorable weather conditions.

Natural Wonder Special Programs

Most people visit the Okefenokee Swamp for its rich history, alligators, and cypress trees. Through the natural wonder special program, you will get to learn all about the swamp’s wildlife. Okefenokee Swamp is widely recognized because of its wildlife diversity. The United Nations even refer to it as a wetland of international importance. The programs available for you to take part in include:

The “Eye on Nature” Program

This program serves as an educational offering for all ages. You will get the opportunity to learn about all the animals present in the swamp. This presentation takes around 25 minutes. Moreover, it can be viewed all year round.

The “Can I See” Program

“Can I See” allows tourists to look at the variety of wildlife in the Okefenokee swamp from designated observation areas. You are also allowed to bring your camera with you to capture amazing shots of the wildlife.

Seasonal Light Show

The Okefenokee Swamp is quite magical, especially during the festive season! If you intend to make your way here during the holidays, then be sure to get on the train ride. You will get the chance to explore the park while enjoying the fabulous display on the trees. It is indeed an excellent time to be in Okefenokee Swamp, especially if you are traveling with your entire family.

There are light shows that take place throughout the day and Christmas songs can be heard in the area. Santa is also present, so be sure to bring your children along to give them their Christmas lists. It is the perfect way to spend the holiday with your family.

Birdwatching can be rewarding at the Okefenokee area, especially if you do it in winter.  Many species of birds winter in the Okefenokee Swamp area after spending spring and summer further north.  This creates a unique concentration of birds that you might normally have to travel to many different places to see.

Unique Facts About Okefenokee Swamp

The Okefenokee Swamp is the headwaters of the St. Marys Rivers and the Suwannee. The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is constantly making efforts to conserve the unique qualities to ensure that the generations to come also get to enjoy it.

The swamp is home to endangered species such as the wood storks, red-cockaded woodpecker, and indigo snakes, among other wildlife species. It is densely populated with amphibians, which is a bio-indicator of the globe’s health. In addition, over 600 plants have been found and identified on the refuge lands.

Within the refuge land, the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has 400,000 acres of wilderness nationally. It is one of the few and largest intact freshwater ecosystems.

While the Okefenokee Swamp is only about 1/4 the size of the Everglades in Florida , they share many similarities and wildlife.  An effort is underway to try to link the two through protected lands, which would create a long swath of preserved habitat through central Florida up through the southern tip of Georgia.

What You Need to Watch Out for While Visiting

Swamps are unique, and the Okefenokee requires different hiking skills or camping skills than other types of environments.  We recommend planning ahead for things that you may very likely encounter.

During your visit to Okefenokee Swamp, you will encounter countless alligators. Therefore, it is vital to ensure that you keep your guard at all times. You are most likely to find them by the banks of rivers and streams. Alligators will often slip away at the sight of humans because of their natural fear.

Therefore, it is essential to ensure that you treat them with respect. You can do this by not feeding them or harassing them. You should also only swim in designated areas. Failing to follow the posted rules can result in fines.

Pests and Insects

During your visit to the swamp, you will encounter a lot of pests. Therefore, you should be very vigilant, especially if you are outdoors. It is essential to carry insect repellent to keep bugs at bay.

Always check for ticks. A tick bite makes you susceptible to Lyme disease. Some of the Lyme disease symptoms include fever, fatigue, a skin rash, and fatigue. If you experience any of these symptoms, see a doctor.

Black Bears

Black bears are a sight to behold. From time to time, you may encounter them in the swamp. While it is a sporadic and memorable experience, the excitement should not be a reason for you to throw caution to the wind. The black bears often keep their distance. However, they might at times approach humans. In such instances, it is essential to seek refuge and leave them alone. Some preventive measures that you could also take include:

• Avoid feeding the bears. Scented items and food should be stored in secure structures. Never keep any food in your camping site or cabin to avoid any bear attacks.
• Do not play dead with black bears.
• If a bear approaches you, do not turn and run. Back away and keep your eyes on the animal. Talk in a firm voice.
• If it continues following, yell, raise your arms, and throw items at it. You may have to get more aggressive if it continues following you.
• Keep bear spray on you.
• Fight back if the bear attacks you. Thankfully, black bear attacks are much rarer than grizzly bear attacks. They can be more likely to attack if they have cubs, however.

Where to Stay While on Your Trip to the Okefenokee Swamp

The closest town to Okefenokee Swamp, Fargo, is 18 miles away. This is why most of the guests prefer to stay in the cabins or campgrounds in the park. The prices for the cottages around Okefenokee Swamp vary, but you are sure to find something for your budget.

How Did the Okefenokee Swamp get its name?

So how did the Okefenokee Swamp get its unique name?  Like with many notable place names around the country, Okefenokee has Native American roots, but probably with some Americanization added along the way.  The Choctaw tribe has a presence in the southern Georgia area, and Okefenokee derives it name from some Choctaw terms.  Loosely translated, it means quivering or trembling earth.  The peat in the area would “float” on top of the swamp, creating a sensation that you were on solid ground when it was actually suspended and moving.

1 thought on “Visiting the Okefenokee Swamp”

Hey Hilary we left the swamp yesterday 2.5 day trip. Saw 3 dead cooters no live ones we have been in the swamp 25 years usually see too many turtles to count. Only saw 5 alligators and one on the red top out thin What do you think. Love the swamp!

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Three Entrances to the Okefenokee Swamp

As a wrap-up of my recent posts, I want to directly compare the three entrances to the Okefenokee Swamp.

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

First of all, let me say that my enjoyment of the Okefenokee Swamp is one of my biggest travel surprises this year. (And this year includes falling in love with Santa Fe and spending the fall watching the aspen trees turn in Colorado !) I never thought I’d be so entranced with it as I am, or enjoy my time in a swamp so much.

Maybe my expectations were low since I didn’t enjoy my first impromptu visit . It’s possible my visits came at the end of a year full of travel and I’m so tired that the tranquility of the Okefenokee Swamp soothed my soul. Nevertheless, actually getting out into the swamp feels magical. The reflections on the water make it seem like you are floating in the sky! I fell head over heels for the whole experience.

There are three main entrances to visit the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, each with its own boat tour into the swamp. And the boat tours are the thing here. You have to actually get out into the swamp and experience it, not just do the activities on the sidelines.

Note that you need a fair amount of flexibility when visiting the Okefenokee Swamp in general. You certainly can’t do all three entrances in one day. I had a hard time fitting two in one day on my visit, and couldn’t do the third (the state park) until later. And even then, I had a hard time getting a tour time that fit with my schedule. (I ultimately changed my schedule.) Plus, the entrances are about an hour or more from each other – the Okefenokee Swamp is HUGE.

The Okefenokee Swamp invites you to slow down, and I encourage you to lean into this while you’re here. If you want to fully explore what each of the three entrances to Okefenokee Swamp has to offer, I’d reserve one day for each spot.

Ultimately, I recommend visiting all three entrances because the swamp is so different in each place. That way, you get a better picture of the swamp as a whole. (The best way to see the whole swamp is to get a permit to camp and kayak across the entire thing – but I hear those are hard to come by.)

Suwanee Canal Recreation Area/Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Main Entrance

If you only have time to visit one entrance to the Okefenokee Swamp, make it the main Suwanee Canal Recreation Area entrance near Folkston, GA. It’s the official federal entrance for the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge and has the most robust facilities & activities.

The boat tour from the Suwanee Canal entrance features a historic man-made canal and a swamp prairie, and there is a stand of old cypress trees that is absolutely stunning. The swamp here in general is more open for easier viewing of birds and alligators.

Boat tours from this entrance cost $28 and under for a 90-minute guided tour. The boats are shaded, comfortable, and seat a fair amount of people. You must also pay a $5/car fee to enter the refuge, good for seven days.

Other Activities

For just the cost of the $5 refuge fee, you can bike or drive Swamp Island Drive out to the authentic Chesser Island Homestead to see how pioneers lived in the swamp. Next door is a boardwalk out to a 40-foot observation tower. Or you can walk on several short trails in the park, for a little under 5 miles total.

If you want a deeper experience of the Okefenokee Swamp, you can outfit your own trip, or even hire a guided excursion from the Folkston entrance at various price points. Canoes & solo kayaks rent for $45/day.

There are picnic shelters, large bathrooms, a visitor center, a gift shop, and a small cafe here as well.

Nearest Town & Attractions

The biggest drawback to the Suwanee Canal entrance is that there’s not a whole lot to the nearby town of Folkston. There are a few places to eat, but only two small motels to stay in. (Though I did find one very cute bed & breakfast and a caboose that sleeps 4 .) You can instead stay in Kingsland 30 minutes east or Waycross 45 minutes north.

Likewise, there’s not much other activity in Folkston. The biggest attraction seems to be the “ Folkston Funnel “, a railway viewing platform for trainspotting.

Okefenokee Swamp Park

The privately-owned non-profit Okefenokee Swamp Park in Waycross, GA is the oldest entrance and more tourist-trappy than the others, though they’ve put in a lot of effort lately to make it look nicer. And the swamp here is not to be missed! Since this is the most northern entrance, the water level is lower and the paths through the swamp are narrower. It feels like you’re discovering a secret world.

The boats here are smaller jon boats with several benches. They’re stable enough to walk around in, but you probably won’t be standing much during your tour. Based on my first visit, they tend to send out fairly full boats every hour. You don’t see as many birds, but you usually see some alligators and lots of plant life. And this was the only tour where my guide Clint pointed out alligator nests.

The boat tours here cost $30 and under for a 45-minute guided tour, plus the other park attractions like a train and a nature show. That includes the $5 National Refuge fee as well, though I don’t think you can take it with you to use at the other entrances.

Okefenokee Swamp Park definitely has more activities than the other entrances, and to enjoy them without the boat tour costs $20 and under. The biggest attraction besides the boat tour is a narrated mile-long train ride with a stop at a recreated pioneer village. This train becomes the holiday express during the month of December.

There are three small buildings with nature and history exhibits in the park. An “Eye on Nature” show presents live animals throughout the day in the Nature Center. A snack shack is central to the whole park, and a boardwalk with large “ambassador” alligators and turtles is off to one side. Out into the swamp is a long boardwalk leading to a 70-foot observation tower, the tallest in the entire refuge. (Sadly, it’s currently closed.)

One area I didn’t look at too closely at is an azalea garden adjacent to the parking lot, which you might want to check out in the spring. And there is a picnic and event area before the main entrance parking.

Okefenokee Swamp Park might be the most popular entrance to the Okefenokee Swamp, due to its nearness to Waycross, a decently-sized city. Waycross has several hotels, dining, and shopping options and makes a good base for exploring the entire Okefenokee area.

Besides the Okefenokee Swamp Park, Waycross has the Okefenokee Heritage Center and a place called Southern Forest World about forestry in South Georgia. In all, Waycross is THE gateway city to the Okefenokee Swamp.

Stephen C Foster State Park

The third entrance to the park is the most remote, at Stephen C Foster State Park near Fargo, GA. The biggest pro is that you can actually camp here overnight, it’s a dark sky park, and there seems to be even more wildlife here than anywhere.

The boat tours at the Fargo entrance are the cheapest, at $15 for a 90-minute guided tour. The swamp here at the western side of the park is much more open, and the tour sticks to a deeper lake and one smaller canal. It’s just as interesting, but still totally different than at the other two entrances. The $5/car National Wildlife Refuge fee is in effect here as well, though you might have to track down someone to pay it.

The boats are bigger and shaded, but with much less seating than at the Folkston entrance. And with only 2-3 tours per day, it’s a much smaller operation.

Besides 63 campsites, there is a group pioneer campground, nine cottages, and a nearby lodge for rent. There are about three miles of hiking trails, about four miles of biking if you include all the paved roads, and you can drive or bike 5.5 miles to the nearby Suwanee River Sill. The park office has a gift shop and trading post for some food supplies. And there are three rentable picnic shelters and a playground.

You can rent kayaks and canoes here for relatively cheap – between $15-$30 for up to eight hours. Paddle a kayak two miles to Billy’s Island and then hike a one-mile loop to see Native American, pioneer, and logging history on the island.

Nearest Town & Activites

There really isn’t much to Fargo at all – only one hotel with just eight rooms and a few restaurants. There are a couple of golf courses nearby, including one across from the park-operated Eco Lodge. You’re better off staying in the park itself or in Waycross an hour north.

Minor Entrances to Okefenokee Swamp

There are two more minor entrances to the swamp. I cover the Suwanee River Sill in my post about the Stephen C Foster State Park . And there’s one more entrance called Kingfisher Landing that’s pretty much just a boat ramp and some restrooms. It’s located on the east side between the Waycross and the Folkston entrances.

Final Thoughts

Getting out into the Okefenokee Swamp is what you want to do at each of these locations. To that end, make sure you always book your boat tours ahead of time and plan the rest of your day around them. The parks themselves are nice, but nothing compares to getting out on the water. I did tours at all three entrances, enjoyed each one, and would do all of them again in a heartbeat! Links for booking tours can be found on my blog posts for each park.

And one thing I haven’t mentioned in all of these posts is that for most of the year, the Okefenokee Swamp is going to be very hot and buggy! My visits have all been in the fall & winter so I haven’t had that experience – which makes this area a fantastic place to visit during the colder months. But be prepared for hot & humid weather the rest of the year. And take your strongest bug spray! Mosquitos, flies, and other bugs live in the swamp all summer and biting yellow flies are most prevalent in May & June. Wear long sleeves, hats, pants, and douse yourself with spray if you go during these months. Those biting flies can really ruin your day.

The Okefenokee Swamp has a lot more to offer than might be assumed at first glance. If you’re feeling harried and enjoy the outdoors, I would absolutely recommend some time in south Georgia checking out all three entrances to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.

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Categories Georgia

Tags Georgia Hiking National Parks Okefenokee Swamp

We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm, and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open. – Jawaharlal Nehru

12 Comments

Beautiful pictures very informative. Thanks

Thank you so much!

Totally the best article on Okefenokee Swamp I’ve ever read!

Great article.The swamp is truly a must see.

I’m planning atria for 2023 so your post was very timely and useful for future planning. Thank you.

This is exactly the information I have been looking for. Thank you

I wish I could you back to the early 1960s where you hired a boat and guide. Last time I visited, the guided tour was very small and didn’t include anything I remember as a kid. As a kid, you could take a 4 hour to about 8 hours guided tour. You told the guide what you most wanted to see and they personalized your tour. I was so young and didn’t understand or appreciate what all we saw. However, the memories created are some alltime favorites of my life.

That’s amazing! That would have been pretty cool to see it that way.

Thank you for writing this. We’re going back, this time with extended family, and I had NO idea which one to choose! We LOVED the prairie and canal at Folkston but the younger kids may really dig the train ride at Waycross.

I’m so glad it was helpful!

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My Itchy Travel Feet

The Baby Boomer's Guide To Travel

A Visit to Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp for the Boomer Traveler

This article may contain referral links. Read our DISCLOSURE

Visiting Okefenokee Swamp is for you, if you’re a fan of canoeing with alligators, birdwatching or cycling next to a lush, riparian landscape. We recommend Folkston as your headquarters.

Out of all of the swamps in the world, Okefenokee Swamp certainly wins for the catchiest name. Known as one of the seven natural wonders of Georgia, it’s certainly one of the more off-the-beaten path boomer travel adventures in the Southeastern U.S.

Guest writer, Leigh McAdam from HikeBikeTravel , shows us the best way to see Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, rich in both natural beauty and history.

Table of Contents

Visiting Okefenokee Swamp on a boomer travel adventure

Called the Land of the Trembling Earth , Okefenokee Swamp—located mostly in southern Georgia near the Florida border—might not be the first place that comes to mind for a visit. Banish that thought. A trip here offers a fascinating look at life in a blackwater swamp.

Not only is Okefenokee rich in natural history, but it’s got an interesting human history as well, dating back to 2500 BC when Native Americans occupied the area. Now, everyone from nature lovers to birders and plant lovers to photographers enjoy unbelievable natural beauty over a range of eco-systems.

Discovering a Georgia swamp for nature lovers

Most of the swamp has been protected since 1937 when it became part of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge ( official website ). It’s the biggest, continuous blackwater swamp in North America covering close to 700 square miles.

Okefenokee is home to over 234 species of birds, 64 reptile species, 37 amphibian species, 50 species of mammals and an unknown number of insect species. The swamp truly is a nature-lovers paradise.

Exploring Okefenokee on a guided boat tour

One of the best ways to see the swamp is via the 90-minute Okefenokee swamp tour. The guided boat adventure leaves the Visitors Center every hour throughout the day. The boat moseys down the Suwanee Canal to a widening of the waterway, which is the turnaround point.

The canal was dug over a period of three years beginning in 1891. Big plans for turning the swamp into cropland never materialized, but a vibrant lumber industry did manage to remove most of the beautiful cypress trees over several decades.

All of this history and more will be relayed to you as you make your way down the canal. On route, you will undoubtedly see alligators as well as an assortment of bird life especially sandhill cranes, egrets and herons. You might feel like you’ve been transported to another planet when you see the cypress trees literally dripping with Spanish moss.

Boomer Travel Tip

Four-hour extended boat trips are available by reservation only. You don’t need a reservation for the 90-minute guided boat tour.

Finding other active travel options for touring Okefenokee Swamp

A boat ride isn’t the only way to explore the park. Active boomer travelers have a couple of options.

If you just have a few hours, rent a bicycle and explore the seven plus miles of flat, paved road. Keep a close eye out for alligators and snakes should you choose to do this.

Another option is a 1 to 4 night guided or self-guided canoe trip that takes you deeper into the swamp via a boat trail. You’ll paddle through evergreen shrub bogland, pine forest, wet prairie and cypress forest and camp on wooden platforms.

Experiencing history at Chesser Island Homestead

Don’t miss a visit to the Chesser Island Homestead , accessible via a car or a bike. Settled in the late 1800’s by W.T. Chesser and his family, a stop at the homestead provides a window into the tough life these people lived.

Walk through the house and admire the hand-sewn quilts on all the beds, visit the outbuildings which include a sugar cane mill, smokehouse and chicken coop. If you’re like me, you’ll come away thankful you weren’t born at the edge of a swamp.

Thanks to Leigh for a great introduction to a fun boomer travel idea.

Okefenokee Swamp travel tips

There are three entrance points to Okefenokee Swamp, all in Georgia . Look for the east entrance 11 miles southwest of Folkston, the west entrance 17 miles east of Fargo, and the north entrance eight miles south of Waycros s. Entrance fees are $5 per day per vehicle. Boat tours start at approximately 9:30 a.m.

The Daily Refuge Pass costs $5 per non-commercial vehicle and is good for 7 days. The refuge also honors National Park passes, including those for seniors and military personnel.

If you want to avoid crowds and bugs, especially mosquitos (always pack repellent ), consider a winter visit—November to February. Fall is also a good choice as long as there aren’t any hurricanes moving up the Florida/Georgia coast. Seeing the Sandhill cranes arrive is a big bonus to a November trip. Spring in Okefenokee is beautiful, but you’ll be part of the tourist crowd. 

Although you won’t find 5-star lodging near the swamp, if you’re looking for something unique, try one of the lodges with cabin accommodations or a delightful bed and breakfast: Okefenokee Pastimes Cabins has a reputation for clean, but basic cabins that are close to the wildlife refuge entrance. The Inn at Folkston offers a delicious breakfast in a small town Georgia setting that’s worth experiencing.

Active travelers will find plenty of things to do at Okefenokee Swamp. Go wildlife watching on Swamp Island Drive, hike the trails, go canoeing or kayaking, and don’t miss the guided swamp boat tour. Fishing is another popular activity.

You’ll find an abundance of animals inn Okefenokee Swamp. Alligators, black bear, opossum and armadillo are just a few of the 50 mammal species that live there. The 620 species living in the swamp also include: 39 fish, 37 amphibian and 64 reptile species. Birdwatchers will delight in looking for 234 bird species.

Extend your trip

After a day or two exploring a swamp environment, why not cool off at the beach? You’ll have several choices that are close to add a touch of luxurious relaxation to your trip:

• Visit Georgia’s Golden Isles , St. Simons Island is our top choice.
• Head on over to northeast Florida for an Amelia Island getaway .
• Enjoy a Florida Space Coast road trip from Titusville to Melbourne.

Okefenokee plus the beaches of Georgia and northern Florida are the perfect combination for a fun, boomer road trip.

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Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

Upcoming Events

• 9/28, Chesser Island Homestead Clean-up
• 10/8, Community Meeting for Proposed Exhibits for New Visitor Center
• 10/18, Walk for the Wild
• 11/23, Pioneer Days
• Check out our Events page to learn more!

2024-2025 Hunting Information

The 2024-2025 hunt dates for Cowhouse Unit, Pocket Unit, and Suwanee Canal Unit have been announced. Hunt Applications for the mobility-impaired and youth hunt at Suwanee Canal Recreation Area must be received from August 15, 2024 to September 16, 2024. Visit our Hunting page to learn more.

Volunteer Opportunities

We are currently accepting applications for multiple volunteer positions as a Visitor Center Front Desk Assistant, Maintenance Assistant, or Environmental Education Assistant. Visit the Get Involved page on our website to fill out an application or learn more!

Visit Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge for the opportunity to enjoy a unique ecosystem with a fascinating cultural history and rich species diversity. Stop in to the Richard S. Bolt Visitor Center to learn about all of the recreational opportunities on the refuge. The refuge is open daily from 30 minutes before sunrise to either 5:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. (seasonally) and the Richard S. Bolt Visitor Center is open from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (call for current hours/days of operation).

Visit our Facebook page or give us a call at 912-496-7836 for up-to-date information on programs and upcoming events.  

Location and Contact Information

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge conserves the unique qualities of the Okefenokee Swamp for future generations to enjoy.  The swamp is considered the headwaters of the Suwannee and St Marys Rivers.  Habitats provide for threatened and endangered species, and a wide variety of other wildlife. It is world renowned for its amphibian populations that are bio-indicators of global health.

Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the National Wildlife Refuge System. It drives everything on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands and waters managed within the Refuge System, from the purposes for which a national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans. Learn more about national wildlife refuge is established to the recreational activities offered to the resource management tools used. Using conservation best practices, the Refuge System manages Service lands and waters to help ensure the survival of native wildlife species.

Our Organization

Our Species

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge was established to provide "refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife.” The refuge provides habitat for threatened and endangered species, such as red-cockaded woodpeckers, wood storks and eastern indigo snakes. The most iconic species that resides in the Okefenokee NWR, is the American Alligator. With an estimated population of approximately 15,000 alligators living in the Okefenokee Swamp, visitors are almost guaranteed to have at least a few sightings of these important and beautiful reptiles. Other notable bird species include swallow-tailed kites, sandhill cranes, Bachman's sparrows, prothonotary warblers, red-shouldered hawks and barred owls. Other reptilian residents include: gopher tortoise, timber rattlesnakes, Florida softshell turtles and numerous species of watersnakes. 

Our Library

Visit our digital library to find refuge brochures and other documents.

Get Involved

Discover for yourself what tens of thousands of volunteers have learned: Volunteering for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is fun and rewarding in many ways. Master new skills. Meet new friends. Enjoy a sense of accomplishment from doing your part to further wildlife conservation for the pleasure of generations to follow. Check out the refuge's volunteer opportunities on our website , RV volunteer opportunities on Volunteer.gov or call the Richard S. Bolt Visitor Center at 912-496-7836 for more information. 

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How To Explore Okefenokee Swamp

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• Activities and Interests
• Destinations
• Guided Tours
• Outdoor Activities
• Types of Travel
• United States

Located in Waycross, Georgia, at the headwaters of the Suwannee and St. Marys Rivers, Okefenokee Swamp Park is an impressive National Wildlife Refuge — a vast collection of islands, lakes, jungles, forests, and prairies on the Florida-Georgia line.

The Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge stemmed from a non-profit corporation which was eventually chartered as the Okefenokee Association Inc., under the laws of Georgia. The Okefenokee Swamp Park opened its doors officially on October 8, 1946. Nearly a quarter of a million dollars was poured into this very unique community project, which the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge calls “the most unique community project on record.” The end goal of the project was to make the park “one of the most appealing tourist attractions in America” and they managed to do exactly that.

At nearly half a million acres, visitors to Okefenokee Swamp can participate in interpretive exhibits, wildlife shows, boat tours on Indian Waterways, and visits to Pioneer Island, all while observing animals in their natural habitats.

Here are nine ways you can explore Okefenokee Swamp Park.

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1. Adventure Walk To Observation Tower

Traveling along Okefenokee’s newest pathway, New Low Walkway, visitors will enjoy the half-mile journey on the park’s original boardwalk, initially lost in the 2007 Big Turnaround Fire. You’ll get to see the swamp’s vast ecosystem up close from the boardwalk, which is located directly on top of the swamp. New Low Walkway will lead you to the 90-foot observation tower, which will afford you a bird’s eye view of the wetlands below.

If you’re planning to visit Okefenokee Swamp soon, you should head to the attraction’s website to take a close look at the warning notice and guidelines . The liability forms necessary for anyone planning to take to the boardwalk are accessible there as well.

2. Guided Boat Tours

Hop on one of Okefenokee Swamp Park’s guided boat tours to get up close and personal with the swamp’s native plants and wildlife. Don’t worry: This guided boat tour will also give you the chance to climb the 90-foot observation tower for a panoramic view of the swamp.

Prices range from $22 to $27 for a 45-minute limited boat excursion. Group tours are also available, and allow you to experience the guided swamp boat tour with friends and family at a discounted rate. The size of your group will determine the time allotted for your tour. To participate in a group tour, you must have 12 or more people, with one person paying. Reservations are required for 20- and 45-minute group excursions.

Keep in mind that all boat tours depend on the swamp’s water levels. There are no refunds due to weather conditions. Availability of group tour boats is subject to change without notice.

3. Cypress Cove Annex

Okefenokee Swamp is the perfect place for hosting any large event. The Cypress Cove is a venue at Okefenokee Swamp where large private events can be held. Family reunions, birthday parties, and holiday parties are just some of the events that can be held at Cypress Cove — and the list goes on!

The venue can comfortably seat 200 guests within a climate-controlled environment. Cypress Cove includes a fully equipped kitchen with an outdoor cooking area for grilling. Rental fees are based on the day of the week and time of day you plan to host your event: $200 Monday through Thursday and $250 for Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

Daytime business meetings of five hours or less Monday through Thursday are $125. For all other events, you’ll pay the full day rate of $200. Reservations for the venue can be made up to twelve months in advance.

A bonus to this unique venue is that parking is free of charge and guests can enjoy tours of the park grounds at a discounted rate!

4. Georgia’s Natural Wonder: Plants And Animals

The Okefenokee Swamp is home to a variety of wildlife and in many ways is a true wildlife refuge. The wildlife seen in the swamp are seen their natural habitats and all inhabitants are protected by law. This Southeastern swamp is unique in being one of the few places in America that offers such a wide variety of wildlife, including 34 types of fish, 40 mammal species, 60 amphibian species, and 50 reptile species.

Beyond wildlife, the swamp is home to several natural wonder plants as well. These plants are special because unlike plants eaten by animals, they eat the animals . The Okefenokee Swamp has a variety of carnivorous plants that are a great interest to many who witness them. Carnivorous plants that thrive in the swamp include the pitcher plant or fly catcher, bladderwort, and sundew.

Taking some time to view and gain more knowledge about these natural wonders will enliven your Okefenokee Swamp experience.

5. Natural Wonder Special Programs

Okefenokee Swamp is famous for its alligators, cypress trees, and incredible history. The swamp is even recognized by the United Nations as a wetland of international importance because of its wildlife diversity. You can learn all about the swamp’s wildlife with these two special programs.

“Eye on Nature” is an educational offering for all ages. You will learn all about the animals that live in the Okefenokee swamp during this 20 to 25 minute presentation, which can be viewed all year round.

“Can I See?” gives visitors the opportunity to check out a variety of wildlife from several observation areas. Don’t forget your camera! You’ll get some great shots of the park’s animal denizens, such as otters, black bears, and alligators!

6. Seasonal Light Show

Take a train ride through the park and enjoy a fabulous display of lights during the Christmas season! Listen to your favorite Christmas tunes throughout the trip and tour the park exhibits afterward! Santa can even be spotted during certain times of day during the light show — making Okefenokee Swamp the perfect place to take the kids or grandchildren to tell Santa their Christmas lists. Check out more details and a full schedule .

7. Pogo Possum Exhibit

Pogo Possum was created in 1943 by none other than the witty and brilliant Walt Kelly himself. After Kelly’s six-year career with Disney Studios, he returned home and began illustrating a series of comic books which featured a “furred and feathered” bunch of creatures who lived in the Okefenokee Swamp. Pogo made an appearance in approximately 500 papers and 14 countries and a whopping number (nearly 300 million copies) of books centered around Pogo and his swamp friends have been sold since he debuted.

After Kelly’s death, his widow, Selby, continued the comic strip, but it was finally discontinued after 26 years in 1975. In 1987, the City of Waycross was granted permission to adopt Pogo as their goodwill ambassador. The city brought Pogo home to Okefenokee, where you can now visit the Pogo Exhibit. In January of 1989 Pogo made a full return with effort from the New York Times and the Kelly family. The Okefenokee exhibit features Pogo and his “swamp critter friends” roaming around serving up playful jokes about the social and political highs and lows of the 1980s.

8. Board The Swamp Train

All aboard the Swamp Train ! Visitors can hop aboard the The Lady Suwannee, a 36-gauge replica steam engine built by Cummings Locomotive, and feel like they’re traveling back in time.

The Lady Suwanee’s track was installed by B.R. Moore Construction Company and completed in the winter of 1999. The railroad track began giving out tours of the swamp in the spring of 1999.

The 1.5-mile railroad system at the Okefenokee Swamp Park serves as a mode of transportation for the visitors, circling part of the Okefenokee Swamp. Those who hitch a ride will enjoy a stop at Pioneer Island, where they can experience exhibits focused on early American history.

9. Visit Oscar The Alligator’s Skeleton

In 2007, one of Okefenokee’s longest-standing residents passed away. Oscar the alligator was a 100-year-old gator who once resided in the Okefenokee Swamp. Oscar was described as being a dominant male, but a very docile creature. Unlike most alligators, Oscar was not known to show aggression. Due to his overprotective nature, his only issues came about when other males tried to intrude on his territory or his many girlfriends.

Put back together bone by bone by Don Berryhill and Jim Brewer, Okefenokee now features an educational exhibit that showcases Oscar’s full-scale skeletal structure. This informative exhibit is a testament to Oscar’s century of life, and the extraordinary anatomy of the great American alligator. Soon, guests who visit Okefenokee Swamp Park will have the opportunity to see hundreds of Oscar’s offspring roaming the park waters — a less morbid but more dangerous legacy.

Okefenokee Swamp Park is a beautiful destination that the whole family can enjoy. The park has become one of the most well-known wilderness areas in the United States, featured in many Hollywood movies and TV shows. At Okefenokee Park, you can immerse yourself in the history of the continent — from the legacy of Native Americans who hunted and fished here to the European settlers who came to call the swamp home.

If you’re planning a visit to the beautiful Okefenokee Swamp Park, be sure to check out admission prices and camping and hotel accommodations in Waycross, Georgia.

Road tripping through the South? Don’t miss these 15 hidden gems in Savannah, Georgia, or some of the best places to eat before you head south to the swamp.

*Updated by Traneah Ford June 2019.

Photo Credit: MilesbeforeIsleep / Shutterstock

Photo Credit: Stacy Funderburke / Shutterstock

Explore the

Okefenokee Swamp

Something for everyone.

Explore the wildlife and vast wilderness, past Native American civilizations, pioneers and settlers, waterways and habitats of North America’s largest “blackwater” swamp. Whether you’re looking for a few hours of family fun by land or water, or whether you’re seeking a multi-day immersion in the solitude of the swamp’s 438,000 acres of natural splendor, we have something for everyone at our three unique swamp entrances.

Things to Do

Auto Tour Route

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

The Auto Tour Route, also known as the Swamp Island Drive at the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, is a 7.2-mile paved road, which can be used by cars, bikes and walkers. This scenic route is a great way to experience the beauty of the refuge in a comfortable, stress-free way. The Swamp Island Drive provides access to several hiking trails as well as the Chesser Island Homestead and Chesser Island Boardwalk. Additionally, the Swamp Island Drive has an interpretive brochure to aid guests as they are learning about the flora, fauna, and history of the refuge.

Stephen C. Foster State Park

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Camping Permits

There are 63 tent and RV campsites within Stephen C. Foster State Park, offering many opportunities for visitors to experience the unique camping environment of the park. While camping, visitors are close to the park’s many activities, and astronomy enthusiasts can enjoy some of the best stargazing in the southeast.

A bucket list trip for visitors from around the globe, camping in the heart of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is an adventure for both the expert and the novice in the outdoors. A variety of overnight camping platforms and islands provides opportunities for camping from one-four nights in the swamp.

Photo credit: Jay Blanton

Canoeing, Kayaking & Boating

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge w/ Okefenokee Adventures

Okefenokee Swamp Park

Whether bringing your own boat or renting one, paddling, kayaking and boating is an unmatched opportunity to experience the swamp. Public boat launches, canoe, kayak and Jon boat rentals are available at both the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C. Foster State Park entrances, while the Okefenokee Swamp Park Paddle Sundays provide visitors at this entrance with an opportunity to rent kayaks or canoes on Sundays.

Photo credit: Chris Moncus

Visitors looking for a more home-like overnight experience at Stephen C. Foster State Park will find our park cottages a great alternative to camping. The cottages can hold 6-8 people, and some can accommodate wheelchairs, offering a comfortable and convenient overnight stay.

Cultural Sites/Interpretation

Cultural sites are available at all three swamp entrances, providing visitors with a window into the past cultures, history and activities within the resource-rich Okefenokee.

Daily Nature Shows

The Eye on Nature shows at the Okefenokee State Park are daily interactive experiences that teach visitors about the different native wildlife that make their homes in the park. These shows are held at the Okefenokee State Park Nature Center and/or the Lagoon Amphitheater and feature live animals, including snakes, turtles and even baby alligators.

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Camp Cornelia Café

Okefenokee Adventures

Cornelia Café is located in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and is operated by the Refuge onsite concessionaire, Okefenokee Adventures. The restaurant offers delicious food, including sandwiches, salads, vegetarian options, and low country shrimp boils, and is the perfect place to launch, relax or refuel for your swamp adventure.

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Wilderness Canoeing

Whether you bring your own boat (canoe/kayak, or boat w/ motor less than 10HP), or rent from Okefenokee Adventures, hitting the water trails is an unmatched opportunity to truly experience what the refuge has to offer. A public boat launch provides access to 120-miles of boating trails for day-use or overnight trips. Canoes, kayaks, and Jon boats are available to rent at Okefenokee Adventures for travelers that would like the experience of being out on the water trails, but do not have a boat of their own. All guests need to sign in/out if going out on the water – trail conditions change rapidly, check with either Okefenokee Adventures or the Visitor Center on the latest status of water levels and trail closures. Additional public boat launches at the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge are located at Kingfisher Landing and the Suwannee River Sill.

Chesser Island Homestead

Chesser Island Homestead is a living history museum showcasing structural necessities of self-sufficient living in the resource-rich Okefenokee from the 1850s through the 1950s. Walk the grounds of the Homestead to take a step back in time to the days of the early settlers. Volunteer docents offer tours of the inside of the house seasonally.

Educational Programs

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge - For Educators

Taking your class on a field trip to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is an incredible way to give your students an unforgettable, hands-on experience in nature. You can schedule a self-guided trip, take one of the guided tours, or request environmental education programs at the refuge.

Fishing on National Wildlife Refuges

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge provides exciting freshwater fishing opportunities for bream, catfish, bowfin, and even the occasional largemouth bass! A variety of different habitats are easily accessible from a boat, including many natural lakes and prairies, along with the Suwannee Canal, which offers deeper water than the rest of the swamp. All of the waters along the refuge’s water trails are open to fishing. Bank fishing opportunities are available along the Canepole Trail and around the refuge boat basin. State and refuge regulations apply.

Photo credit: Mike Sepelak

Billy’s Island

Accessed by boat through Stephen C. Foster State Park, this historic island in the Okefenokee has been inhabited by man for generations. Most recently, the Hebard Cypress Company had a lumber camp on the island in 1918, eventually supporting approximately 600 people. This island is the second largest in the swamp and is only accessible by boat.

Canoeing, Kayaking and Boating

For adventurous visitors, canoe and kayak rentals are available to explore the waters of the swamp. Canoeing and kayaking allow for an up-close and personal experience of the swamp, and unparalleled wildlife viewing. As an alternative to canoes and kayaks, Stephen C. Foster State Park also offers Jon boat rentals for park visitors who are interested in further exploration of the swamp waters.

Stephen C. Foster State Park offers a variety of educational group experiences, including guided boat tours, paddle tours, and hiking. They also provide educational programs that cover topics including astronomy, reptiles, swamp topography, and more.

Stephen C. Foster State Park is a prime fishing location, particularly for warmouth, bluegill, catfish, chain pickerel and bowfin. Canoe, kayak and Jon boat rentals are available through the park, or visitors may bring their own.

The gift shop at Stephen C. Foster State Park provides visitors a convenient way to shop for a variety of items, including apparel, food and snacks, camping supplies, souvenirs, and more.

Boardwalks & Nature Center

Okefenokee Swamp Park offers and boardwalks, including one that takes visitors to the tallest observation tower in the swamp. The Nature Center is home to the serpentarium, which houses many different species of snake, as well as a family of bears, turtles, and baby alligators. The center also hosts a variety of interactive activities, including the Eye on Nature series.

Opportunities for cultural interpretation at the Okefenokee Swamp Park include Vereen Bell Memorial Highway, Cowhouse Island, authentically recreated Timucua and Seminole residences, logging machinery, turpentine equipment, and a moonshine still from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Skull Lake, Pioneer Island and Wildes Cabin exhibits echo times of early Indian cultures, pioneers, movie making and major fires in the Okefenokee.

Cypress Cove Annex Group Space

Cypress Cove Annex is a beautiful facility, equipped to handle a variety of events, from business meetings to weddings. The Annex can comfortably hold up to 200 people, has a fully equipped kitchen, and is surrounded by the incredible wilderness of Okefenokee Swamp. Additional indoor meeting space is available at the park Nature Center, while outdoor meeting space includes the Pavilion, the Amphitheater and an outdoor wedding gazebo. Both Cypress Cove Annex and the Nature Center are connected to the internet with fiber optic cable.

Daily ‘Eye on Nature’ Shows

The Eye on Nature shows are daily interactive experiences that teach visitors about the different native wildlife that make their homes in the park. These shows are held at the Nature Center and/or the Lagoon Amphitheater and feature live animals, including snakes, turtles and even baby alligators.

Okefenokee Swamp Park offers field trip reservations for school groups, and discounted guided tour rates for school trips. Reservations can be made four weeks or more in advance to allow your class an unforgettable outdoor education experience.

Guided Boat Excursions

Experienced tour guides take park visitors on a 45-minute boat ride through waterways, sharing their knowledge of the cultural and natural history of the area. These tours are a unique way to experience the beauty and history of the swamp, and to encounter some of the natural wildlife along the way. A Group Boat Tour is available too for groups of 12 or more. Reservations required.

Chart Your Course

Activity Map

Explore Locations

Enjoy a variety of fun activities and a wonderful show-window into the swamp under a forest canopy. Wilderness boardwalks and walkways, guided boat tours along swamp waterways, live wildlife shows and habitats, a pioneer island homestead and railroad tour are just a few of the park highlights.

This remote park is a primary entrance to the legendary Okefenokee Swamp. Paddlers and photographers will enjoy breathtaking scenery and abundant wildlife. Stargazers will appreciate the particularly dark sky.

Same-day reservations are recommended for guided boat tours. Ask about our sunset and night tours. Rent canoes, kayaks or Jon boats for further exploration, including a trip to historic Billy’s Island.

Make time for fishing by staying overnight in a cabin or campsite.

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge with Okefenokee Adventures

Enjoy exploration and wilderness observation, hiking, driving or biking along our Swamp Island Drive. Stop by our visitor center, take a guided boat tour, or kayak or canoe into our famous swamp prairies through cypress-lined waters, lily pads and grassy islands.

Onsite concession, Okefenokee Adventures, offers canoe, kayak and Jon boat rentals, cafe and gift shop.

At the heart of Southeast Georgia, the historic town of Waycross is a city filled with Southern hospitality and charm with numerous opportunities for dining, lodging and shopping, as well as attractions such as the Historic Downtown district, the Okefenokee Swamp Park, the Southern Forest World Museum, the Okefenokee Heritage Center, and more.

Experience rural South Georgia, with a taste of authentic, small-town charm.

This excellent weekend getaway is complete with beautiful sights, outdoor exploration, and a rich history. Centrally located between Amelia Island, St. Marys, Jacksonville, and Savannah, Charlton County is only a short drive from I-95, making it the ideal place to experience everything South Georgia has to offer.

Get up close and personal with trains by relaxing under the Folkston Funnel, visiting the historical train museum, or even sleeping overnight in a train cart. Immerse yourself in off the beaten path experiences at the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge. Photograph the overhanging beauty and wildlife or take a step back in time and see how the early swampers dwelled.

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A family travel blog

What to Expect Visiting the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, located in southern Georgia, is home to between 10,000 and 13,000 alligators. The swamp is the largest blackwater swamp in the United States.  The dark waters make it perfect for alligators and venomous snakes like cottonmouths and rattlesnakes to camouflage.  

On a sunny day, it is easy to spot alligators sunning on the shore.   But, once the alligators are in the water, they are much more difficult to spot.  The expertly hide themselves in the dark water and amongst the water plants and fallen trees.

The swamp is considered to be the headwaters for the Suwannee and St Marys Rivers.  The refuge was established to provide a safe space and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife.  The refuge is home to threatened and endangered species such as wood storks, re-cockaded woodpeckers, and eastern indigo snakes.  At least 50 mammal species, including black bears, otters, and bobcats all reside here.

Each year, some 700,000 people visit the swamp each year in hopes of getting a glimpse at some of the famous amphibians that dwell there.  

Table of Contents

History of the Okefenokee Swamp

The Okefenokee swamp was formed over the past 6,500 years.  Both the St. Marys River and the Suwannee River originate in the swamp.  The name Okefenokee means “Land of the Trembling Earth” in Choctaw.  

Indigenous peoples have occupied the Okefenokee for thousands of years.  Sand mounds suggest that the largest population of indigenous people lived there between AD 500 and 1200.

Spanish records dating back to 1602 mention the Oconi living in the area.  In fact, they refer to the swamp as Laguna de Oconi (Lake Oconi).  The remains of at least two other Timucuan villages and Spanish missions have been found in the area.

The Creek used the area as a hunting ground during the 18th and 19th century.  

Road and forts were built around the perimeter of the swamp during the Second Seminole War in Florida between 1836 and 1838.  The troops burned down a Seminole village which ultimately drove the Seminole people away from the swamp, entirely.  

As early as 1805, a few white settlers began to inhabit the area.  These pioneers raised hogs, herded cattle, hunted and fished, and cultivated sugar cane and corn.  

Due to the relative isolation of the area, generational “Swampers”, as they are called, used Elizabethan phrases and syntax similar to what would have been used during Colonial times.

When the area was industrialized in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many of the Swampers assisted in surveying the area and went to work for lumber companies.

Chesser Island Homestead

The Chesser Island Homestead is a perfect place to see what life was like in the swamp.  The homestead is accessible via car or bike and located just off of a short easy-to-navigate trail.

The homestead is sometimes open for you to tour and see what life was like on the swamp.  Be sure to check out the hand-sewn quilts and relics that adorn the cabin.

Our kids really enjoyed the sugar cane mill, where they pretended to process cane.  You’ll also find a smokehouse, chicken coop, and other out-buildings.  

Visiting the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

The physical address is:

2700 Suwannee Canal Road Folkston, GA 31537-7906

There are 4 public entrances:

Suwannee Canal Recreation Area Kingfisher Landing Stephen C. Foster State Park Suwannee Sill Recreation Area

A daily pass to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is $5 per non-commercial vehicle.  The pass is good for 7 days.  The park honors National Park passes including those for seniors and military.

Okefenokee Swamp Boat Tour

Honestly, the best way to see and experience the swamp is via the 90-minute Okefenokee swamp tour.  Every hour, a guided boat tour leaves from the Visitors Center and travels down the Suwanee Canal.  You’re pretty much guaranteed to see alligators as you meander down the canal.  Your guide will not only give you the history of the swamp, canal, and the people who have lived here, but will also point out alligators, turtles, and a vast array of birds.

Can you drive through the Okefenokee Swamp?

If you’re not up for the 90 minute boat tour, you can do a self-guided driving tour.  There are 7 miles of paved road that wind through around the swamp and marsh.  Along the way, you’ll pass by a couple of little ponds that are hot spots for alligators, turtles, and other critters.

Be sure to pull over and get out at the pull offs for your best chance to see the alligators.  Remember, they are very good a camouflaging, so if the alligators aren’t on the banks, you’ll need to look very closely at the water.  

When approaching the pond and canal, be very cautious on the banks as you never know who might be lurking by the side of the pond/canal.

If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, you can also rent a bicycle and do the 7 mile paved loop via bike.

The Best Time of Year to Visit the Okefenokee Swamp

Considering visiting between November and February, if you want to avoid the crowds and bugs. 

If you don’t mind sharing the park with a few people, our favorite time to visit is the spring.  The alligators tend to sun themselves on the banks of the swamp/canal during this time of year making them easier to spot.

You’ll definitely see alligators in the summer, however, it will be very hot and humid.  Be sure to pack plenty of water.  The humidity often causes afternoon showers so plan to visit in the morning. 

No matter what time of year you visit, you’ll want to pack bug spray.  Mosquitos love the swamp and standing water.

Save Our Tips on Visiting the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

For future reference, be sure to save our post:  Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge .   Pin one of the images below to Pinterest.  Go ahead and follow  5Suitcases on Pinterest  while you’re at it!

The Okefenokee is right near the Florida/Georgia border.  You can easily tack on a couple of days in Florida to your trip. Our North Florida Itinerary includes lots of great ideas to add to your trip.

About an hour from the swamp, you’ll find one of our favorite places in all of Georgia, Cumberland Island National Seashore .  It is truly a photographer’s paradise and well worth adding a day to your trip to visit.

St. Simons Island is located about 72 miles away.  The island is absolutely gorgeous and features a ton of great restaurants and shops.  The island is also home to the Fort Frederica National Monument , which is worth a visit if you’re into history.  While you’re there, check out the lighthouse, and historic Christ Church.  

Jekyll Island is a great spot to visit if you enjoy playing a round of golf or if you’re traveling with kids.  The island features the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and an incredible waterpark called Summer Waves .

Be sure to give us a like on  Facebook  or follow us on  Instagram   and  Twitter   for more travel tips and tricks. See you next time!

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One comment.

Wow, this is really a great guide for anyone planning to visit Okefenokee. We’re planning a trip this fall and I think we’ll definitely take your advice on doing the boat ride! Sounds like a great time. Also, thanks for sharing so much of the history there. I had no idea the area had such a rich past!

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Guided Tours

Okefenokee adventures, folkston, georgia, guided interpretive tours.

Tour routes may vary with water levels, weather, and wildlife activity. Every tour is different as each guide brings his or her own perspective to your swamp experience. Our staff includes well-known authorities on alligator biology, wetland ecology, and Okefenokee cultural history. Many of our guides have family roots in the Okefenokee. They were born and raised here, and have been exploring the Okefenokee for years.

We are the most experienced team of professional guides working in the Okefenokee today and we are here because we love the swamp. Let us share it with you!

**Tours may book up quickly so we strongly recommend you book in advance as we can’t guarantee there will be any tours available otherwise.

90 Minute Boat Tours

Advance reservations are highly recommended.

For group discounted rates, please call (912) 496-7156 or email [email protected]

Book Online

Details - 90 Minute Boat Tours

Our 90 minute Tours run throughout our business day and can be scheduled by booking a reservation online.

You will travel along the historic Suwannee Canal through a tangled forest of bay, cypress, pine and shrubs, then out into the open expanse of Chesser Prairie. Our guides will share their knowledge of the swamp’s cultural and natural history, tell interesting swamp stories and identify plants and wildlife along the way.

We frequently encounter egrets, herons, ibis, sandhill cranes, red-shouldered hawks, and American alligators, as well as otters in the winter and wood storks in the summer and fall. Sometimes we spot deer or raccoons, or, when we are really lucky, a bobcat or a bear. Wildlife activity varies with water levels, season, time of day and reasons known only to the wildlife. The swamp scenery is always spectacular.

Come to the Okefenokee Adventures building before exploring other areas of the refuge. if you have to wait for the tour, you can see the film and exhibits at the Visitor Center, drive the wildlife drive or have lunch in our café while you wait.

Sunset Prairie Tours – Offered Friday and Saturday Evening

Advance reservations are required. If your desired date is not available , please call (912) 496-7156 or email [email protected] to see if arrangements can be made.

Ask about group discounted rates .

Details - Sunset Tours

As the Refuge’s public use partner, we are able to offer you the opportunity to experience the swamp late in the evening after the Refuge waterways are otherwise closed to visitor traffic. We travel into the swamp and out into an Okefenokee prairie sunset. 

In the approaching dusk and we return to the Okefenokee Adventures’ landing with stars overhead and the red shine of alligator eyes twinkling in the dark. These tours begin about an hour before sunset and last around 2 hours. 

Advance reservations are required for sunset tours. They can run on just about any night but we frequently schedule them on weekend nights near the full moon. We can usually accommodate walk-in participants but advance reservations are required to guarantee the trip.

Please call (912) 496-7156 or email [email protected]

Extended Excursions by canoe, kayak or motorboat

To request particular dates please click here to fill out a request form. 10 Day advanced reservations requests are required.

For questions call (912) 496-7156 or email [email protected]

Details - Extended Excursions

Plenty of time to stop and smell the bladderwort

This 4 hour tour by canoe, kayak or motorized boat is for anyone who wants a more in-depth Okefenokee experience – both literally and figuratively – Okefenokee Adventures can accommodate you with advance arrangements. Join one of our experienced Okefenokee wilderness guides for an extended excursion deeper into the  swamp.

These tours are especially suited for birders, photographers and naturalists. Extended tours offer plenty of time to soak in the scenery and relax while exploring the swamp’s beauty.  The time the tour begins will be determined at the time the reservation is made.  Some folks like early morning, some folks want to start in the late afternoon in order to catch the sunset on the way back, and others like to start somewhere in between.

Water and snacks will be included. Lunch can be purchased in our Camp Cornelia Cafe’ to be packed up to bring along.

Multi-Day/Overnight Wilderness Excursions

Click the button below for more information about our multi-day wilderness excursions and to fill out a request form.

East / West Excursions

Above cost includes all paddling gear, shuttle between locations, snacks and lunch.

There is an additional charge if a motorized boat is used at the West entrance.

Advance reservations are required for all extended excursions. To reserve, call (912) 496-7156 or email [email protected]

Ask about group discounted rates

Details - East/West Excursions

An Okefenokee East/West Excursion is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the absolute beauty and diversity of the swamp. From lily filled prairies to moss draped cypress forests, this tour is a one of a kind, educational, fun and memorable way to enjoy the swamp. We’ll spend about 4 hours on the water each day exploring this vast wilderness. Each day will look completely different – you’ll feel like you’re in two different swamps. Whether touring by motorized boat or paddle craft, the waterways are easy to navigate leaving plenty of time to relax, kick back, and soak up the scenery.

Custom Tours

Special interests and special needs may require special arrangements. We are happy to customize an Okefenokee adventure whether it be a moonlight paddle or an overnight adventure. We’re always willing to hear new ideas and suggestions.

Call (912) 496-7156 or email [email protected] to ask us about your custom tour.

SUPPORT THE OKEFENOKEE

The OSPrey Society are very important friends of the OSP who generously invest in the organization to support the strategic plan, provide critical resources for needed projects and underwrite educational programs. All donations to the OSP help us to inspire our guests and community to conserve and protect our beloved Okefenokee.

Okefenokee Swamp Park

• 5700 Okefenokee Swamp Park Rd Waycross, Georgia 31503 Directions

HOURS OF OPERATION:

Thursday – Monday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

*Tour availability can vary with large groups arriving at the park. Please check availability before arriving.

Okefenokee Swamp Park will remain open for all advertised evening events.

• (912) 283-0583
• [email protected]

Group Reservations: (912) 283-0583 or email [email protected]

• 4159 Suwannee Canal Rd Folkston, GA 31537 Directions

Hours of Operation:

7:30am – 6:30pm (Mar – Oct)

7:30am – 4:30pm (Nov – Feb) Click here for closures/more info

( 912 ) 496-7156

• levi.welling @okeswamp.org
• Group Reservations: (912) 496-7156

We respect your privacy.

Our mission is to provide visitor access and interpretive education that inspires conservation advocacy for the Okefenokee Swamp.

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Bears, Bigfoot, and blackberries: Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp is like ‘no other place in the world’

The 700-square-mile remote refuge, and largest blackwater swamp in North America, is filled with wildlife, history, a bit of mystery—and few other people

By Kathleen Walls & Roadtrippers

One of Georgia’s Seven Natural Wonders, the 700-square-mile Okefenokee Swamp was once part of the ocean floor. Even the patches of land dotting the wetland are not too stable; trees often shake like they’re about to be torn from the earth and capsize. The name Okefenokee comes from a Creek word meaning “trembling earth.” Located in the middle of the swamp, in the southeast corner of Georgia, is Stephen C. Foster State Park —remote and filled with wildlife, nature, and few people, it’s a perfect camping destination. 

During the Seminole Wars, Native Americans hid in the Okefenokee Swamp to escape capture. The leader of these refugees was a chieftain known as Billy Bowlegs. Billy’s Island was one of his refuges, and legend says the island was named for him. Over the years, Billy’s Island was home to a tenacious family of squatters, the Lees, who refused to abandon their claimed land until forced by court order. In 1909, Hebard Lumber Company came and began cutting centuries-old cypress trees. 

The Hebard family sold the property to the government in 1937, and created the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge that same year. Today, as I drive through the refuge on my way to camp in the state park, I spot several deer and a flock of wild turkeys along the road.  

Land of Trembling Earth

Stephen Foster, the first International Dark Sky Park in Georgia, is a state park set within a national facility, which means that visitors pay fees for both at the trading post inside the park. I check in and set up at my site—it’s next to the restroom and shower, but with enough scrubs and trees to afford privacy. Because it’s a rainy weekday, the park is almost empty. I count only three other occupied sites in the campground. 

The wide grassy hiking trail that runs behind the campsites is a natural haven. Birds of various kinds flutter between the moss laden oaks and cypress trees. Saw palmetto and blackberry vines are a large part of the undergrowth. Plaques along the trail tell the story of Spanish moss and the native trees and scrubs. 

The next morning, after passing several more grazing deer, I head to my boat tour. It’s only myself and Ranger Alex. We travel down a narrow canal to the lake and Alex tells me about the old swamp. “It’s not really a swamp,” he says. “It’s the headwaters of both the Suwannee and the Saint Marys rivers. It’s just easier to say ‘swamp’ than ‘natural wetlands preserve.’”

Alex steers the pontoon boat to a patch of grasses and peat in the process of forming land to show how the name “Land of Trembling Earth” came about. When I poke at the small island with my paddle, it trembles. With these little pockets of almost-land dotting the surface of the lake, it’s easy to see how a person could become lost in this place that’s more water than land. “If you become lost, toss in a handful of leaves and see which way they float,” Alex says. “The current will take them, and a lost person, back to the park dock.”

A true refuge

We see alligators and birds as we travel about 2 miles into the lake from the dock. Although it’s named Billy’s Lake, the path amid the many islands looks more like a creek, ranging from 35 to 155 feet wide. We venture into a narrow offshoot of water called Minnie’s Run. Here, Alex maneuvers between giant cypress trees with branches that often brush the sides and top of our little boat. Throughout the waterway, we encounter several types of water lilies. The most distinctive, the American white water lily, has dozens of narrow white petals surrounding a bright yellow center. 

Wood signs with arrows direct us where to turn to reach certain places in the swamp. Five Sisters is another marker boaters use for navigating the area. It’s a cluster of five cypress trees, three of them living and two dead, representing five sisters who once lived deep in the swamp. It’s here that we spot a small alligator swimming, with just its eyes and top of the head visible. 

I asked Alex about some of the other wildlife found in the park, including deer, bears, foxes, snakes, bobcats, and otters. He says the best time to see a bear is when the blackberries are ripe or when there are a lot of acorns on the ground. Bobcats are early morning and late evening prowlers. “During hunting season in the refuge, more deer seem to come into the park because there’s no hunting here,” Alex says.

Bigfoot and swamp gas

The next morning, I take my kayak out onto the lake. The scariest creature I see is a large alligator swimming just ahead of me. It submerges as I get close, and I worry it might decide to get under my kayak and turn it over for a morning snack. I aim for Billy’s Island, home to remnants of the logging industry, including tanks from old steam engines and the outlines of building foundations. The Lee family left its own mark with a small cemetery near the island’s boat dock.

Many cypress knees and remnants of trees cut by the Hebard Cypress Company have strange shapes. One stump I see while kayaking resembles Bigfoot in a crouch near the shore—it’s not hard to see why many tales about Bigfoot and UFO landings originate here. Phone signal is weak and WiFi almost non-existent, but that’s not paranormal, just due to fewer phone towers. Claims of glowing orbs following people down the road also have a scientific basis: Swamp gas, also called “foxfire” and “swamp flatulence,” is formed by decaying organic matter. There’s plenty of decay going on in the swamp—it’s what forms those trembling earth patches.

In the refuge, just outside the park, I visit the Suwannee River Sill Recreation Area , a 5-mile-long body of water with a paved road alongside a dam and reservoir built by the government in 1960 to control the flow of water from the Okefenokee Swamp into the river. At the far end, there’s a parking area next to the dam section with a walkway covered in alligators swimming and sunning themselves. I watch several egrets wade in the water and hunt small fish for lunch. Beautiful yellow canna lilies grow wild along the river and on the other side of the road.

I think of a quote by Francis Harper, a naturalist who did research in the area in the 1940s: “There’s no other place in the world like the Okefenokee.”

Meet the Authors

Kathleen Walls

Kathleen has written for travel publications including Family RVing Association Magazine , Grit , Food Wine Travel Magazine , Salon , and others.

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The Calm of the Swamp in Georgia

By C. J. Hughes

• March 12, 2009

THE alligator crouched on a bank in the Okefenokee Swamp and leered its tight-toothed grin — a sphinx daring travelers to pass.

My canoe measured 17 feet, and this refugee from the Jurassic Age looked about half that size. Even so, it seemed that a flick of its thick tail, as jagged as a buzz saw, could send the boat (and its unnerved cargo) reeling. Instead of a thump or a bump, though, the alligator slipped indifferently away, nosing beneath the dark water, until just a few bubbles marked its passing.

Coming face to face with an alligator is just one of the many pleasant chills to be discovered in the Okefenokee, whose striking landscape spills across 685 square miles in the southeastern corner of Georgia. Indeed, it shows that a swamp, no matter what time of year, can be a perfect spot for a flat-water-canoe camping trip. (Yes, this was a winter trip, but winters in Georgia are a bit different from winters, say, in Maine.)

And winter just might be the best time to visit the Okefenokee. Though nights spent in a tent can get cold — the 30s, low enough to keep a wool hat on in the sleeping bag — the days can warm up to a sun-drenched 70 degrees, as I found out on a trip two months ago.

Relative to May, when 90-degree days are often coupled with shirt-soaking humidity, the winter air is dry, which also deters biting insects. And those who despise snakes may be reassured that the corals, rattlesnakes and water moccasins — the swamp’s venomous serpents — are also laying low.

More profound, perhaps, is that in the cooler months, people are scarce, too. Once I put in at the Suwannee Canal Recreation Area in Folkston, near the Florida border, mile upon mile of embankments flush with lush plants slipped past without a glimpse of another person.

One of the few on the quiet water was Matthew Weand, a graduate student in forest ecology from Lexington, Ky., one of a group of six in three canoes. “I prefer the quiet,” he said, dipping a paddle beneath the surface.

Our chance meeting also reinforced the fact that visitors have to share the Okefenokee’s nearly 120 miles of canoe trails with some 15,000 alligators.

“We kept asking each other, ‘How do you behave around a gator?’ ” Mr. Weand said of his trip. “ ‘What if it smells a dog on a person?’ ”

At one point, he said, he spotted a floating 10-footer that had bulging, walnut-size eyes — a kind of Marty Feldman with sharp teeth and scales. It seemed to block the way.

“But then it sort of vanished,” he said, “and we went right over it.”

But obsessing over toothy reptiles can distract from more subtle pleasures, like the swamp’s pristine terrain, which can be amply savored on the type of three-day overnight trip I completed to Monkey Lake and Coffee Bay, following a triangular 21-mile course.

The Okefenokee is made up of three kinds of landscape: prairie, cypress forest and scrub-shrub. Prairie makes up the eastern section, and like its namesake out West, it’s flat, open and dotted with unkempt bushes. Reeds rustling in the soft breezes nuzzled small blossoms of a plant called marsh beggar’s-tick, whose eight yellow petals provided rare specks of color.

Unlike on the High Plains, though, water laps against all vegetation. In fact, Grand Prairie, which, at almost four square miles, has one of the swamp’s widest horizons, often looks like a yard where someone left a hose running too long.

The water trail through Grand Prairie is well marked, but the white-tipped posts are often beside the point. The way ahead was fairly obvious, as it was the one patch of water that’s not a riot of plants.

There are eight campsites in the Okefenokee. Most of them are 600-square-foot wooden platforms, often suspended above the water, with a tin-roof lean-to and an outhouse.

The Monkey Lake platform, where I slept the first night, actually sits on land. But the “squelch squinch” sponginess of the soil made it almost impossible to walk on. (Okefenokee means “trembling earth” in either Creek or Choctaw, depending on which scholar you ask.)

If days are hushed, the nights are eerily silent.

“Sundown is one of the most beautiful times, because the frogs start singing, then crescendo, then all at once, they stop,” said Don Berryhill, a longtime Okefenokee acolyte with whom I spoke after my trip.

“It’s part of what makes it so mysterious,” added Mr. Berryhill, a Waycross, Ga., resident who has also taught ecology classes in the swamp, “and why I go there every opportunity I get.”

The few noises I heard in the swamp often carried in odd ways. Coming around a bend on the second day, headed to Coffee Bay, my paddle nicked the hull and startled a clutch of sandhill cranes. As they took flight, their squawks sounded like squeegees on a dry windshield. Another time, three far-off deer darted and bounded across the wide watery plain with a frothy rush that seemed to echo endlessly.

The Okefenokee’s water is glassy for the most part. Despite being the headwaters for two significant rivers — the Suwannee and the St. Mary’s — there’s barely a current. That stillness makes the water, which is as shiny and black as buffed obsidian, a near-perfect mirror. Clouds drift in the sky, and below. My canoe sometimes seemed suspended in air.

On the afternoon of the second day, my trail connected with remnants of the Suwannee Canal, a well-defined 40-foot-wide passage that cuts deep into the swamp’s center, generally east to west, past cypress forest and lower-slung scrub and shrubs.

The canal is the most traveled part of the Okefenokee, and serves as a handy sampler of all three local topographies. As it cuts deeper into the swamp, though, it gives way to pines, cypress and that most evocative of Southern plants, Spanish moss, which clings spectrally to limbs and branches.

If all that sounds vaguely familiar, blame it on Pogo. The comic-strip possum, created in the mid-20th century, lived there, and the verdant forest settings drawn by Pogo’s creator, Walt Kelly, are spot on.

But for the canal itself, thank Henry Jackson, an Atlanta lawyer who, in 1891, with the help of hired convicts, tried to drain the swamp. He hoped to sell newly created farmland, as had happened a few years before in the Everglades.

“The thinking was, they were already getting rich in Florida,” said Chris Trowell, of Douglas, Ga., a former history professor who has written books about the swamp. “So, they wanted to get rich here as well.”

Though a 15-mile channel was eventually finished, Mr. Trowell added, a sandy ridge proved difficult to breach, even for Appalachian gold miners, and the project faltered. But Mr. Jackson had a backup plan: harvest the cypresses. That led to nearly 30 years of intensive logging of the rot-resistant trees, many of which dated from the 1600s. (A few stalwarts remain, in hard-to-reach groves in the northeast corner.)

Cypress, whose bell-bottom trunks feel as hard as concrete, was used for shingles, barrels and railroad ties. Though almost every cypress was cleared before the federal government took over the swamp in 1936, tens of thousands have since grown back, thriving on the Okefenokee’s 53 inches of rain a year.

“Despite the canal, the swamp is pretty much still in a wild state,” said Blaine Eckberg, a ranger with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, which manages the swamp. “And that’s what makes it unique. Ninety-five percent of the wetlands on the East Coast were drained or filled in, even the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials.”

To preserve that keen sense of wildness, it’s better to avoid the whining flat-bottomed motorboats that ply the canal. A solution is to cut over to the Hurrah Trail, which doesn’t allow motorized craft and parallels the canal for two miles, starting near the Suwannee Canal Recreation Area’s put-in point.

On the third day, with the sun bearing down and a breeze riffling the water, this muted trail served as an emblematic backdrop for the last leg of my trip. Chunks of dark peat bobbed in the water. Pitcher plants swallowed bugs in their banana-shaped leaves. Turkey vultures turned circles overhead. The swamp, with its damp breath, pressed in intimately.

The primal ooze probably looked much the way it did in 1913, when J. C. Bradley, a Cornell University entomologist, led scientists wearing pith helmets into the still largely unexplored region.

A “swamp,” Mr. Bradley wrote later, “suggests mysterious and uncanny places, half lights, and weird creatures in noiseless activities, bent upon the fulfillment of their varied destinies. Here indeed is life in its fullest intensity, without the disturbing human element.”

Especially in winter.

There are three entrances to the swamp for overnight canoe trips, including Suwannee Canal Recreation Area , seven miles southwest of Folkston, Ga. Overnight permits cost $10 a person a night (912-496-3331; www.fws.gov/okefenokee). Sites must be reserved by telephone, Monday through Friday, from 7 to 10 a.m.

Okefenokee Adventures (Route 2, Folkston; 912-496-7156; www.okefenokeeadventures.com) sits canalside and rents out canoes and kayaks for $20 a day for overnight trips. Kayaks are easier to paddle but have less room for gear.

At the western entrance of the swamp, in Fargo, boats can be rented at Stephen Foster State Park (17515 Highway 177; 912-637-5274; www.gastateparks.org/info/scfoster). Canoes are $15 for four hours and $50 a night. But you still need the federal overnight permit.

At the swamp’s northern entrance, in Waycross, rentals are available at the private Okefenokee Swamp Park (5700 Okefenokee Swamp Road; 912-283-0583; www.okeswamp.com). Canoes are $18 a day; they cannot be rented overnight, or reserved. The park also has family attractions, like a miniature-train ride.

Best Time To Visit Okefenokee Swamp

What time of year is ideal to visit the swamp? If you’re referring to the Okefenokee, the autumn would be the appropriate time. Not only is the weather as beautiful as it is in March and April, but the Okefenokee is also delightfully free of the spring break throngs who swarm the region as soon as the snow starts to melt up north during the autumn. Additionally, in the autumn, migrating Sandhill Cranes make the Okefenokee their home. Continue to read and we will share the best time to visit Okefenokee swamp.

Accessing Okefenokee swamp

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge offers accessible boat excursions and paths that let everyone get a close-up view of the ecology, even if the swamp isn’t exactly the best place for wheelers and slow walkers. The refuge’s main entrance is just an hour’s drive from Fargo and just south of Folkston, Georgia. Simply go from Fargo east on Highway 94 and then north in St. George on Highway 121. The Suwanee Canal Recreation Area and park entrance are 15 miles up the road on the left.

This Southeastern Georgia marsh, which is billed as the biggest national wildlife refuge east of the Mississippi, is mostly a wilderness area with a few tourist amenities close to the main entrance. In the main lot, there is ample of accessible parking and easy access to the visitor center building.

With level access to the entry, the gift store and Camp Cornelia Cafe are situated close to the pier. The gift store sells tickets for the boat excursion, and the café has a good lunch menu of sandwiches, salads, and wraps. There are a few tables inside, but the neighboring covered porch, which features sitting at a table and a bar, offers greater space for wheelchair maneuvering. Between the gift store and the tourist center are accessible bathrooms.

The visitor center, which is behind the facilities, is accessible on level ground. The interpretative displays inside, which describe the swamp habitat and its animals, may be easily navigated with a wheelchair. The book shop provides an excellent selection of field guides if you’d want to learn more about the region, and the walls are lined with beautiful nature images. Additionally, the theater has level entry and lots of side seats for wheelchair users. Before you go, don’t forget to look out into the back deck, which borders a swamp and is often home to an alligator or two relaxing there. The deck is accessible from the front entrance as well as the rear door; however, there is a step down to the deck from the back door.

Read: Is Traveling A Hobby? The Ultimate Guide To An Exciting Way Of Life Learn about the Downsides Of Traveling As A Hobby

What is the best time to visit Okefenokee swamp?

In the months of April, March, May, and June, late spring and early summer are the best times to explore the Okefenokee Swamp. Many of our plants prefer to blossom at this time of year because of the warm, breezy air. Additionally, a lot of our animals are out and about at this time, so there is a very good possibility that you will see a lot while you are there.

Taking a boat trip to Okefenokee swamp

Taking a boat trip with Okefenokee Adventures is unquestionably the finest way to get a close-up view of the swamp residents. There is a step down onto their standard vessel, a 24-foot Carolina skiff, from the pier. Additionally, as the boat moves a lot, you’ll need superb balance to get to a seat. There is also an accessible pontoon boat available, although it may not be the one leaving right away. This boat offers wheelchair users level access and foldable seats for guests who are physically fit. A cover is installed on both boats to provide shade from the noon heat. The best course of action is to inquire at the gift shop as soon as possible about the accessibility of the accessible boat, and while you wait, take use of the tourist center.

The 90-minute trip travels along the Suwannee Canal while a naturalist describes the local flora and wildlife and provides a brief overview of the region’s history. Along the journey, alligators abound, as do turtles, herons, ibis, hawks, and many other birds. Additionally, if you go in the autumn, there’s a good chance you’ll see migration Sandhill Cranes.

Getting out there

Spend some time walking along one of the three easily accessible paths along the eight-mile Swamp Island Drive to learn more about the refuge. Simply follow the directions as you exit the main parking lot to locate it.

The first path you see while driving is the Upland Discovery Trail. Right across the street is a level entrance to the path and a paved parking space with accessible parking. Although there are a few exposed roots throughout the quarter-mile hard-packed dirt path, it is not difficult to avoid them. The trail’s first 10 feet include the hardest obstacles, so if you can get over them, you’re fine to continue. Make careful to search for the trees with the white bands, which designate a red-cockaded woodpecker breeding or roosting location.

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