There are seven overnight shelters and two islands available for canoe camping in the swamp interior. Permits can be made for anywhere from one night up to four nights (with one and two night permits ONLY available during peak season).
What is the best time of year to visit Okefenokee Swamp?
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?
What is the largest snake in the Okefenokee Swamp?
Among the snakes, the federally protected indigo snake is the largest and also among the least likely to be encountered. The rare, brilliantly colored rainbow snake rivals the color scheme of any bird. Harmless water snakes are the most likely to be spotted in the Okefenokee.
How many alligators are in the Okefenokee Swamp?
It is estimated that 10,000 to 13,000 American alligators inhabit the swamp, serving as apex predators and ecosystem engineers of this ecosystem.
Is Okefenokee Swamp worth visiting?
The Swamp is considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia but honestly, it could be one of the great wonders of the entire country.
What town is closest to Okefenokee Swamp?
The private, nonprofit Okefenokee Swamp Park is located 8 miles south of WAYCROSS, Georgia, off US 1.
Can you drink the Okefenokee water?
It is strongly recommended that one entering the Okefenokee Wilderness brings their own drinking water. The tannic water was once thought to be safe to drink and hauled in barrels for sailors out at sea to drink, but it can not be trusted today.
Which is bigger the Okefenokee Swamp or the Everglades?
Both Everglades and Okefenokee are pretty big. Everglades clocks in at 1,508,976 acres and Okefenokee is just 1/3ish the size at 438,000 acres.
How far is Okefenokee Swamp from savannah?
How far is it from Savannah to Okefenokee Swamp (Park)? The distance between Savannah and Okefenokee Swamp (Park) is 125 miles.
What to wear to Okefenokee Swamp Park?
Plan to wear sneakers or closed-toed shoes if you are going to be walking on the boardwalk (1.5 miles round trip) or taking a boat tour with Okefenokee Adventures. A hat and sunglasses will probably be something you don’t want to forget.
What are the rules for the Okefenokee Swamp?
Camping except with a permit, open fires, feeding or baiting of wildlife, swimming in refuge waters, or entering any area posted with area closed signs is prohibited. Boats with outboard motors are limited to 10 hp. No airboats or paddleboards allowed. Children under 13 must wear a Personal Floatation Device (PFD).
Are there bears in the Okefenokee?
The American black bear is the largest mammal to live in Okefenokee Swamp. Standing around three feet high at the shoulder and weighing between 300 to 500 pounds, their immense size is not the only impressive thing about this species! Black bears have exceptional sensory skills and remarkable navigation capabilities.
Are there wolves in the Okefenokee Swamp?
The Okefinokee was certainly one of its last strongholds and may even yet shelter a few survivors. Many residents of the region have personal recollections of Wolves, and some of their reports are considerably later than the date of the last known capture, about 1908.
Do anacondas live in swamps?
Anacondas live in swamps, marshes, and slow-moving streams, mainly in the tropical rain forests of the Amazon and Orinoco basins. They are cumbersome on land, but stealthy and sleek in the water.
What is the most infested gator Lake?
The majority of alligator-infested lakes are in Florida, with Lake Jesup being the most infested lake in the United States. This lake in central Florida is home to an estimated 13,000 alligators.
Where are the most gators in Georgia?
The majority of Georgia’s alligators are found in the largest freshwater refuge east of the Mississippi River, the Okefenokee Swamp. In fact, an estimated 10,000-13,000 gators are thought to be living in the 396,000 acres of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
Does anyone live in Okefenokee?
Although people no longer live in the swamp, many Okefenokee folk traditions continue in nearby communities. Fishermen and hunters, for example, serve up “duck rice” and fried fish at camps and reminisce about the days of alligator hunting and frog gigging in what is now a federal wildlife refuge.
Are there fish in the Okefenokee Swamp?
With its varied habitats, the Okefenokee has become an area known for its abundance of plants and animals. There are over 620 species of plants growing in the swamp. Animals include 39 fish, 37 amphibian, 64 reptile, 234 bird, and 50 mammal species.
How many visitors go to the Okefenokee every year?
The largest national wildlife refuge east of the Mississippi River, Okefenokee NWR features landscapes of freshwater swamps, prairies, and forests. Drawing 600,000 visitors each year, it is also a lynchpin of the local economy and helps support local businesses.
Does the Okefenokee Swamp go into Florida?
The Okefenokee Swamp is a shallow, 438,000-acre (177,000 ha), peat-filled wetland straddling the Georgia–Florida line in the United States.
Is the Okefenokee Swamp the largest swamp in the world?
Covering 440,000 acres or 630 square miles, the Okefenokee is the largest blackwater swamp in North America and one of the world’s largest intact freshwater ecosystems.
Is Okefenokee Swamp free?
What is the admission cost? As the main entrance to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, the refuge charges a per vehicle entry fee of $5 which allows access for up to 7 consecutive days at this entrance and at the Stephen C. Foster State Park entrance, in Fargo.
Why is the Okefenokee Swamp famous?
It is world renowned for its amphibian populations that are bio-indicators of global health. More than 600 plant species have been identified on refuge lands. The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has 353,981 acres of National Wilderness Area within the refuge boundaries.
Do alligators live in the Okefenokee Swamp?
Okefenokee hosts an estimated 10,000 to 13,000 gators (according to Sherpa Guides), and they blend perfectly in water that is heavily stained by rotting vegetation.
Can you kayak in Okefenokee Swamp?
Visitors can access the Okefenokee with a personal boat (canoe, kayak, or boat with motor less than 10 HP). Canoes, kayaks, jon boats, and guided tours are available for visitors through Okefenokee Adventures and Stephen C. Foster State Park.
Why is the water black in the Okefenokee Swamp?
black? It all has to do with organic compounds found in plants, called “tannins.” As vegetation breaks down in slow-moving water, like in Okefenokee, these compounds (including tannic acid) are released into the water- just like when you steep a tea bag in a mug.
What tribe lived in the Okefenokee Swamp?
Native Americans inhabited Okefenokee Swamp as early as 2500 BC. Peoples of the Deptford Culture, the Swift Creek Culture and the Weeden Island Culture occupied sites within the Okefenokee. The last tribe to seek sanctuary in the swamp were the Seminoles.
Who owns the Okefenokee Swamp?
In 1955, ownership of Georgia Coastal Flatwoods Upland Game Project property, including Waycross State Forest (Dixon Memorial State Forest), Laura S. Walker State Park and the Okefenokee Swamp Park, was transferred to the state of Georgia.