Visit Us
Visitors to Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge can experience and enjoy a unique ecosystem with a fascinating cultural history and rich species diversity. A visit to Okefenokee is a fantastic way to explore the great outdoors and reconnect with nature!
The refuge (including Swamp Island Drive) is open daily from 30 minutes before sunrise to either 5:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. seasonally.
The Richard S. Bolt Visitor Center is open daily from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Stop by the front desk to learn about recent wildlife sightings and opportunities for wildlife watching, camping, hiking, canoeing and kayaking, boating, hunting, fishing, photography, and more!
Entrance Fee: $5/weekly or $15/annually per vehicle. A variety of passes can be purchased in-person at the Suwanee Canal Recreation Area or Stephen C. Foster State Park. Learn more about entrance fees and passes on the Visit Us page.
Location and Contact Information
About Us
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.
What We Do
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.
Looking for a Special Use Permit application? Visit our Facility Services page to learn more.
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.
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.