Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

A paddling trip through the Okefenokee is an experience that will be remembered for a lifetime. Alligators glide through the dark brown water, herons and egrets wade through tall grasses and water lilies, and bears roam through hammocks and islands.

Okefenokee NWR is a haven for these and...

A trip into the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is an experience you'll remember for a lifetime. About 87% of the refuge is a nationally designated Wilderness Area, providing opportunities for recreating in solitude. Eight overnight platforms and two...

Sport fishing is allowed year-round in designated areas in accordance with current Federal, State, and Refuge regulations except where posted as closed. Visit our Rules and Policies page and 50 CFR 32.29(f)(4) for fishing regulations.

Endangered species and endangered habitat often go together. Okefenokee’s longleaf pine forests provide shelter for gopher tortoises, eastern indigo snakes, Bachman’s sparrows, and red-cockaded woodpeckers. Trees with white paint rings indicate cavity trees of these endangered...

Both professional and beginning photographers find a wealth of photography opportunities on the Swamp Island Drive and in the heart of the Okefenokee Swamp.  Screech owls raise photogenic families in abandoned woodpecker holes, and gators pose lazily along the banks of the borrow ditches or...

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge offers seven different trails at the Folkston entrance known as Suwannee Canal Recreation Area (SCRA). Refuge upland trails provide wildlife viewing areas for families and individuals alike with lengths from 0.25 miles (0.5 km) to 1.5 miles (2 km). Most of the...

The beautiful and mysterious swamp of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is one of the best-protected wilderness areas in the southeastern United States. The refuge has become a popular destination for paddlers who camp out on platforms along wilderness canoe trails. Hunters can also experience...

Motorized boating in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is limited to 10 hp or less boat motors. Boats with larger motors must use a trolling motor and keep their larger hp motor out of the water. Motorized boating trails are designated on our Wilderness Canoe Map with solid lines. No...

Virtual Learning - SwampLIVE Exploration!

Discover one of the last frontiers of true Georgia wilderness with GPB’s live exploration of the Okefenokee Swamp. Witness the power of the mighty alligator, hear from swamp experts as they answer questions from the audience, and test your...

The Swamp Island drive is located at the Suwannee Canal Recreation Area in Folkston, GA. This is a self-guided auto tour “lollipop route” of a total 7.4 miles. Lollipop routes are routes that go in and come out the same way, but have a small loop at the end for seamless...

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge offers picnicking opportunities for our visitors at the Suwannee Canal Recreation Area and Okefenokee Adventures also provides a wonderful food service to our visitors! 

The refuge's picnic area includes many dispersed picnic tables to enjoy,...

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge offers three staffed entrances with guided tours daily. At the Main Entrance (Suwanee Canal Recreation Area), near Folkston, Georgia, refuge staff offer a variety of interpretive programs and special events seasonally. The onsite concession, ...

Dogs are allowed in limited areas of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Please familiarize yourself with and follow the policies listed below. 

Alligators, venomous snakes, biting insects, toxic plants, and sensitive habitats exist at the refuge. Avoid...