Okefenokee Swamp

While the most popular excursions into the swamp are day trips by canoe, kayak, or motor boat, nothing quite compares to an overnight canoe trip into the swamp, an experience that will be remembered for a lifetime! There are seven designated stops within the swamp. Only seven groups may be in the swamp on a given night. Consider the skill level of individuals in your party before choosing a trail. The swamp terrain is flat, there is no fast water and very little dry land. Your paddle will be used every inch of the way as you wind through cypress forests or cross open "prairies" exposed to the sun and wind. Paddling can be slow and strenuous on shallow and/or narrow trails. You may have to get out of your canoe and push across peat blowups or shallow water. Water levels in the swamp sometimes become too low to paddle on certain trails. When this occurs, reservation holders are notified. Swamp conditions may dictate closing certain trails, as has happened in spring of both '98 and '99.

Summer days are hot and humid with high temperatures and humidity and warm nights. Winter days range from the teens to 80 degrees, but mostly in the the 50s and 60s. Nighttime temperatures can be near or below freezing and wind chills have reached -22 degrees. Spring and fall are unpredictable -- be prepared for any weather extreme. It is recommended that you check local forecasts before leaving (www.weather.com) for zip code 31537. The rainy season is normally from June through September. Many summer afternoons are drenched with localized thunderstorms. Lightning is probably the most dangerous feature of an Okefenokee experience. If you are in an exposed area, seek shelter immediately in a nearby shrub island without trees. Get away from the boat and stay low under the canopy.

In general, mosquitoes are not a problem except after dark. They are rarely encountered during the daytime. Deerflies, although a biting menace at times during the summer, are not as numerous deep in the swamp. During May and June, biting yellow flies can make a trip into the swamp unpleasant.

Camping overnight is allowed only with a permit, which is issued through the refuge office in Folkston. Reservations can be made only within two months to the day your trip begins. To make a reservation, call 912-496-3331 between 7 A.M. and 10 A.M. Monday through Friday (closed federal holidays). Reservations can be made only by phone, no walk-in registrations are accepted. After 10 A.M. you may request information, but reservations will not be taken. Groups are limited to 20 people. For complete information about wilderness canoeing, call the refuge office at the above number. They can provide you with further information, including the very informative "Wilderness Canoeing" pamphlet.