The Refuge was established in 1937 to preserve the rare and beautiful Okefenokee Swamp.It couldn't be easier to arrange your visit to Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and many more Folkston attractions: make an itinerary online using Inspirock's Folkston trip itinerary maker site.
The Okefenokee Swamp is a vast bog inside a huge, saucer-shaped depression that was once part of the ocean floor. The swamp now lies 103 to 128 feet above mean sea level. Native Americans named the area "Okefenokee" meaning "Land of the Trembling Earth". Peat deposits, up to 15 feet thick, cover much of the swamp floor. These deposits are so unstable in spots that trees and surrounding bushes tremble by stomping the surface.
The slow-moving waters of the Okefenokee are tea-colored due to the tannic acid released from decaying vegetation. The principal outlet of the swamp, the Suwannee River, originates in the heart of the Okefenokee and drains southwest into the Gulf of Mexico. The swamp’s southeastern drainage to the Atlantic Ocean is the St. Mary’s River, which forms the boundary between Georgia and Florida.
The swamp contains numerous islands and lakes, along with vast areas of non-forested habitat. Prairies cover about 60,000 acres of the swamp. Once forested, these expanses of marsh were created during periods of severe drought when fires burned out vegetation and the top layers of peat. The prairies harbor a variety of wading birds: herons, egrets, ibises, cranes, and bitterns.
Source
Create a full itinerary - for free!
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge reviews
-
What a stunning and beautiful place this is! We took the boat tour and then rented canoes the next day. The staff is friendly- our boat tour guide, Jen, was a lot of fun and very informative. We.... more
What a stunning and beautiful place this is! We took the boat tour and then rented canoes the next day. The staff is friendly- our boat tour guide, Jen, was a lot of fun and very informative. We.... more »
-
Outstanding is the visitor center, the gift shop and restaurant, the boat tour, the drive that passes by the Chesser Island Homestead, the homestead itself. It is a great learning experience. Visit.... more
Outstanding is the visitor center, the gift shop and restaurant, the boat tour, the drive that passes by the Chesser Island Homestead, the homestead itself. It is a great learning experience. Visit.... more »
-
Beautiful place, would go again! Many bugs this time of year, but it was completely worth it. Came scared of gators,left mush less scared of gators
-
Beautiful and well kept park! The staff are friendly and helpful. Our Boat Tour guide, DJ, was fantastic and incredibly knowledgeable! The educational center is small, but nicely done! A great place to spend a day!
Plan your trip to Folkston
Get a personalized tripA full day by day itinerary based on your preferences Customize itRefine your trip. We'll find the
best routes and schedules Manage itEverything in one place. Everyone on the same page.Know more
Popular things to do in Folkston
Trips in Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge by other users
6 days in St. Marys
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
St. Marys Submarine Museum
Market On the Square
Cumberland Island National Seashore Museum
23 days in Jacksonville
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Riverside Arts Market
University of North Florida National Recreational Trails
GATE River Run
18 days in Lake City
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Big Shoals State Park
Okefenokee Swamp Park
Florida State University
6 days in Folkston
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Suwanee Canal Recreation Area
Okefenokee Adventures
Stephen C. Foster State Park
4 days in Waycross
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Okefenokee Swamp Park
Laura S. Walker State Park
Stephen C. Foster State Park
52 days in Houston & Jacksonville
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Houston
Jacksonville