Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

Beautiful place with great staff. The boat tour is fairly priced for all the wonderful sights and information. “Nature Nick” is a god tier tour guide that keeps you engaged and laughing. High quality keepsakes from the gift shop and CLEAN BATHROOMS. Everyone here is so friendly and knowledgeable. Thank you again Nick!

Rhoades was our guide, he was very informative and answered all of our questions. The sunset cruise is a must. We were able to get up close to a few alligators! It was a great experience overall!

“There are places that don’t just take your breath away… they give it back. Slowly. Sacredly. Like the first inhale after a long cry.” I went to the Okefenokee needing peace… but I didn’t expect to find presence. The blackwater moved like memory. The cypress knees rose like prayers. And every echo every birdsong, every ripple felt like a whisper from God Himself. Here… I wasn’t just walking through a refuge. I was held by it. The stillness didn’t feel empty it felt full. Holy. Alive. As if the swamp was remembering everything we’ve forgotten about how to live… and how to listen. The herons, the gators, the dragonflies they weren’t just wildlife. They were part of a sermon in the wild. And somehow… I knew I belonged. Here. In this slow, breathing, broken-beautiful place. I’ll never be the same.

Very serene! Was wonderful to go on the hiking trails, seeing the prairie, walking along the boardwalk and visiting the observation tower. We went in the morning during the week and there weren’t too many people there when we arrived. However, more people were showing up when we were leaving. There is the option of renting canoes and kayaks. As well as a boat ramp for your own boat. I would suggest bring water or a water bottle since it can get hot and at the visitor center does have a water station near the bathrooms. Would come back again

We live locally decided to take our 2 young children down and do the boat ride. After getting their life jackets on one of the tour guides walked up and asked if we had the 2 toddlers that we needed to not go and get our money back. It was hot and he didnt want to have to turn around and come back if they had a fit. Mind you we go out on the boat frequently and our children wear vests all day long on the water-they are used to it. Luckily we can just go to the other park where we are welcomed and they handled the children great in waycross. Think about that next time for someone who may not live locally if they have a toddler.

Loved visiting this state park it's a huge expanse of wetland with great trails and old homestead site and even a trail with an observation tower it was a lovely visit

Nice place to visit you have boat ride and train ride plus a walking trail. A lot to see and learn

Wonderfully peaceful experience. We went in the winter while temperatures and bugs were ideal although sites and scenery were as expected for the season. Our tour guide and boat driver was excellent and knowledgeable. Lots of gators, a few birds but beautiful scenery in this precious place. We will return

Tony and I went to Folkston, GA outside of Jacksonville Florida basically across the state line. This swamp is full of Alligators and is a Refuge. The cost is $5 per person and if you take the boat ride it's only $25 each extra. The ride is 1.5 hours long. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. We were the only ones on the boat, kinda like a personal trip. Very nice! We were on the 930am boat tour on a Wednesday so it wasn't very busy and very enjoyable weather. The bugs didn't bother us much, but we did have on quite a bit of bug spray!!! I tipped him $15 for the trip, we saw a turtle, 2 tiny frogs, several different species of birds, 3 Barred Owls and 4 Alligators. It was very enjoyable and I would definitely do again!! Highly Recommend you detour for the boat tour!!!

Highly recommended. So, here's an idea for those seeking adventure in the area of the swamp. Go to the town of Folkston nearby either before or after a tour of the swap. That way, if you're a train watcher, you can watch a 3 mile long train pass through just about any time a day. Look for the reviews on here including my own of the Folkston funnel train watching area at Folkston Georgia. Now as to the swamp, this is worth a visit if for no other reason than it's just very different. Tours are given a flat bottom boats or at least boats with a minimum draft to go over the shallow depths of the swamp. There's a lot of history here in terms of humans digging out the channels to facilitate commerce some years ago. All in all, it's worth a visit to the swamp. This is a place that you visit because it's so strikingly different from every place else. This is a place that you visit because it is. It is a unique area in and of itself. Take a camera or camera phone and bug spray. Sit back and enjoy.

What a stunning place! We took the boat tour and then rented canoes the next morning. The Okefenokee is a hidden gem in southern GA. One of the largest freshwater wetlands in the world this is worth visiting. Our boat guide, Jen, was terrific. The motor boat is a great way for those unable to canoe to visit the refuge and see alligators, rare birds, and spectacular old growth cypress forests and wetlands. To really experience it however, rent a canoe or kayak. They provide trail maps and this is a true experience. There is literally no solid ground once you enter the swamp except for widely separated man made platforms.

We visited this morning and spent around 4 hours there. Would definitely recommend taking the boat tour and make sure to bring bug spray. Our tour guide was Allen and was incredible. Very knowledgeable of the area and really cared about his job! We forgot bug spray and purchased some in the gift shop which worked amazing. Make sure to get there early so you can do the boat tour at 10, train ride at 11, then animal show at 12, and finally an alligator feeding at 2:50. We also were able to hold snakes, turtles, and a baby alligator during the show at 12. Would visit again and had a great time.

The staff were very friendly and helpful and enforced COVID guidelines and we saw several alligators and other wildlife and even went back a couple times I saw a wide range of wildlife and it was overall a very enjoyable experience and I would definitely like to go back

Such a relaxing and lovely place. The word "swamp" doesn't sound very appealing until you come to Okefenokee. We just did a cursory morning visit for two short hikes and some tiny gator spotting next to the visitor's center, but it was truly a pleasure. In such a beautiful part of south Georgia with friendly folks. Well worth the trip.

Put me in virtually any wildlife refuge and I'm happy. Okefenokee is no exception. Large and full of critters that want to eat you - gators, bears, mosquitoes - this place is interesting to walk and drive around. When we were there, the refuge still showed obvious evidence of the big fires that raged in 2007 and 2011, but that made the landscape all that more interesting. We spent a lot of time photographing and walking around the burn areas. The key to survival was to move quickly to a spot, take photos and move on before the mosquitoes caught up to you, because if they did, you were doomed. The large bear galloping across a dirt road right in front of us near the Florida border was a shocker. It was gone too quickly for me to get a photograph. I had no idea there were bears in this part of the country. There's lots more to do here than what we did even though we spent most of a day exploring the refuge. Even as a side excursion on a trip to the coast from Atlanta, it's well worth the time. Bring bug repellent.

There is one thing that my wife cannot stand and that is being lied to!!! We have a gift certificate for an extended tour. My wife CP, takes this review from here. - I accidentally saw what was paid by the gift giver and it was a chunk (think regular tour price x 12). Price mentioned only because you would think they would want more of this kind of business and would extend good customer service. We love going out on nature adventures and we have done this tour before. We went in April and the flowers weren't really going yet and this was one of the things we wanted to see more of. So we want to go in May this time figuring there would be more flowers and it wouldn't be too hot yet. Called to schedule in April but were told that school groups were a problem and they would have to check there schedule and call me back. No one ever called back. So a month later in May, with our schedule more accommodating I call again. We are told the water is down and we wouldn't get a good tour. I call again knowing there has been some rain. The person I spoke to gives me mixed messages on water level but is completely uninterested in trying to accommadate the date were hoping for. She says she will call me back. I ask when. She says later that day or the next. Nope no call back again. So keep in mind by this time of the year the weather is hotter more humid and there are more biting insects and the flowers we want to see in bloom likely are no longer blooming. So we are already let down and we know we can't hang on to the certificate until next May because it expires in December 2023. So any way I call again. I ask the persons name, Lindsey, her voice sounds a little different so I'm not 100% it is the same person. I immediately let her know I'm not happy and why. We have a short conversation and I recognize not just her voice but her speaking manner of using "yes Ma'am" when she is just putting me off, truly being condescending but trying to sound respectful. She puts me on hold. When she returns she says she "found a note" and asks if we want Wednesday or Friday next week. I tell her either works and we schedule for Friday. Before we end the call though I ask who I spoke with before. She says she has no idea! And this is the lie!!! It was her for all 3 conversations and both no call backs. I DO NOT LIKE BEING LIED TO. IN FACT I HATE BEING LIED TO. I probably would have let the no call back thing go but then she lied to me. Since Lindsey is not the only employee of this organization this one star review can be changed if our extended tour goes well. But it will never be a 5 star review because I hate being lied to. Unless of course Lindsey gets fired.

This is probably one of the coolest places I have ever been, and a true gem of the American outdoors. Yes, not as glamorous as Yosemite or Yellowstone, but you also have absolutely zero crowds, zero noise, zero infrastructure (no nasty busses everywhere), just you and nature. When you think of lowcountry swamps and cypress tracts, what probably comes to mind is something that looks exactly like Okefenokee. I have wanted to come here forever and finally did so, and I cannot wait to go back. I would highly suggest renting a canoe and bringing binoculars for the birds. You won't need them for the alligators because they come right up to the boat!

Super cool place with guided boat trips, rentals, biking / walking trails, etc. It's a nice place to get away from everyday life and enjoy the outdoors. It's only 5.00 per carload. There are alligators and birds everywhere.

I got to return to this wonderful piece of Georgia and this time with my husband! We got there in time to go on a swamp boat tour and I HIGHLY recommend it. It's incredibly affordable, there weren't a lot of people so the tour was very intimate, we saws hoards of gators and birds and turtles and unique plants and the tour guide was extremely informative and easy going. It was such a great experience I got to share with my husband and we'll remember it for many years to come. Do this!!

Great spot for a nature walk, train or boat ride! Cooler weather helped with the mosquitoes but we were a little early to see many alligators.

My family and I walked on some of the trails in the area of the entrance near Folkston, Ga. We then took a boat tour with Okefenokee Adventures. It was a great experience to see the sights in the swamp, from various types of vegetation to alligators and turtles, with a knowledgeable guide. The swamp is a backwater swamp, meaning that is is not fed by streams or springs. This produces some unique characteristics. The visitors' center has exhibits about some of the families that lived in the swamp in the 19th and 20th centuries and how they farmed, fished, etc.

I love this park entrance. It is not as crowded as the larger main entrance. They have a lot of hiking trails, the old chesser house museum is a get example pioneer living. The boardwalk and observation tower is a great place to watch and take pictures ofbthe gators, birds and other critters.

This place is practically my backyard. I really don't know why we don't get up here more often. Decided to take the kids today since they were on spring break. Could not have asked for better weather. The admission fee is only $5 a carload and that admission fee is good for the next seven days! There is plenty of picnic tables for a picnic lunch, a visitor center, a gift shop, a snack bar and an educational center. Lots of neat interactive stuff for the kids... Some teens or preteens may get a little bored but that's the generation.. We paid for the boat ride which was a little steep in my opinion, but the kids enjoyed it we saw probably 10 alligators, 3 owls and lots of beautiful plant life. We also walked the boardwalk to the lookout tower which was a mile and a half round-trip. Oh yeah, saw two raccoons on that walk. Keep in mind that this is a great daytrip destination if you live in the area. Relatively cheap, slow pace and never crowded.. So take the time to come out and enjoy what nature has to offer.

Saw 1.5 alligators (one may have been a plastic decoy - per German tourist nearby) and one Egret. We went off-season. Had we been forewarned that it was sleepy time in the swamp - would have likely skipped it. Live and learn.

This place is pretty great! The facilities are really nice and the staff is pleasant. The Okefenokee Adventures concessioner rents kayaks and does guided motor boat tours. The guided tours are fun and informative. There are also a number of hiking trails and a scenic drive that you can do. This place is well worth the trip to the middle of nowhere. Just bring bug spray, plenty of water, and prepare for the weather to change at any given moment.

What an experience to be here. Bring your canoe...bring your camera, bring your camcorder,bring your binoculars and lunch pail, ....I counted 63 alligators during my 4 hour canoe trek. It is educational and the personnel with the Department of the Interior love their job and love to answer questions. Lots of interactive educational opportunities inside with books and literature available about the park and wildlife and the history of the SWAMP ....and there is a lot of history there. Beautiful walks and scenery even though it is still recovering from the massive fires from a few years ago. There is a lot of rebuilding underway and a new boardwalk and viewing tower are nearing completion. The old homestead was saved as were most of the other improvements old and modern. Park opens a half hour before sunrise ( for the bird watchers or the "early birds" ) and closes at 7:30 until Oct. 31 , then will close at 5 or 5:30 for the winter hours. You can rent a canoe there for a low price or board a tour boat. I recommend a boat outting to a shelter in the interior off the main canal into a branch where you will find all mapped out, shelters to picnic , on the water of course. Park your boat and Picnic !! The Developed area at the entrance is Children friendly with plenty of "gator free" pic nicking areas and nature trails. Call and check on the progress of the reconstructed projects if your schedule is flexible ....you may want to wait a little longer and go when all is completed unless you just want to paddle all day or do lots of other fun stuff and there is still more than you can to do in 3 days....which is how long the $5 car pass lasts. Oh, I forgot the fair WARNING: This is a National Wildlife Refuge....so there will be plenty of Wild LIFE !!! ...especially out in that there swamp.....so be Swampwise ..but the more you see the luckier you are.

Fantastic self-guide drive within the park, and great accessible boardwalk for all levels and ages. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys the outdoors, wildlife viewing, wants to learn about this thriving but critical ecosystem. Great learning opportunity for all ages - nice visitor center! Will be back.

This place is amazing! Having lived in middle Georgia my whole life I'm actually mad at myself now because I haven't been sooner. Not only is a large majority of the attractions and trails kids and elder friendly, almost as much of it is handicap friendly. There are many many sites for camping, primitive camping (in a tent) all the way up to a cabin with full kitchen and screened in porch. The staff and locals are great!!! Ask them about things to do in the area, they will help make sure you see all the must sees. Stephen c foster is inside of the refuge but a separate park check that out as well. I just wish we had gone fishing somewhere during a short trip. Gators are a plenty any size from less than a foot to close to 9 feet long! If your into nature this is your place, birds and deer, to raccoons and turkeys. The only negative is that there is poor service in a few small areas (I was actually thrilled about this lol ) , and bring any and all food and supplies in with you because there isn't much available once your get close and into the refuge. It truly is a whole new world, and a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle of today's world. Almost everything is free or super cheap so make sure to leave a donation to help keep things as wonderful for many years to come.