Okefenokee, Folkston, Georgia, USA
The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge conserves the unique qualities of the Okefenokee Swamp, and is the headwaters of the Suwannee and St. Marys rivers.
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center: 4159 Suwannee Canal Road, Folkston, Georgia, USA
The swamp provides habitat for threatened and endangered species, such as red-cockaded woodpeckers, wood storks, indigo snakes, and a wide variety of other wildlife species. It is world renowned for its amphibian populations that are bio-indicators of global health. More than 600 plant species have been identified on refuge lands.
To see the area, you need to either take a boat tour or rent a canoe. I decided to take a boat tour.
The boat tour ride through a long canal in the swamp.
At one end of the ride, it took us to an open swamp for us to experience what the swamp looks like. As you can see, the water is “dark,” and the water seems to be standing still, though it flows very slowly.
Spanning view of the area
The tour guide is holding the swamp water in a cup. The water color is light brown because there are many tree branches in the swamp. The water depth is about two feet, and it is safe to drink because it is 100% rainwater with the right acidity that kills germs in the water.
Photos of the swamp area
It seems that this is an excellent place to go canoeing.
Going back
Came back
A short distance from the boat tour area is the Chesser Island Boardwalk trail.
The board walk goes over the swamp area
At the end of the trail is an observation deck
Spanning view from the top of the observation deck
Going back
