This Massive Swamp in Georgia Is Home to 15,000 Alligators and a Floating Landscape

Swamps don’t usually make most people’s travel lists—but the Okefenokee isn’t just any swamp. Mysterious, massive, and full of life, this place feels like something out of another world...

The Okefenokee Swamp is one of the most unique natural environments in the United States. Spanning 630 square miles (nearly half a million acres), the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge protects over 80% of this enormous wetland —one of the largest in the country.

It’s actually the largest national wildlife refuge east of the Mississippi River and is home to several endangered species, like the red-cockaded woodpecker, indigo snake, and wood stork.

Despite its size, the swamp is surprisingly shallow—most of it is only 1.5 to 5 feet deep. But beneath the surface lies a thick, spongy layer of peat, built up over thousands of years.

In fact, the name “Okefenokee” comes from a Native American word meaning “trembling earth,” because the floating peat mats can literally shift and bounce when pressed. The land here isn’t really land at all, and it gives the whole place a surreal, almost otherworldly feeling.

The swamp is also teeming with life. It’s estimated that around 15,000 alligators call the Okefenokee home, and spotting at least a few is pretty much a given. You’ll also see turtles, frogs, and a huge variety of bird species. American black bears, white-tailed deer, and raccoons also live in the Okefenokee.

Thanks to its ecological importance and rare biodiversity, Okefenokee is currently under consideration for UNESCO World Heritage status—so if it’s not on your radar yet, it should be.

How to Visit

Because it’s a swamp, there aren’t roads crisscrossing the entire area—access is limited to a few designated entry points.

We visited through the main east entrance and booked a guided boat cruise with Okefenokee Adventures, which was a fantastic way to get out into the swamp and see the wildlife up close. They also offer guided kayak tours and self-guided rentals if you’d rather paddle at your own pace.

If you’re bringing your own gear, there’s a small marina next to the outfitter where you can launch your own canoe or kayak. For those looking for a longer adventure, there are even multi-day paddle routes through the swamp, with raised platforms where you can camp overnight.

If you’re coming in from the west, Stephen C. Foster State Park is the main access point. You’ll find kayak rentals and boat tours here too, along with a few more traditional hiking trails.

There’s also a northern entrance at Okefenokee Swamp Park, which offers additional exhibits and access options if you’re coming from that direction.

A Guided Cruise of Okefenokee

Doing a guided boat cruise is the most popular way to experience Okefenokee, and we had a great time on our tour. We boarded a flat-bottomed boat and slowly made our way through a canal lined with bald cypress and swamp tupelo, Spanish moss trailing from the branches and floating gently in the breeze.

The water here is what’s known as a blackwater swamp—so dark it looks like tea. This happens because the water moves slowly through forested wetlands and picks up tannins from decaying vegetation, giving it that rich, dark color. It also creates striking mirror-like reflections of the trees above.

We saw so many animals, including somewhere between 20-30 alligators. Most were sunbathing along the shoreline, completely unbothered by our presence.

We also saw dozens of turtles and at least six different kinds of birds, including great blue herons, snowy egrets, and white ibises.

Our guide helped identify them all and shared interesting facts about their behavior and habitats, along with stories about the history of the swamp and its unique ecosystem.

Midway through the tour, we turned off the canal into a much more open area known as the Grand Prairie. This section felt almost like a wide lake, with open skies and fewer trees.

Here, we got to witness one of the swamp’s most fascinating quirks: the “shaking earth.” Our guide used a pole to press on the floating peat surface—and the entire ground visibly rippled and moved several inches. It was wild to see, and a great reminder of how unusual and unique this landscape really is.

Chesser Island Homestead

Back in the 1850s, W.T. Chesser and his family settled on a small island on the eastern edge of the Okefenokee Swamp. The island is just 2.5 square kilometers, but it became home to generations of Chessers who lived and worked here well into the 20th century.

Today, you can walk around the original cabin and check out all the outbuildings—there’s a smokehouse, syrup shed, chicken coop, corncrib, and hog pen. We especially liked the syrup shed area, which showed how they processed sugarcane right there on the property.

Just behind the homestead is a short trail that takes you through the swamp forest and out onto a boardwalk. It’s a peaceful little walk and a fun way to explore more of the area.

When to Visit

Spring and autumn are the best times to visit, as summer can be miserably hot and humid. We were there at the end of February and the weather was excellent. I think it would have been nice to visit even just a month later—some of the trees didn’t have leaves yet, and I think that would have made the experience just a little bit more scenic.

That said, in February the swamp and the tours were not packed at all, although I’m sure that was partially due to the fact that we visited mid-week.

The Wrap Up

Okefenokee is a fascinating place to visit in south Georgia, giving an opportunity to get off the beaten path and immerse yourself in a unique and distinctive landscape. We really enjoyed the hour-and-a-half boat tour we did.

Want to explore more around Okefenokee? These are some other fantastic nearby destinations:

Jekyll Island: A historic barrier island full of beaches, a sea turtle rescue center, and cultural sites

Cumberland Island: Only reachable by ferry, this island is national wilderness area, home to wild horses, and absolutely magical.

Saint Simon’s Island: Visit the lighthouse and then learn about the important role the area played at the WWII Museum.

St Augustine: About 2 hours south is St. Augustine, a charming historic city that’s known as the oldest city in America

Savannah: About 2 hours north, Savannah is full of southern charm

Charleston: 3.5 hours north, this colorful city is one of my favorite in the entire USA