Worth a DetourNatureUNESCOWildlifeSwamps

Okefenokee Swamp

A vast blackwater wilderness of cypress, lilies and alligators, named Georgia's first World Heritage Site in 2026.

The name is usually translated as "land of the trembling earth", after the floating peat islands that shake underfoot. North America's largest blackwater swamp covers about 400,000 acres, with tea-dark water that mirrors the cypress.

UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in July 2026. Go by boat, among alligators, sandhill cranes and carnivorous plants.

Worth a Detour in Southeast

Best Time: October–April
Time Needed: 1–2 days
Cost Level: $$$$
Open: Every day; hours vary by entrance
Getting There: About 45 minutes by car from Jacksonville, Florida, to the east entrance, or about two hours from Savannah.

What to See

0 of 4 are free

Paid1–3 hours

Guided Boat Tour

The best way in. Tours of about one to three hours leave from the east and west entrances, and you can rent a canoe or kayak too.

Paid1.5 hours

Chesser Island Boardwalk and Homestead

A long boardwalk out into the prairie, and an old swamper family's farmhouse with a swept-sand yard.

Paid1 day

Stephen C. Foster State Park

The remote west side, deep in the swamp, with cabins and boat trips among the cypress.

Paid2–3 hours

Okefenokee Swamp Park

The private north entrance near Waycross, with a small train and easy boat rides for families.

Know Before You Go

Summer is very hot, with heavy bugs and afternoon storms. October to April is far better.
Don't feed or approach the alligators, and keep pets and kids back from the water's edge.
The refuge charges an entry fee at a digital machine or on Recreation.gov. Check hours before driving out.