Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Overnight Camping Permit

Location

2700 Suwannee Canal Road
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Policies

Max stay

4 nights

About

The Okefenokee overnight permit experience puts you deep in the swamp's mosaic of open wet prairies, towering cypress stands, scattered upland islands and blackwater lakes. The refuge protects roughly 396,000 acres (with about 353,000 acres in designated wilderness), and interior camping is limited and water-based: there are seven wilderness camping platforms and two interior island campsites distributed along roughly 120 miles of marked canoe trails. When you reserve a platform (or a linked series of platforms) you get exclusive use of that site for the night the refuge issues only one permit per platform so expect long stretches of quiet punctuated by the calls of wading birds, the low thrum of frogs, and common sights such as alligators, raptors, deer and occasional black bear. Paddle routes are color-coded and mile-marked; you must stay on the designated trails that lead most directly to your overnight site, and some itineraries will require you to exit the swamp at a different entrance than you entered, so either plan your own shuttle or hire one. The main access point for wilderness trips is the Suwannee Canal Recreation Area at the Richard S. Bolt Visitor Center, reached from Folkston via GA-121/23; the refuge cautions visitors not to depend on GPS for the final approach and provides a Wilderness Canoe Guide and map to plan trips and verify trail conditions before you go. Practical logistics shape the trip: total campsites are 9 (site-type breakdown: 9 both RV sites & tent sites) and permits accommodate groups up to 20 people; during peak season trips are limited to one or two nights. A $10 reservation fee applies to every booking and is non-refundable; reservations cancelled more than 14 days before the entry date will be refunded camping and amenity fees minus a $15 cancellation fee, while cancellations within 13 days of the entry date are not refunded. If the refuge closes for any reason, affected reservations are fully refunded, including the $10 fee. For itinerary help or current trail conditions call the Permit Reservation Line (Tues Thurs, 7:00 10:00 A.M. EST) or the Richard S. Bolt Visitor Center (912-496-7836, 9:00 A.M. 4:00 P.M.); staffing is limited, so plan and confirm details in advance. In addition to canoe camping, the refuge supports a wide range of field activities boating, fishing, hiking, wildlife viewing, interpretive programs and visits to historic sites such as Chesser Island and Billy's Island but remember the backcountry rules: use only the designated trails, respect fire and hydrology management practices that sustain the swamp, and carry everything you need for an isolated, water-only wilderness experience.