est. 1946
Okefenokee Swamp Park, Inc.
Our Story
Discover Our Journey
Together, Okefenokee Swamp Park and Okefenokee Adventures offer unparalleled outdoor recreation opportunities to this awe-inspiring ecosystem, inviting visitors to experience its wild beauty through guided tours, interpretive programs, and up-close encounters with native wildlife.
Okefenokee Swamp Park (OSP) first opened its doors in 1946 at the northern entrance of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and has since welcomed millions of visitors from around the world. Seated primarily within Dixon Memorial State Forest just south of Waycross, Georgia, the park offers a rare and captivating glimpse into one of the most iconic and ecologically significant wetlands in North America.
Lily-decked water trails shimmer with reflections of cypress trees and Spanish moss, guiding guests through a wilderness rich in history, biodiversity, and scenic beauty. This nearly half-million-acre blackwater swamp, recognized as a Wetland of International Importance and nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is more than a destination. It is an immersion into the ancient past, a living classroom, and a sanctuary for rare wildlife.
Okefenokee Swamp Park offers interpretive boat tours along ancient waterways, strolls through wilderness boardwalks, encounters with ambassador animals, and a walk back through time on Pioneer Island. These experiences are designed to inspire curiosity and deepen connections to nature, history, and conservation. Operating as a nonprofit organization under a long-term lease, OSP Inc. does not receive federal or state funding. Instead, it thrives through visitor engagement, donor support, and community partnerships, all vital to its mission of education, stewardship, and outdoor recreation.
As the official concessionaire and partner of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge’s Visitor Services, Okefenokee Adventures welcomes guests at the swamp’s eastern entrance near Folkston, Georgia. Whether you’re seeking a guided interpretive boat tour, a guided overnight wilderness tour, an independent paddle by canoe or kayak, or a scenic bike ride along the Swamp Island Drive, Okefenokee Adventures provides unforgettable ways to explore the refuge’s uplands and wetlands.
Together, Okefenokee Swamp Park and Okefenokee Adventures are proud to connect people with the wonder, wildlife, and legacy of this one-of-a-kind ecosystem, ensuring it continues to inspire generations.
Our Vision
To provide Okefenokee Swamp access and interpretive education that advances conservation and rural prosperity for the region.
Our Mission
Okefenokee Swamp Park, Inc. is dedicated to fostering a deep connection with nature and conserving its ecological health through stewardship, education, and outdoor recreation in and around the Okefenokee.
Land of Trembling Earth
The Okefenokee Swamp is a living legacy, one of America’s great natural heritage treasures and a beautifully conserved remnant of the landscape as it existed thousands of years ago.
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
At the heart of it all is the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, which conserves over 87% of the swamp’s total area. Established to protect its irreplaceable resources for future generations, the Refuge spans over 407,000 acres of federally designated wilderness, providing essential habitat for threatened and endangered species like the red-cockaded woodpecker, indigo snake, wood stork, and countless others. With more than 850 plant species and globally significant amphibian populations, recognized as sensitive indicators of environmental health, the Okefenokee has earned designations as both a National Natural Landmark and a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention.
Staff at Okefenokee Swamp Park and Okefenokee Adventures work in close partnership with the Refuge to ensure that every guest leaves not only inspired by the swamp’s wonder, but also with a deeper appreciation for its ecological and cultural significance.
We consider our work successful if the Okefenokee is designated as a World Heritage Site—and if that designation inspires generations of conservation stewards.
the Okefenokee
A Living Legacy Worthy of the World Stage
The Okefenokee Swamp is a globally rare ecosystem of exceptional ecological, geological, and cultural significance. As one of the most intact blackwater wetlands on Earth and among the oldest natural landscapes in North America, it offers an unrivaled window into our planet’s natural history, shaped over millennia by the elemental forces of fire, water, and time.
Recognized as a potential UNESCO World Heritage Site as early as 1982, the Okefenokee’s nomination remained dormant for decades due to a lack of coordinated support. That trajectory changed in recent years, driven by bipartisan leadership, scientific advocacy, and deep local and regional engagement.
In 2022, Okefenokee Swamp Park (OSP) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service formalized a strong public-private partnership to actively pursue UNESCO designation. That shared vision took a major step forward in December 2024, when the U.S. Department of the Interior selected the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge as the nation’s sole nominee for World Heritage inscription in 2026.
This moment marks not only a milestone in global recognition but also a renewed commitment to safeguarding one of Earth’s most extraordinary natural treasures, for all people, and for all time.
THE FUTURE
Ripple Effect:
The Okefenokee Experience
Led by Okefenokee Swamp Park, Inc. The Okefenokee Experience is a bold, regional initiative that connects conservation, education, and cultural heritage through the development of immersive centers in the gateway communities of Waycross, Folkston, and Fargo, Georgia.
“Three rural communities in South Georgia are working together to capitalize on their greatest regional asset, the Okefenokee Swamp.” — Jenny Robbins, Georgia EMC
hEADWATERS OF PROSPERITY
Waycross
The Okefenokee Experience Nature Center ($16.9M) will be revitalized as a regional environmental hub with new exhibits, research spaces, and learning labs.
Folkston
The Cultural History and Community Center ($10.8M) will explore the stories of Indigenous people, African Americans, and Swampers while offering a vibrant space for events and entrepreneurship.
Fargo
The Okefenokee Experience Observatory ($5.4M) will connect stargazing and science with Indigenous navigation, history, and cultural storytelling.
PROJECTS
Company 1433
Info Box
The Company 1433 Project celebrates the legacy of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge’s Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Company 1433, an all-Black unit of the CCC that opened up much of the Okefenokee region for tourism and commerce in the 1930s and 40s. Through research, community engagement, and construction of a digital archive of objects, documents, and photographs detailing the CCC’s work, the project preserves and shares the important but largely overlooked history of the Black conservationists in South Georgia.
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Take Action Now
Protect the Wonder. Conserve the Wild.
Become a true steward of one of America’s last great wild places. Every gift to Okefenokee Swamp Park brings a shared vision to life: inspiring visitors through world-class education, conserving fragile habitats, and safeguarding the wonder and legacy of the Okefenokee for generations to come. Your support powers essential conservation work, interpretive storytelling, and immersive experiences that connect people to the heart of this extraordinary ecosystem.
Okefenokee Swamp Park
Hours of Operation:
Monday – Sunday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Address
5700 Okefenokee Swamp Park Rd
Waycross, Georgia 31503
Phone
(912) 283-0583
info@okeswamp.org
