The Okefenokee has three main entrances, each priced differently. The federal east entrance near Folkston costs $5 per vehicle for 7 days, and its concession boat tour is $35. Okefenokee State Park near Fargo (Stephen C. Foster State Park until September 1, 2026) charges a $10 ParkPass plus a $5 refuge fee, and its boat tour is $22.50. The private Okefenokee Swamp Park near Waycross charges $25, or $35 with a boat ride.
Figures come from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Georgia State Parks, UNESCO, Georgia EPD and the operators’ own sites (checked September 21, 2026). Low water is a problem right now. The refuge home page says dry conditions and low water levels have closed the Yellow, Pink, Purple and Blue water trails and parts of the Red, Green and Orange trails. Only three paddle-in campsites are open.
Which Okefenokee entrance should you use?
Entry costs and hours as published (checked September 21, 2026):
| Entrance | Where | Entry cost | Hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East: Suwannee Canal Recreation Area (refuge main entrance, FWS) | 2700 Suwannee Canal Rd., 11 miles southwest of Folkston | $5 per vehicle, valid 7 days; $15 annual. America the Beautiful passes and Duck Stamps accepted | Half an hour before sunrise to 7:30 p.m. (Mar–Oct) or 5:30 p.m. (Nov–Feb). Visitor center Tue–Fri 10:30–4, Sat 9–4 | Boardwalk and tower, wildlife drive, biking, boat tours, day paddling |
| West: Okefenokee State Park (formerly Stephen C. Foster) | 17515 Highway 177, Fargo; 17 miles north of Fargo, per FWS | $10 ParkPass per vehicle ($70 annual) plus $5 refuge fee | 7 a.m.–10 p.m.; gates lock at 10 p.m. | Cypress swamp, Billy’s Island, camping, dark skies |
| North: Okefenokee Swamp Park (private nonprofit) | 5700 Okefenokee Swamp Park Rd., 8 miles south of Waycross | $25 ages 12+, $24 ages 4–11, plus tax; free parking | Daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m. | Young kids: train, reptile shows, short boat tour |
Kingfisher Landing, 13 miles north of Folkston, has only a boat ramp. FWS charges no entrance fee there, and paddlers use it to start overnight trips.
How much do Okefenokee boat tours cost?
Okefenokee Adventures, the refuge’s official concessionaire at the east entrance, is run by the same nonprofit as Okefenokee Swamp Park. Prices as published (checked September 21, 2026):
| Tour | Where | Adult | Child | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90-minute boat tour | East (Okefenokee Adventures) | $35 (13+) | $30 (4–11); under 4 free | Covered 24-foot skiffs to Chesser Prairie; book online |
| Sunset Prairie Tour | East | $50 (12+) | $40 (4–11) | Select evenings, about 2 hours; reservations required |
| Guided 2- or 4-hour paddle | East | $85 / $150 per person | Same | Canoe or kayak; request 10 days ahead |
| 90-minute boat tour | West (Okefenokee State Park) | $22.50 (12+) | $15 (5–11); 4 and under free | Call 912-637-5274 up to 7 days ahead; the park says tours are currently “limited” |
| 3-Hour Experience | North (Okefenokee Swamp Park) | $35 (12+) | $30 (4–11) | 45-minute boat tour, train and reptile show, plus tax |
Can you rent a canoe or kayak in the Okefenokee?
Yes, and a day paddle needs no permit (checked September 21, 2026). At the east entrance, Okefenokee Adventures rents canoes for $50 a day, single kayaks for $30 and tandem kayaks for $50. It also rents bikes for $20 and jon boats for $150 (plus a $100 deposit). Boats must be back by 5 p.m. from March to October and by 4 p.m. from November to February. Okefenokee State Park rents canoes and kayaks for $20 for 2 hours, $26.50 for 4 hours or $40 for 8 hours, first come, first served. It lists motorboats too, but says they are “currently not available to rent.”
What can you see at the east entrance without a boat?
- Swamp Island Drive: a paved wildlife drive for cars or bikes. FWS gives its length as 7.2 miles in one place and 7.4 miles in another.
- Chesser Island Boardwalk: 0.75 mile one way and fully accessible, ending at the 40-foot Owls Roost Tower. No pets, because of alligators.
- Chesser Island Homestead: the preserved homestead of the Chesser family, who settled the 592-acre island in the 1850s.
- Upland trails: seven trails, from 0.25 to 1.5 miles long. The 0.35-mile Cane Pole Trail is fully accessible.
What’s at the west entrance, Okefenokee State Park?
Georgia State Parks renamed the park on September 1, 2026. Because it sits inside the refuge, a $5 refuge fee is added and the gates lock at 10 p.m. Billy’s Island, 2 miles from the boat ramp and reachable only by water, has a 1-mile loop past a Weeden Island culture mound, logging remains and a pioneer cemetery. The park has a boardwalk over 3,000 feet long and is a certified Dark Sky Park. DarkSky International named it Georgia’s first on November 9, 2016. There are 52 tent, trailer and RV campsites, but campsite rates appear only in the ReserveAmerica booking system. For cottages, the park lists 9, but its notice says it is building 10 new ones and currently has no cottage reservations. Call 912-637-5274 before you plan around one.
What’s at the north entrance, Okefenokee Swamp Park?
A nonprofit runs this park, which opened in 1946 in Dixon Memorial State Forest, under a long-term lease. General admission covers the train, a reptile show (at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.), exhibits and boardwalks. The park lists the full boat package at 3 hours. Its observation tower is closed for maintenance. Residents of eight nearby counties get 25% off in person with ID.
How do you get an Okefenokee overnight canoe permit?
- Book by phone: create a Recreation.gov profile first, then call 912-496-3331 on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday between 7 and 10 a.m. Eastern.
- Cost: $15 per person per night plus a one-time $10 reservation fee. The entrance fee is included.
- When: normally up to two months ahead. While the water is low, the refuge home page says permits can be reserved “up to two weeks in advance.” Trips are 1–4 nights from May to February, with a 2-night maximum in March and April. Canoes and kayaks only, with no motors.
- Open now: Coffee Bay and Canal Run from the east entrance, and Mixons Hammock from the state park. Campfires are allowed only at Canal Run, Floyds Island and Mixons Hammock. Bring one gallon of water per person per day.
- Shuttles: Okefenokee Adventures charges each group $111.40 to $278.80 between entrances, including tax and the refuge’s $25 fee. Its all-inclusive guided trips start at $450 per person, plus tax and the permit.
What are the rules about alligators and pets?
FWS estimates about 15,000 alligators in the swamp; the state park says 12,000. On the refuge, stay at least 20 feet from alligators, don’t feed wildlife, and don’t swim, wade or paddleboard. Pets must be on a leash of 6 feet or less and aren’t allowed in boats, buildings, camping platforms or on boardwalks. Service animals are exempt. At the state park, pets aren’t allowed in any boat, even your own. Okefenokee Swamp Park bans all dogs, including service animals, because it says its wild alligators may treat them as prey. Drones are prohibited in the refuge.
When is the best time to visit the Okefenokee?
FWS says wildlife is most active early and late in the day. From July to early September, go in the morning, because afternoons are hot and buggy. March and April are peak paddling season. From November 1 the east entrance closes at 5:30 p.m. The refuge’s remaining 2026 fee-free days are October 11, October 27 and November 11 (checked September 21, 2026). This fall, check water levels before you book anything on the water.
Is the Okefenokee a World Heritage Site now, and what happened to the mining plan?
Yes. UNESCO lists the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge as inscribed in 2026, at the World Heritage Committee’s 48th session, under natural criteria (ix) and (x). The property covers 164,565.5 hectares. Georgia State Parks calls it Georgia’s first and only World Heritage Site. The refuge’s home page still has an older item headed “Becoming a World Heritage Site” (checked September 21, 2026).
For the proposed Twin Pines Minerals mine, Georgia EPD’s project page lists draft permits from February 2024 and no final permit. Its newest item is an October 15, 2025 letter from The Conservation Fund. The letter says the Fund has owned the four Charlton County tracts since August 4, 2025 “for permanent conservation” and will make sure the mineral rights are “retired and no longer viable” (checked September 21, 2026).
What should you do in your situation?
- With kids: For the most activities in one ticket, choose Okefenokee Swamp Park ($35 with the boat ride). To spend less, use the east entrance ($5 per car), where the boardwalk is stroller-friendly. For more family parks, see our state parks for kids guide.
- Photographers: Go to Owls Roost Tower at opening time or take the $50 sunset tour. On new-moon nights, try the west entrance’s dark sky, and camp there, since the gates lock at 10 p.m.
- Paddlers: Rent by the day without a permit. For overnight trips, call on a Tuesday–Thursday morning. Our best hikes guide also covers the boardwalk.
- From Jacksonville: Explore Georgia puts the refuge about an hour away. Okefenokee Swamp Park says it is about 67 miles away via U.S. 1.
- From Savannah: No official source publishes a distance. Our coast road trip treats Folkston as a 30-mile side trip from St. Marys.
- From Atlanta: Our best-hikes guide puts the drive at about 5 hours, so plan to stay overnight. Our hidden gem state parks list covers the west side under the park’s old name.
- With a dog: Stick to the refuge’s upland trails and Swamp Island Drive.
- On a budget: Pay $5 per car, or nothing on a fee-free day, and do the drive and the boardwalk. For the swamp’s tall tales, read our Georgia legends piece.
FAQ
How much does it cost to get into the Okefenokee Swamp?
It depends on the entrance. The refuge’s east entrance near Folkston charges $5 per vehicle for 7 days. Okefenokee State Park near Fargo charges a $10 Georgia ParkPass plus a $5 refuge fee. Okefenokee Swamp Park near Waycross charges $25 for ages 12 and up, plus tax (checked September 21, 2026).
How much is an Okefenokee Swamp boat tour?
The 90-minute tour at the east entrance, run by Okefenokee Adventures, costs $35 for adults and $30 for ages 4–11. Okefenokee State Park’s 90-minute tour costs $22.50 for ages 12 and up and $15 for ages 5–11 (checked September 21, 2026).
Is Stephen C. Foster State Park the same as Okefenokee State Park?
Yes. Georgia State Parks renamed Stephen C. Foster State Park as Okefenokee State Park on September 1, 2026. It is still the refuge’s west entrance, at 17515 Highway 177, Fargo.
Do you need a permit to canoe in the Okefenokee?
Not for a day paddle. Overnight trips need an FWS Wilderness Camping Permit, which costs $15 per person per night plus a $10 reservation fee. Book it by calling 912-496-3331, Tuesday to Thursday from 7 to 10 a.m. Eastern.
Can you bring a dog to the Okefenokee Swamp?
Only to parts of it. The refuge allows dogs on a leash of 6 feet or less, but not on boardwalks or in boats. Okefenokee Swamp Park near Waycross doesn’t allow any dogs, including service animals.
Is the Okefenokee a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Yes. UNESCO lists the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge as inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2026, and it is Georgia’s first World Heritage Site.
How we checked this guide: Dates, hours, admission and parking prices, and access details were verified against the official sources listed below on . Operators change schedules and raise prices without notice, so confirm anything time-sensitive before you drive. The figures in this guide also feed our Georgia Attraction Transparency Index and Family Day-Out Cost Index.
Sources
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Okefenokee NWR home (current conditions, camping availability, alligator estimate)
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Okefenokee NWR Visit Us (fees, passes, hours, entrances, 2026 fee-free days)
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Okefenokee NWR Rules & Policies
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Okefenokee NWR Activities
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Okefenokee NWR Camping (permits, fees, launch times)
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Okefenokee NWR Tours
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Okefenokee NWR General Brochure (April 2025)
- Recreation.gov — Okefenokee NWR Overnight Camping Permit
- Georgia State Parks — Okefenokee State Park
- Georgia State Parks — Okefenokee State Park Daily Boat Tours
- Georgia State Parks — Okefenokee State Park Paddling (rental rates)
- Georgia State Parks — Okefenokee State Park Boating (motorboat rates, Billy’s Island)
- Georgia State Parks — Okefenokee State Park Trails
- Georgia State Parks — Okefenokee State Park Astronomy
- Georgia State Parks — ParkPass ($10 daily, $70 annual)
- Georgia State Parks — Stephen C. Foster State Park Officially Renamed Okefenokee State Park (Sept. 1, 2026)
- DarkSky International — Stephen C. Foster State Park named first International Dark Sky Park in Georgia (Nov. 9, 2016)
- Okefenokee Adventures — Guided Tours
- Okefenokee Adventures — Rentals
- Okefenokee Adventures — Shuttles
- Okefenokee Adventures — Guided Wilderness Excursions
- Okefenokee Swamp Park — Admissions and FAQ
- Okefenokee Swamp Park — Visit (hours, history)
- Okefenokee Swamp Park — Directions
- Okefenokee Swamp Park — Special Offers (discounts, tower closure)
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
- Georgia EPD — Twin Pines Minerals, LLC
- Georgia EPD — Notification of Land Acquisition by The Conservation Fund (Oct. 15, 2025)
- Explore Georgia — Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
Hank Whitlock is the pen name of the It's Georgia editor. Every guide is built around the questions a busy family actually asks before a trip: how long is the drive, what does parking cost, can the stroller make it, are dogs allowed. Details are checked against official park, city, and venue sources, and each guide shows the date it was last updated.
