Okefenokee Swamp, Suwannee Canal

The Suwannee Canal Recreation Area near Folkston, Georgia, is the east entrance to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and a rewarding stop on a road trip through southern Georgia. The Okefenokee Swamp, at about 438,000 acres (1,770 sq km), is regarded as the largest blackwater swamp in North America; in July 2026 UNESCO inscribed the refuge as Georgia's first World Heritage Site (as of October 2026). The Suwannee Canal was dug in 1891 in an unsuccessful attempt to drain the swamp; you can explore remnants of it today on the Canal Diggers Trail.

At the entrance starts the 7.2-mile (11.6 km) Swamp Island Drive, a paved dead-end road that cyclists can use as well; there is no drinking water along the way. The Chesser Island Boardwalk (about 0.75 mile / 1.2 km one way) leads to the 40-foot (12 m) Owls Roost Tower with views over Seagrove Lake and the prairies. In winter and early spring you often see sandhill cranes there; watch alligators from at least 20 feet (6 m). The concessionaire Okefenokee Adventures offers guided boat tours and canoe, kayak and boat rentals. The Richard S. Bolt Visitor Center has a film and exhibits.

An entrance fee applies. From November through February the area closes earlier (5:30 p.m. instead of 7:30 p.m.), and closing times are strictly enforced (as of October 2026).