Where is Okefenokee at?
The Okefenokee Swamp is considered to be one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia. The Okefenokee is the largest "blackwater" swamp in North America....Okefenokee SwampLocationSouthern Georgia Northern FloridaCoordinates30°37′N 82°19′WArea438,000 acres (1,770 km2)U.S. National Natural Landmark5 more rows
What county is Okefenokee in?
The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is 395,080 acres of protected wildlife refuge located in Charlton, Ware, and Clinch counties in the state of Georgia, and Baker county in the state of Florida. The wildlife refuge was established in 1937 to protect and preserve most of the 438,000 acre Okefenokee Swamp.
What is significant about the Okefenokee Swamp?
The Okefenokee Swamp covers nearly 700 square miles, almost all of which is in Georgia. It has a long history as a wilderness, a public common, and a refuge. Since 1937 most of the Okefenokee has been a National Wildlife Refuge. It was designated a National Wilderness Area in 1974.
Why is the Okefenokee Swamp black?
Deep in the South, on the border of Georgia and Florida, lies the Okefenokee Swamp — the largest blackwater swamp in the United States. Its dark color is the product of years of slow-moving water filtering through vegetation and decay.
What is the biggest swamp in the world?
The largest swamp in the world is the Amazon River floodplain, which is particularly significant for its large number of fish and tree species.
What does the name Okefenokee mean?
The name "Okefenokee" is a Native American word meaning "trembling earth."
Does anyone live in the Okefenokee Swamp?
People who have lived in Okefenokee Swamps region for many years are referred to as 'Swampers'. Okefenokee Swamp is home to a diverse range of wildlife and birds, reptiles, and amphibians. There are roughly 400 vertebrate species, 60 reptile species, and 200 bird species known to live in the swamp region.
When did the Okefenokee Swamp burn?
This fire, which was probably caused by lightning, burned from July 6 to July 12, 1954 and swept over the whole of Billy's Island, which is about 3000 acres in size. Probably the peat was not dry enough at this time to burn.
What makes the Okefenokee Swamp Unique?
Why is the Okefenokee Swamp Unique. Okefenokee Swamp is known to be the largest black water swamp in the United States. It's also known for being one of the few remaining habitats for the American alligator and bald eagle.
What is the largest swamp in the US?
The Atchafalaya River BasinAt almost a million acres, the Atchafalaya River Basin is North America's largest floodplain swamp.
How old is the Okefenokee Swamp?
about 10,000 years oldThe Okefenokee Swamp, called the “Land of the Trembling Earth,” is geologically about 10,000 years old. Its oldest inhabitants were the Native Americans who occupied the area during the late Archaic, Woodland, and Mississippian periods of prehistory.
How many alligators are in the Okefenokee Swamp?
10,000 to 13,000 gatorsOkefenokee hosts an estimated 10,000 to 13,000 gators (according to Sherpa Guides), and they blend perfectly in water that is heavily stained by rotting vegetation.
How many alligators are in the Okefenokee Swamp?
10,000 to 13,000 gatorsOkefenokee hosts an estimated 10,000 to 13,000 gators (according to Sherpa Guides), and they blend perfectly in water that is heavily stained by rotting vegetation.
Can you drink the water in the Okefenokee Swamp?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rangers who administer the refuge claim that water in the swamp is pure enough to drink but don't recommend it. The color, they say, is caused by tannic acid, a byproduct of centuries of rotting vegetation.
How much does it cost to get in the Okefenokee Swamp?
General Admission (train, nature show & exhibits)$20Adults (ages 12 & up)$19Children (ages 4-11) Senior Citizens (ages 62 & up) Active Military (I.D. required) AAA Discount (bring active card)$15Local Okefenokee RESA County Residents (must have current license showing residency)FREEInfants (ages 3 & under)Jul 2, 2022
Can you drive through the Okefenokee Swamp?
The Auto Tour Route, also known as the Swamp Island Drive at the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, is a 7.2-mile paved road, which can be used by cars, bikes and walkers. This scenic route is a great way to experience the beauty of the refuge in a comfortable, stress-free way.
What region is the Okefenokee Swamp located in Georgia?
The Coastal Plains region of Georgia is known for its flatlands, marshes and swamps. One of the best-known wetlands in the United States – the Okefenokee Swamp – is located in this region of Georgia. This area covers the southern and southeastern half of Georgia.
How far is the Okefenokee Swamp from Savannah?
How far is it from Savannah to Okefenokee Swamp (Park)? The distance between Savannah and Okefenokee Swamp (Park) is 125 miles.
What animals are in the Okefenokee Swamp?
American Alligator. Both a fearsome predator and a tender parent, the alligator is the swamp’s most famous resident. Sandhill Crane. Gopher Tortoise. Longleaf Pine. Okefenokee Swamp.
Why is the Okefenokee Swamp called the land of trembling earth?
Native Americans called the swamp the “land of trembling earth” because the unstable peat deposits that cover much of the swamp floor tremble when stepped on. “Okefenokee” is a European interpretation of their words.
Where should I stay near Okefenokee?
More lodges near Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Quality Inn & Suites. 1725 Memorial Dr, Waycross, GA. With in Walking and Seeing of Waycross Hospital. Waycross, GA. Comfort Inn Blackshear Hwy 84. Baymont by Wyndham Kingsland. Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Kingsland, GA. DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Jacksonville Airport.
What US states have swamps?
North America Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana, United States. Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida, United States. Barley Barber Swamp, Florida, United States. Cache River, Illinois, United States. Caddo Lake, Texas/Louisiana, United States. Congaree Swamp, South Carolina, United States.
What is the best time of year to visit the Okefenokee Swamp?
Well if you’re talking about the Okefenokee, that would be in the fall. Not only is the weather just as good as it is in March and April, but during the fall the Okefenokee is also pleasantly devoid of the of the spring break crowds that descend on the area as soon as the snow begins to melt up north.
Overview
The Okefenokee Swamp is a shallow, 438,000-acre (177,000 ha), peat-filled wetland straddling the Georgia–Florida line in the United States. A majority of the swamp is protected by the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and the Okefenokee Wilderness. The Okefenokee Swamp is considered to be one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia. The Okefenokee is the largest "blackwater" swamp in North America.
Etymology
The name Okefenokee is attested with more than a dozen variant spellings of the word in historical literature. Though often translated as "land of trembling earth", the name is likely derived from Hitchiti oki fanôːki "bubbling water".
Origin
The Okefenokee was formed over the past 6,500 years by the accumulation of peat in a shallow basin on the edge of an ancient Atlantic coastal terrace, the geological relic of a Pleistocene estuary. The swamp is bordered by Trail Ridge, a strip of elevated land believed to have formed as coastal dunes or an offshore barrier island. The St. Marys River and the Suwannee River both originate in the swamp. The Suwannee River originates as stream channels in the heart of the O…
History
The earliest known inhabitants of the Okefenokee Swamp were the Timucua-speaking Oconi, who dwelt on the eastern side of the swamp. The Spanish friars built the mission of Santiago de Oconi nearby in order to convert them to Christianity. The Oconi's boating skills, developed in the hazardous swamps, likely contributed to their later employment by the Spanish as ferrymen across the St. Johns River, near the riverside terminus of North Florida's camino real.
Access
There are four public entrances:
• Suwannee Canal Recreation Area at Folkston, Georgia
• Kingfisher Landing at Race Pond, Georgia
• Stephen C. Foster State Park at Fargo, Georgia
Tourism
Many visitors enter the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge each year. The swamp provides an important economic resource to southeast Georgia and northeast Florida. More than 600,000 visitors from as many as 46 countries travel to the Okefenokee refuge each year to enjoy its unmatched wilderness. This tourism supports over 750 local jobs and contributes over $64 million to local economies.
Titanium mining operations
A 50-year titanium mining operation by DuPont was set to begin in 1997, but protests and public–government opposition over possibly disastrous environmental effects from 1996 to 2000 forced the company to abandon the project in 2000 and retire their mineral rights forever. In 2003, DuPont donated the 16,000 acres (6,500 ha) it had purchased for mining to The Conservation Fund, and in 2005, nearly 7,000 acres (2,800 ha) of the donated land was transferred to Okefenokee N…
Environment
The Okefenokee Swamp is part of the Southeastern conifer forests ecoregion. Much of the Okefenokee is a southern coastal plain nonriverine basin swamp, forested by bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) and swamp tupelo (Nyssa biflora) trees. Upland areas support southern coastal plain oak domes and hammocks, thick stands of evergreen oaks. Drier and more frequently burned areas support Atlantic coastal plain upland longleaf pine woodlands of longlea…