We are volunteering at the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge headquarters in far southeast Georgia, 11 miles from the town of Folkston and within a holler of Florida. The north entrance is the Swamp Park near Waycross, a 40-minute drive from Folkston, and a 70-minute drive from Folkston to the west entrance at Stephen C. Foster State Park, 17 miles east of Fargo.

Swamp Park Boat Tour
Our boss took us for a field trip to explore the Swamp Park outside of Waycross. We took the recommended three-hour Swamp Experience: Boat-Train-Nature Show Package. Being part of the refuge, our entrance fee was waived. However, the public can do the same package for $30, an excellent bargain. The Swamp Park is an enjoyable destination for everyone, but an especially good place for kids who can have a nature experience and fun at the same time.

Here is a shot of the park train, a yellow-bellied slider turtle, and a gator near a turtle.







I eavesdropped on the gator—turtle conversation. Here it is what I heard. Sneaky gator.



https://okeswamp.org/okefenokee-swamp-park/

Chesser Homestead
On Sundays, Jan and I give tours of the Chesser Homestead, one of the early pioneer families that braved the heat, humidity, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, yellow flies, mosquitos, no-see-ums, scorpions, fire ants, ticks, chiggers, venomous snakes, poisonous spiders, bears, panthers, starvation, illness, and getting lost in the swamp never to be found. It is an interesting story and a fun one to share with visitors.

Here is a photo of the entrance gate, a view of the homestead, Jan preparing for a tour, a yellow-rumped warbler, our good friends Bonnie and Mark who visited us, and a timber rattler who lives under the house.













A Few Other Pics from the Refuge









See you next time with more from the Swamp.

Tags: Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Stephen C. Foster State Park, Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia, folkston, Waycross, Chesser Homestead, Bird photography, Wildlife photography, Nature Photography