I love camping trips, but camping in the Okefenokee Swamp?! There’s something very special about immersing yourself in the wilderness for more than a day. I think a large part has to do with the level of disconnect that you achieve. The simple act of launching a kayak and paddling from shore offers such a wonderful escape from the ‘real life’ stresses that we face. But that escapism reaches a new level when you spend the night outdoors.
The connection you develop with the environment is taken to the next level as you watch and listen while day turns to dusk, dust turns to night, and then night gives way to dawn. That’s why I was so excited to do a 3-day kayak camping trip across the Okefenokee Swamp.
Multi-day Camping in the Okefenokee Swamp
Many might question the comfort of a multi-day trip across the Okefenokee Swamp. The incredible efforts of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and their partners have made it a bucket-list experience. They maintain around 130 miles of paddling trails through the swamp. They’ve built and maintain several camping platforms in the swamp. There is a covered section to provide shelter, a picnic table, an outhouse, and enough space to pitch up to 6 tents. Each platform is like an oasis within an oasis.
Paddling the Okefenokee Swamp
Our trip involved covering around 32 miles over 3 days of paddling. We were crossing the swamp from east to west. While one could imagine paddling across a swamp being just a lot of the same, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
The Hurricane Tampico Meets the Okefenokee
I decided this trip would be the perfect opportunity to test out the new Hurricane Tampico 130 touring kayak. A 13’ foot touring kayak with good stability and plenty of storage space, I felt the kayak would be maneuverable enough to navigate the tight spaces. It was fast enough to cover the 10+ miles we had to cover each day. Stay tuned for my full, unbiased review of the kayak.
The paddling trail started out winding through dense swamp bush with periodic openings into what they call the swamp prairies. Along the way, we encountered countless birds and many alligators. We were fortunate enough to have Dan Jones as our guide – one of the guides for Okefenokee Adventures.
With Dan being a naturalist, it was like having Wikipedia along for the ride, as he provided fascinating insight into the plants and creatures that we passed. 10-miles of exploring later, we found ourselves at Maul Hammock Shelter – our home for the night, and hands-down one of the coolest campsites in the world.
Our second day started like the first, but quickly changed as our waterway intersected the Suwanee River. Suddenly, we had a little bit of current helping us out. The dense brush also started giving way to taller forests of majestic cypress trees.
The 11 miles we covered on this second day seemed to go by a little faster, partly because of the current, but largely because of the ever-changing and utterly dramatic landscape. Our day of paddling came to an end at Big Water Shelter, which is found in one of the most beautiful lakes I’ve ever seen – covered with lilly pads, surrounded by cypress trees, and of course, filled with big alligators.
Third and Final Day
Our third and final day might have been my favorite, aside from the fact that it marked the end of the trip. The river opened up in sections to some larger lakes and we could see a lot more big gators sunning themselves on shore.
The river would then tighten up and wind through thick cypress forests, with only a paddle’s width of room to get by. It was a 10-mile section of river that I never wanted to end.
To many people, the idea of doing a multi-day trip through a swamp will sound horrendous. Truth be told, during the hot parts of spring and summer, it likely could be a little nightmarish. You might be fighting the intense heat and the bugs that come with it.
Between the months of November and April (we did our trip in mid-April) the Okefenokee Swamp is a magical place to explore. It provided one of the most wonderful, beautiful and unique kayak camping experiences that I’ve ever had.
Looking to Try Camping in the Okefenokee Swamp?
For more information about guided or self-guided multi-day trips in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, visit okeswamp.org.
Check out my last article on the Okefenokee: Kayak Fishing with Alligators.
Kayak: Hurricane Tampico
Paddles: Aqua Bound Manta Ray Hybrid
PFD: NRS Odyssey PFD (Touring and Rec)
Clothing: NRS Short Sleeved Guide Shirt
Sunglasses: Wiley X
