While paddling the green trail from Kingfisher Landing to the Bluff Lake shelter, we found several tall Yellow Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia flava) along the canoe runs. Their bright green color and tall trumpets stand out among the Hooded Pitcher Plants.

On April 17 and 18, 2023, my daughter and I launched from Kingfisher Landing on the eastern side of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and paddled southward to spend the night at the Bluff Lake overnight canoe shelter. 

​The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge covers almost 630 square miles. Compare that to the city of Atlanta which covers 134 square miles. Or think of the Okefenokee being double the size of New York City, which spreads an impressive 300 square miles. But unlike Atlanta or New York with over 6,000 miles of roadways, the Okefenokee has only 120 miles of maintained canoe trails, which leaves the vast majority of the Swamp unmarked. Therefore, it could be quite easy to get lost if one paddles away from the marked trails.

This is why the Falcon Guidebook Paddling the Okefenokee exclaims, “Stay on the trails. Once off trail, there are surprisingly few prominent landmarks from which to regain your bearings in the Okefenokee. Some sections in the Okefenokee are obstructed by overhanging branches, downed trees, submerged stumps and logs, masses of floating Pete, aquatic vegetation, narrow banks, shallow water, or other obstacles.”

The designated trails have colored mile markers along the routes. But even with a GPS, I have occasionally found myself doubting my location while paddling the prairies. A mile marker sign may missing, damaged, or in high water, submerged! However, the US Fish and Wildlife Service does an excellent job of keeping the canoe runs obvious and open. But even so, stay on the path!

Hidden among the taller Okefenokee Giant Hooded Pitcher plants (Sarracenia minor var. okefenokeensis) is it’s cousin, the Parrot Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia psittacinae). The Parrot has shorter pitchers which lay more parallel, or prostrate, to the ground. In fact, upon seeing my first Parrot Pitcher Plants, I thought it was merely a stunted or new growth Hooded Pitcher! Sarracenia are carnivorous plants that trap insects.

My wife has never accompanied my daughter and me on an Okefenokee excursion. She isn’t really one for roughing it outdoors. And every time I mention “the swamp”, she pictures an ugly dark, muddy, gloomy place. I have a hard time convincing her of the beauty that can be found within the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. And maybe I shouldn’t try!  I don’t want to rob her of her rejuvenating time alone when I run off to that ugly Swamp!

American Alligator photographs taken from my canoe while paddling up the Suwannee River Middle Fork from Billy's Lake to just north of Minnie's Lake, and back. 

Most of the big alligators concentrate on the larger, open lakes within the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Some of the smaller ones may take up residence along the more shallow and constricted runs through the swamp. This pair of large alligators was lurking just off the main canoe trail along the Suwannee River Middle Fork, just a few hundreds yards up from Billy’s Lake.

Other alligators along Billy's Lake: 

​I have to admit, my lure to the Great Okefenokee Swamp is the alligators and snakes. But for those seeking a less hostile beauty, this National Wildlife Refuge holds treasures for the botanist and flower hunter. At certain times of the year, the blue/purple Southern Blue Flag irises stand tall above the bright Yellow Bonnet Lilies. Vibrant multi-colored spikes of Golden Club protrude from the dark waters. Tiny bells of Lyonia hang gracefully along the canoe trails. And the quintessential American White Water Lilies shine brightly in the prairies and cypress houses. Not to mention the many other species of vegetation and flora. 

Some observations around the Stephen C Foster State Park campground before and after paddling into the Okefenokee Swamp for the day. 

As we paddle near Minnie’s Lake in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, the canoe run widens, the Cypress trees overhead part revealing blue sky, and the big gators are seen on various basking spots around the lake. I believe they’ll spend all afternoon and evening lounging in the springtime warmth. This one was quite comfortable, but began to tense up for a quick dive into the blackwater swamp if we came too close. But alas, we paddled on and let it enjoy the sun.

​“There was a time when alligators had come so close to extinction that their critical link in the ecosystem could have been lost forever. Georgia’s alligator population first began to plummet in the mid-1960s, according to Steve Ruckel, who served as the state alligator biologist for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources up until 1995. The cause for decline was habitat loss and poaching. Georgia’s hunting seasons were also beginning to take a toll on the species. By 1973, the vast alligator population was almost totally depleted, and serious action was needed. The American Alligator was listed as endangered on both the state and federal endangered species list. Alligators remained on Georgia’s protected species list until 1984. The protection during this time allowed the species time to recover. By the late 1970s, the species was well on its way to recovery, and by the 1980s, the population really boomed.”

While enjoying a slow paddle up the Suwannee River Middle fork through the heart of the Okefenokee Swamp, somehow my daughter spotted this Brown Watersnake sunning out over the water. It so perfectly blended in with the tangled branches that it would have passed just three feet from my face without me ever noticing it!

​The Brown Watersnake, Nerodia taxispilota, one of several species of Nerodia found in the southeastern United States. It is probably the snake that I most frequently encounter while paddling the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. According tot he Savannah River Ecology Lab, “they are most common in flowing water such as rivers, canals, and blackwater cypress creeks. While other watersnakes in our region (banded and red-bellied) are frequently found in temporary wetlands and ditches, the brown watersnake’s preference for fish as prey makes them largely restricted to permanent water bodies, including large reservoirs. Additionally, they travel less over land than other watersnakes and are seldom observed far from the water’s edge. Ideal habitat includes abundant overhanging vegetation, emergent snags, or rocky river banks where snakes may bask.” (source: https://srelherp.uga.edu/snakes/nertax.htm)