OKEFENOKEE PHOTOGRAPHER'S GUIDE, PART 1: WHERE TO STAY

Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message

The Okefenokee Swamp is a gigantic and gorgeous National Wildlife Refuge in the southeastern United States. The majority of its 438,000 acres lies within the state of Georgia, but a portion stretches southward into Florida. This refuge is a nature and wildlife photographer’s delight, being full of the natural beauties of fauna and flora. I have visited the swamp four times and have developed a good system to maximize a delightful photo adventure. 

Macro photography of a Squirrel Tree Frog, Hyla squirella, climbing a tree in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Stephen C Foster Georgia State Park campground. Shot with 40mm macro lens. The squirrel tree frog Hyla squirella is a small species of tree frog found in the southeastern United States, from Texas to Virginia. This little frog was found under our cooler when we struck camp to leave on March 16, 2019.

pART 1: WHERE TO STAY

​There are a few entrances and boat launches within the Okefenokee, but I have always used the Stephen C Foster State Park as my base of operations while paddling the swamp. Normally I prefer backcountry and wilderness treks, but if photography is your main goal, there is an advantage to “taking it easy” and staying in a campground.

The northern parula, Setophaga americana, is a small warbler. It breeds in eastern North America. Okefenokee swamp National Wildlife Refuge between Minnie Lake and Big Water.

ELECTRICITY!

One of the main advantages is electricity! Camera batteries die. And it seems that the newer the camera, the more quickly they die. Why? Bluetooth connections, brighter LED screens, better metering and autofocus systems… all these place a drain on the batteries. On an extended trip, your canoe might sink due to all the extra batteries you’d have to bring along! But each of the Stephen C Foster State Park’s 66 campsites have an electrical outlet. There is no need to drag along a generator or tax your vehicle’s battery when power is needed.
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Returning to camp each evening, those tired cells of lithium life can be refueled! I always bring a fifty-foot extension cord and a multi-outlet surge protector. We run that cord from the RV electrical hookup right into our tent. Not only are the camera batteries recharged, but so is the cell phone. I also bring along my laptop so I can stay ahead of the workflow game and begin downloading and culling each day’s photos before even getting home. 

Giant American Alligator basking on peat matt floating in the swamp near lily pads, cypress trees and Spanish Moss. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Billy`s Lake in Stephen C Foster State Park, Georgia.

COMFORT! 

​I fully understand that the entire point of camping is to “rough it”. And while I still love the primitive, wilderness camping adventures, I must admit that not only does staying in the Stephen C Foster campground help recharge my camera batteries each night, but sleeping on a cot in my comfortable tent also helps revive my aging body with a better night’s sleep!
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The Stephen C Foster campground also has several “comfort stations” with clean showers, restrooms and washer/dryer within each campground loop. You’ll be ready and fresh each morning for a full day’s photography of the gorgeous Okefenokee Swamp! And if you really want comfort, there are nice cabins at the park as well.

Canoe trail maker sign in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. "Home" is pointing to Stephen C Foster Georgia State Park.

SECURITY!

While staying at Stephen C Foster State Park, I’ve never had an issue with my campground being plundered while gone all day paddling the swamp. Yes, there is an unwritten code of ethics and a sense of community amongst like-minded campers, but having a campground host ever present and regular patrols from certified law enforcement park rangers helps too!
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The sole entrance to the park is also gated and closed each evening. While I don’t want to temp anyone by leaving expensive camping or camera gear lying around, I have never returned to camp at night to find my propane stove or folding chairs missing. 

A Raccoon climbing a tree on a foggy morning in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.

A Raccoon walking on the Trembling Earth nature trail boardwalk in the Stephen C Foster State Park, Georgia. Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

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