Okefenokee Wilderness
Imagine waking to a mist enshrouded wetland, echoing with the calls of herons and ibis. Your camping site is a wooden platform surrounded by miles and miles of wet-prairie or moss-covered cypress. The...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Georgia |
| Size | 353,981 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1974, by Congress |
| Center point | 30.8039, -82.3024 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 9) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Where to camp
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 0 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Fire nearby
- WildfireBee Haven Bay (24-06)
39 mi from the center point · 170 acres · 90% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0.6 miHopkins, John M., Cabin ↗Folkston, GA
- 2.5 miBarber, Obediah, Homestead ↗Waycross, GA
- 7.7 miBurnsed Blockhouse ↗Sanderson, FL
- 8 miMizell, William, Sr., House ↗Folkston, GA
- 8.2 miCharlton County Courthouse ↗Folkston, GA
- 10.1 miFirst African Baptist Church and Parsonage ↗Waycross, GA
- 10.4 miPhoenix Hotel ↗Waycross, GA
- 10.4 miU.s. Post Office and Courthouse ↗Waycross, GA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Okefenokee Wilderness?
353,981 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Okefenokee Wilderness?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Okefenokee Wilderness in?
Georgia.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Okefenokee Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1974.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Okefenokee Wilderness?
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary, including Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Overnight Camping Permit. 1 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Okefenokee Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 30.804, -82.302. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Okefenokee Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Bee Haven Bay (24-06) at 39 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Okefenokee Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 9 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near Okefenokee Wilderness?
9 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Hopkins, John M., Cabin and Barber, Obediah, Homestead.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.