Okefenokee Swamp, one of the oldest and most well-preserved freshwater areas in America, extends 38 miles north to south and 25 miles east to west. This vast bog lies within a huge, saucer-shaped depression that was once part of the ocean floor, but which now sits 103 to 128 feet above mean sea level.

Okefenokee is the White Man's rendition of the Indian words meaning "Land of the Trembling Earth." Peat deposits up to 15 feet thick cover much of the swamp floor. These deposits are so unstable, in spots, that a person can cause trees and bushes to tremble just by stomping the surface!

The swamp contains numerous islands and lakes, along with vast areas of non-forested terrain. Prairies cover about 60,000 acres of the swamp. Once forested, these now-open expanses of marsh were created during periods of severe drought when fires burned out vegetation and the top layers of peat. The prairies harbor a variety of wading birds: herons, egrets, ibises, cranes, and bitterns.

Endangered species inhabiting the refuge include the red-cockaded woodpecker, American alligator, wood stork, and American bald eagle.

• Explore the Okefenokee by canoe, which allows you to paddle through all the major habitats. You can rent a canoe at both the east and west entrances.
• Spend the evening under the stars, listening to the night resound with the calls of the many frogs and toads which thrive here.