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Saint George, Georgia
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The river

Paddling and fishing the St. Marys River

The St. Marys is a blackwater river that runs tea-dark over white sand along the Georgia and Florida line. Public access on the upper river is thin, so a paddler can cover a long stretch without meeting another boat. It runs directly past 3 Brothers Landing.

A white sandbar sloping into the tea-dark blackwater of the St. Marys River in Charlton County, Georgia
White sand and blackwater. The sandbars move with the level.
Cypress trees standing in the still blackwater of the St. Marys River with spring leaves and reflections
Cypress standing in the river upstream of the landing.
A table of catfish caught on the St. Marys River, laid out on the fish cleaning station
One morning on the river. Mostly catfish, cleaned on site.

Put a kayak in from the ramp before the sun is properly up and the water is like glass. Sandbars come and go with the level, and in low water there are enough of them to make a whole day of stopping and swimming.

Fishing is redbreast, bass and catfish, depending on the season and who you ask. The bank in front of the cabins fishes well enough that some guests never bother getting in a boat.

It is a working river and a wild one. Watch the level before you plan a long paddle.

We have written this river up in full, with gauges, access points, hazards and trip plans, in our own free guide.

Read the St. Marys River guide

What is nearby

The Okefenokee

10 minutes to the eastern entrance. Georgia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in July 2026. Read our pocket guide.

The Folkston Funnel

One of the busiest rail corridors in the country, with a covered viewing platform in town.

Traders Hill

Charlton County recreation area downstream on the same river.

The coast

St. Marys and Cumberland Island are about an hour east.

Common questions

Is the St. Marys River good for kayaking?

Yes. It is a slow blackwater river with sandbars and very light traffic on the upper stretch, which makes it well suited to easy flatwater paddling. Read the level before planning a long trip, because the upper river drops in summer droughts.

Why is the water dark?

The St. Marys is a blackwater river. The colour comes from tannins leached out of cypress and peat in the Okefenokee, which drains into it. The water is stained rather than dirty, and it runs over pale sand.

Is there anywhere to clean and cook a catch?

Yes. 3 Brothers Landing has a fish cleaning station under the main cabin, a charcoal grill, a flat top griddle and a full kitchen with a stove and a full size refrigerator.

What fish are in the St. Marys River?

Redbreast sunfish, largemouth bass and catfish are the usual catch, with the season and the river level deciding what is biting.

Can you swim in it?

Guests do, usually off the sandbars. It is a wild river with a current, submerged logs and shifting bottom, so children should be supervised and life jackets are on the hook by the ramp.

Does the Okefenokee connect to the St. Marys?

Yes. The Okefenokee Swamp drains into two rivers, the Suwannee to the west and the St. Marys to the east, which is why the water here runs the colour it does.