Every overnight site in the swamp, one by one: which trail, how far, whether you can have a fire, when you have to be on the water, and which ones are open right now.
In short
The refuge books 11 overnight sites: eight platforms, the Coffee Bay shelter, and two islands (Floyds Island and Mixons Hammock). Coffee Bay and Minnies Lake take campers only when the refuge opens them. Fires are allowed only at Canal Run, Mixons Hammock and Floyds Island. The two easiest overnights are Cedar Hammock and Mixons Hammock. Every overnight needs a permit from the refuge, 912-496-3331.
Current conditions · refuge update dated October 19, 2026
Low water this year has closed most of the refuge's trails and campsites. The water is rising, but staff have to inspect more than 100 miles of trail, clear hazards and service the toilets before more sites reopen.
Open to camping: Coffee Bay and Canal Run (from Suwannee Canal Recreation Area, near Folkston); Mixons Hammock and Minnies Lake (from Okefenokee State Park, near Fargo). All other campsites are temporarily closed.
Open trails: Orange to Canal Run; Red from the State Park to Minnies Lake; Brown to Mixons Hammock; Yellow to Cedar Hammock.
Closed trails: Red from Kingfisher Landing to Minnies Lake; Orange from Canal Run to Billys Island; Purple from Round Top to the Blue; all of the Green and Blue.
Permits: reserve up to one month ahead. Every trip must begin and end at the same entrance, and the refuge may change or cancel a route if the water will not allow it.
Kingfisher Landing has been closed since October 13 for railroad crossing work, expected to last about 7 to 10 days.
Swamp Island Drive (Chesser Island Homestead and the boardwalk) is closed until noon on October 23 and 24 for the deer hunt.
Source: Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, checked 20 October 2026. This changes as the water comes up. Call 912-496-3331 before you drive.
All 11 overnight sites at a glance
Distances are the refuge's own trail mileages. Its trip table and its canoe guide differ by a mile on a few legs, so treat every figure as approximate. Tap a site name for the full write-up.
Site details from The Okefenokee Paddler's Guide; launch times from the refuge's camping page; open and closed from the refuge update dated October 19, 2026.
Which entrance for which site
Every trip under the current notice starts and ends at the same entrance, so pick the door first. By highway, Suwannee Canal Recreation Area to Kingfisher Landing is about 25 miles, to Okefenokee State Park about 75, and Kingfisher to the State Park about 95.
East, near Folkston
Suwannee Canal Recreation Area
Cedar Hammock, 3 mi (Yellow)
Coffee Bay, 6 mi (Orange)
Buzzards Roost, 8 mi (Pink)
Canal Run, 10 mi (Orange)
Round Top, 12 mi (Purple)
West, near Fargo
Okefenokee State Park
Mixons Hammock, 2 mi (Brown)
Minnies Lake (Red, on the way to Big Water)
Floyds Island, 9 mi (Green)
Big Water, 11 mi (Red)
Canal Run, 7 mi (Orange, by Billys Island)
North, the quietest door
Kingfisher Landing
Bluff Lake, 8 mi (Green)
Maul Hammock, 12 mi (Red)
A lot, a ramp, a portable restroom and a kiosk, with nobody on staff. The most remote trails in the refuge.
Rentals, shuttles and guides
No boat? Need a ride between entrances? These are the operators we have checked against their own websites as open for business. Prices change, so call them for current rates. The refuge also keeps its own list of authorized guides.
East entrance · the refuge concession
Okefenokee Adventures
Canoes, single and tandem kayaks and jon boats, with PFDs and paddles; overnight boats for permit trips; guided day and overnight trips. Shuttle between the three refuge entrances for self-guided trips, a 14-passenger van and canoe trailer. Book the shuttle as soon as you have your permit.
Canoes and single and tandem kayaks, camping gear on request. A mobile shuttle that brings boats and paddlers to the launch or the takeout across southeast Georgia, three paddlers per run. They do not move your vehicle. Federally permitted for the Okefenokee.
Canoe and kayak rentals, first come first served; overnight canoes can be reserved with a wilderness permit. The door to Billys Lake, Mixons Hammock, Minnies Lake and Big Water. Not a shuttle operator.
Operators checked against their own websites 31 August 2026 for the Camping Wilderness Skills app. Always confirm with the operator.
Want the swamp in your pocket? The Camping Wilderness Skills app carries these operators, the landings and the campsites, with maps you can save for offline use before you lose signal in the cypress.
Every site, one by one
Tina and I have paddled into Coffee Bay, Minnies Lake and Mixons Hammock, and those three carry what we saw with our own eyes. Everything else comes from the people who run the swamp. Camped at one we have not? Send us your photo and we will credit you.
Cedar Hammock
Closed for now
Type
Platform
Trail
Yellow Trail
Distance
3 mi from Suwannee Canal Rec Area
Campfire
No, stove only
On the water by
Noon
In Mizell Prairie with open views all around. Half-roofed platform, pit toilet, table. With Mixons Hammock, one of the two easiest overnights in the refuge, and a good first trip for families.
Day paddlers use it too, so the refuge asks campers to wait until late afternoon to set up. The Yellow Trail itself is open; the site is closed to camping for now.
Coffee Bay
Open to camping
Type
Shelter (camping only when the refuge opens it)
Trail
Orange Trail
Distance
6 mi from Suwannee Canal Rec Area
Campfire
No, stove only
On the water by
Noon
The lunch stop on the canal, and an overnight site when the refuge opens it to camping, as it has during low water.
Paddled by BWJ · field note from Rodney
Our first overnight in the Okefenokee, Fourth of July weekend. We counted mile markers down the main canal, and the first three miles took us an hour and forty-five minutes before we found our pace. Big gators put their whole bodies up out of the water and did not care one bit that we were there. We made Coffee Bay a little past noon and got tight before the afternoon storm. The yellow flies came on thick come evening. The only thing that beat them was the smoke, and they are why we skipped Round Top. A gator held off camp into the dark and wanted nothing to do with us. Keep your scraps out of the water and give him room.
Out in Grand Prairie. Wide open water for wildlife and fishing. The Pink Trail leaves the Suwannee Canal and heads south into Chesser Prairie, then Grand Prairie: some of the most iconic open prairie in the refuge, with gators, wading birds, water lilies and golden club.
This is the platform that replaced Monkey Lake. The refuge no longer lists Monkey Lake; it books Buzzards Roost on the Pink Trail. Day paddlers use it too, so wait until late afternoon to set up.
Canal Run
Open to camping
Type
Platform, with a fire ring on the hammock
Trail
Orange Trail
Distance
10 mi from Suwannee Canal Rec Area; 7 from Okefenokee State Park
Campfire
Yes, in the ring
On the water by
10 a.m.
On the bank of the historic Suwannee Canal, dug in the 1890s to drain the swamp, among pines, cypress and loblolly bays hung with Spanish moss. Solid ground and a fire ring next to the platform.
Past Canal Run the Orange Trail turns narrow and winding for five miles to Billys Island; in low water expect stumps, peat blowups and brush. That stretch is closed for now, so reach Canal Run from Suwannee Canal Rec Area.
Round Top
Closed for now
Type
Platform
Trail
Purple Trail
Distance
12 mi from Suwannee Canal Rec Area; 3 from Canal Run direct
Campfire
No, stove only
On the water by
10 a.m.
In Chase Prairie with a 360-degree view of the swamp. One of the best spots in the refuge for stars, sunrise and sunset.
The work on the Purple Trail is the vegetation, which can slow you badly across the prairie. From Canal Run it is 3 miles direct on the Purple Trail or 6 by way of the Blue Trail.
Mixons Hammock
Open to camping
Type
Island, with fire ring
Trail
Brown Trail
Distance
2 mi from Okefenokee State Park
Campfire
Yes, in the ring
On the water by
Noon
At the west end of Billys Lake before the River Narrows. The shortest overnight in the refuge, big oaks, and the old logging rail bed.
Paddled by BWJ · field note from Rodney
Turn left at Billys Lake and it is a short paddle to Mixons. Fish on the way; we pulled a big warmouth, a stumpknocker and a catfish on a Beetle Spin. A gator met us at the landing. Big oaks, and the old railroad bed still runs through where the high ground meets the river. When we went, it was so dry and the water so low the swamp was under a fire ban, so no steaks over the flames. We seared them on a backpacking stove and cast iron and ate like kings. Bring a stove even where fires are allowed. The bear sign is there for a reason.
On the Red Trail from Okefenokee State Park toward Big Water
Campfire
No, stove only
On the water by
Noon
A raised deck out in the cypress on the way to Big Water, and some of the thickest gator water in the refuge.
Paddled by BWJ · field note from Rodney
We counted 162 alligators in two days on the run from the State Park through Billys Lake to Minnies, and we know we missed some. Ten and twelve footers sunning on the banks, little four footers hiding from the big ones. Where the trail narrows and you weave the cypress, they are right beside the boat. Stay calm, keep your line, give them room. You do not stop, you do not stand up, and you do not get in the water. At dark I counted better than thirty sets of eyes in one look from the platform. And check your tent bag for the poles before you leave the house.
11 mi from Okefenokee State Park; 8 from Maul Hammock
Campfire
No, stove only
On the water by
10 a.m.
At the north end of Big Water Lake. Seasonal fishing, and great night sky, sunrise and sunset.
The last miles back to the State Park run through cypress forest past Minnies Lake and Billys Lake, with a slow current going your way.
Floyds Island
Closed for now
Type
Island, with fire ring
Trail
Green Trail
Distance
9 mi from Okefenokee State Park; 13 from Suwannee Canal Rec Area
Campfire
Yes, in the ring
On the water by
10 a.m.
A real island camp under the trees. A trail of about 0.2 mile crosses east to west past an old hunting cabin; through trips carry the boat across. A Seminole town of fourteen or fifteen houses stood here as late as 1838, under oaks and laurels, until the wars of removal drove the people south into Florida.
The whole Green Trail is closed for now.
Bluff Lake
Closed for now
Type
Platform
Trail
Green Trail
Distance
8 mi from Kingfisher Landing
Campfire
No, stove only
On the water by
10 a.m.
Paddle across Bluff Lake to the shelter. Dark, beautiful night sky. From Kingfisher, a canal dug for peat mining leads out to open lakes and pitcher plants.
Day paddlers use it too, so wait until late afternoon to set up. Bluff Lake to Floyds Island is about 9 miles on the Green Trail.
Maul Hammock
Closed for now
Type
Platform
Trail
Red Trail
Distance
12 mi from Kingfisher Landing
Campfire
No, stove only
On the water by
10 a.m.
On the left edge of Maul Hammock Lake. Look behind you as you enter the lake or you will paddle past it. One of the most remote sites in the refuge.
A long day from Kingfisher through scrub-shrub, marsh and small lakes. Maul Hammock to Big Water is 8 miles in the refuge's trip table and 9 in its canoe guide.
What every platform has, and what it does not
Each platform is a raised wooden deck with a roof over half of it, a pit toilet, and a picnic table or shelf for cooking. Some are built out over open water, with the best night sky, sunrise and sunset in the refuge: Round Top, Big Water and Bluff Lake are the standouts for it. Others sit against a bank or in scrub-shrub.
There is no drinking water at any site. The refuge recommends one gallon per person per day and does not recommend drinking or filtering swamp water. Bring toilet paper, and a portable toilet with bags is recommended. Bring a free-standing tent or a hammock, and cord to tie it down.
Cedar Hammock, Buzzards Roost and Bluff Lake are also day-use stops, so the refuge asks campers to wait until late afternoon to set up. You must stay at the site on your permit from sunset to sunrise.
Permits, fees and the rules on the water
Reserve
Camping Permit Reservation Line, 912-496-3331, Tuesday to Thursday, 7 to 10 a.m. Eastern, excluding federal holidays. Make a Recreation.gov profile before you call. Normally up to two months ahead; under the current notice, one month.
Fees
$15 per person per night plus a $10 reservation fee, credit card at booking. The permit covers the refuge entrance fee.
Nights
March and April, 2 nights at most. May through February, 1 to 4 nights. After your permit ends, you exit for one day before going back in.
On the water by
10 a.m. for Canal Run, Buzzards Roost, Round Top, Floyds Island, Maul Hammock, Big Water and Bluff Lake. Noon for Cedar Hammock and Mixons Hammock, and for Coffee Bay and Minnies Lake when they are open to camping. Late starts can be turned away with no refund.
Leave by
10 a.m.
Group
One group per site, 20 people at most. Canoes and kayaks only, no motors of any kind.
Permit
Print your permit and parking pass up to seven days before, and no later than the day before. Every boat carries a copy. Sign in and out at the launch.
Fires
Only at Canal Run, Mixons Hammock and Floyds Island, only in the ring. Fallen wood or firewood bought on site (call ahead). A camp stove is fine at any platform. Fire bans happen in drought.
Also
No pets, no swimming. Children under 13 wear a PFD at all times; everyone carries one. Pack out every scrap.
Sources: refuge camping page and refuge home page, checked 20 October 2026. Fees and rules are set by the refuge and can change; confirm when you call.
The refuge books 11 overnight sites: eight platforms (Cedar Hammock, Buzzards Roost, Round Top, Canal Run, Minnies Lake, Big Water, Bluff Lake and Maul Hammock), the Coffee Bay shelter, and two islands, Floyds Island and Mixons Hammock. Coffee Bay and Minnies Lake take campers only when the refuge opens them.
Which Okefenokee campsites are open right now?
As of the refuge's update dated October 19, 2026, low water has the refuge open for camping only at Coffee Bay and Canal Run from Suwannee Canal Recreation Area, and Mixons Hammock and Minnies Lake from Okefenokee State Park. All other campsites are temporarily closed. Call the permit line, 912-496-3331, before you plan.
Where can you have a campfire in the Okefenokee?
Only at Canal Run, Mixons Hammock and Floyds Island, and only in the fire ring. A camp stove is allowed at any platform. Fire bans happen in drought, so bring a stove even to the fire sites.
What happened to the Monkey Lake platform?
The refuge no longer lists Monkey Lake. It now books the Buzzards Roost platform, 8 miles out on the Pink Trail from Suwannee Canal Recreation Area, in Grand Prairie.
What is the easiest overnight in the Okefenokee?
Cedar Hammock, 3 miles up the Yellow Trail from Suwannee Canal Recreation Area, and Mixons Hammock, 2 miles across Billys Lake on the Brown Trail from Okefenokee State Park. Both have a noon launch time.
What is on an Okefenokee camping platform?
A raised wooden deck with a roof over half of it, a pit toilet, and a picnic table or shelf for cooking. There is no drinking water at any site; the refuge recommends one gallon per person per day and does not recommend drinking or filtering swamp water.
How do I reserve an Okefenokee camping permit?
Call the Camping Permit Reservation Line, 912-496-3331, Tuesday to Thursday, 7 to 10 a.m. Eastern, excluding federal holidays. Make a Recreation.gov profile first. Under the current low-water notice permits can be reserved up to one month ahead. The fee is $15 per person per night plus a $10 reservation fee, and the permit covers the refuge entrance fee.
Paddled, filmed and checked by Rodney Thompson · Saint George, Georgia · Last updated 20 October 2026
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