Okefenokee Swamp Part 1: The Long Slog To Camp

From one adventure to the next.... The following is the invite that I sent out to everyone to see who we thought might want to join us for the Okefenokee adventure.

Ever wanted to pet an alligator?

Lucas got a permit for the Okefenokee NWR late next month, for three days on the purple trail. We would launch on Sunday, March 27 and takeout on Tuesday, March 29. This is the peak time for the swamp, as all sorts of pretty things will be in bloom. Why were we able to get a permit with so little effort or notice? Probably because the launch date is Easter Sunday.

We are looking for 4-6 people to join us for this trip. The cost is $20/person plus a small launch fee to the NWR people, and shared food expenses. The $20/person is due by the 12th. So.... If you would like to join us for the trip, we would need a financial committment in the next few days.

The Okefenokee NWR has a no pets policy because pets look and smell a lot like food to an alligator.

If you would like to join us for the trip, or would like more information about the trip, please feel free to call me or email. Because of the time crunch, I'm sending this to a lot more people than can fit at our campsites. If you want a spot, speak up quickly.

After no less than six people cancelled on us, four of us set out on March 26 for a swamp daytrip on Saturday and then the Wilderness trip on Sunday through Tuesday.

Mapquest called it a 9 hour drive from Nashville to Fargo, GA (the nearest town to the park). Where Mapquest is usually conservative with their time estimates, Friday traffic made Mapquest into a blind optimist. Including stops for dinner, gas, an ill-fated attempt to find a place to sleep, and traffic at nearly every major city along our route, we drove for 12 hours to get to our campground.

We stayed at Griffis Camp near Stephen C. Foster State Park at the Southwest entrance to the park. Whereas the state park closes at 7:30pm, as in campers locked out or locked in closed, Griffis doesn't care when you get there. Their camp dog was very friendly, even at 3am. Unfortunately, so were their mosquitos. By morning, the welcoming committee was poised between our tent and rainfly, ready to greet us at the first zzzzip.