4159 Suwanee Canal Rd
Folkston GA 31537
Join Georgia River Network and the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) as we celebrate the launch of the latest edition of the Canoeing and Kayaking Georgia guidebook with author Suzanne Welander!
Participants will join the author on a gentle six-mile paddle on the Okefenokee Wilderness Canoe Trail followed by a book signing in the Refuge’s Richard S. Bolt Visitor Center. The trip departs at 2pm from the Main Entrance of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge near Folkston, GA. Participants will learn about the rich history of the swamp while traversing water lily-lined trails to visit the open swamp prairies—some of the most iconic habitats in the Okefenokee Swamp.
This event coincides with the nearly 50-year anniversary of the federal designations protecting Southeast Georgia’s iconic wilderness treasures: the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and the Cumberland Island National Seashore.
Participants are welcome to bring their own boat or can secure a boat rental from Okefenokee Adventures at okeswamp.org/rentals/ or (912) 496-7156. All attendees must sign a liability waiver. Please look for a link to the waiver in your confirmation email.
Event registration does not include the cost of the Refuge entrance fee ($5) or cost of a rental boat (if applicable).
The Canoeing & Kayaking Georgia guidebook provides paddlers of all stripes with the descriptions, data, and resources needed to plan self-supported river trips throughout the state of Georgia. The 2022 edition builds on the book’s 40+ years experience, now covering nearly 4,000 miles of waterways from mountain whitewater to peaceful calmwater and coastal forays.
Meeting location: OKE NWR 4155 Suwannee Canal Rd, Folkston
Suggested meeting time: 1:15pm
WHAT TO BRING: Our trip will be mostly through the unshaded prairies of the swamp where the afternoon sunshine can be intense. Even though October is Georgia’s driest month, rain is still possible. The trip will proceed in rain unless conditions are dangerous or excessively windy.
Required to Bring: PFD (life vest), paddles, boat (or rental), plenty of drinking water, sunscreen, bug repellant, hat, clothing appropriate for the weather, water shoes (not flip flops), snacks if you need them, rain gear.
Recommended (optional) items: change of clothing in dry bag, camera, extra rope, first aid kit.
