What's going on around the swamp, the week's river news, what is open in the Okefenokee, and a live call on whether you can paddle every river this weekend.
Week of October 26, 2026 · Levels read live from USGS. They refresh every time you open this page.
Rivers at flood or above the safe level, from the live gauges. Every river and its level
Checking the gauges...
Events at the swamp's gates in the next two weeks. Dates and prices are from each organizer's own page, checked October 26.
Crooked River State Park, St. Marys · parking fee
Spooky stories and s'mores around a campfire with a ranger. Campers and day visitors welcome. Details
Okefenokee Swamp Park, south of Waycross · $15 a person
The last weekend. A spooky train ride through the swamp and a haunted island. The scare zone is recommended for ages 13 and up, with fog, strobes and jump scares, and there is a non-scary way out. Come before dark if you want it tamer. Last tickets sell at 9. Details and tickets
Crooked River State Park, St. Marys · parking fee
A ranger-hosted game night. Space is limited; call 912-882-5256 or stop by the main office to register at least 30 minutes before it starts. Details
Main Street, Folkston · Charlton County Chamber
Candy, goody bags and activities for kids along the Main Street sidewalks. Groups that want to hand out treats register by October 26. Details
Okefenokee State Park, Fargo · $35 adults, $25 ages 14 and under, plus parking
A Halloween night on the water from the west entrance. Details
Real stories from the rivers, and why each one matters if you paddle.
The Atkinson gauge read 12.51 ft Monday morning, just under the 13 ft flood stage the Satilla Riverkeeper uses for the lower landings, and still above the 4 to 9 ft ideal. Waycross was at 11.12 ft, above the 6 to 10 ft ideal. Over on the Alapaha, Statenville dropped to 8.48 ft, back under the 10 ft highest safe level WWALS publishes but near the top of it. Check the live levels below before you load up.
Saltwater South, in a piece the Wichita Eagle picked up, walks visitors through the refuge: the Chesser Island Boardwalk out to Owls Roost Tower and Swamp Island Drive at the Folkston entrance, permitted overnight camping on platforms, and rentals and guided trips from Okefenokee Adventures and Driftwood Paddling Tours. The story counts seven camping platforms and more than 120 miles of water trail. Not all of that is open right now: the refuge's October 19 update has only four campsites open while staff clear trail after the low water, so check the status below before you plan an overnight. Read the full story at the Wichita Eagle.
More than 40 faith leaders and environmentalists met at the Suwannee Canal Recreation Area entrance for a multifaith prayer service, The Brunswick News reports. Josh Marks of Georgians for the Okefenokee told them World Heritage status does not legally stop mining along the swamp's edge, and called it "a sacred space deserving of the utmost protection." The group wrote letters to Toledo Manufacturing, which the paper says owns about 35,000 acres near the swamp, to House Speaker Jon Burns asking for a vote on the Okefenokee Protection Act, and to Home Depot. Read the full story at The Brunswick News.
Inside Climate News went to Folkston to ask how the July UNESCO designation will change the town at the swamp's east gate. Some estimates have the refuge's visitors doubling. Residents are split: some see a long-awaited opening for local business, while others in the three counties around the refuge worry about outside control. Read the full story at Inside Climate News.
From the refuge update dated October 19, 2026. Low water this year closed most of the trails. The water is rising, and staff are inspecting more than 100 miles of trail before more sites reopen. Permits: 912-496-3331. Every campsite, one by one.
The call comes from the ranges the river groups publish (Satilla Riverkeeper, WWALS and Suwannee Riverkeeper, the National Weather Service). Where nobody publishes a range, we show the reading and say so. Always look at the river before you unload.
FOR KIDS