Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

[Nautiknight]

My son and I just wrapped up a 3 day kayak camping trip in the okefenokee swamp. We stayed 2 nights and the dark sky was amazing. We spent a night at Mixons Hammock and another at Canal Run chickee. Saw tons of Gators, otters, herons,egrets and more. it was a great trip and would do it again. I have kayaked many of Florida's spring fed rivers, the Suwannee, and 10,000 Islands wilderness waterway in Everglades. All these places have a unique beauty to them. The Okefenokee is no different. It's a beautiful landscape and highly recommend it.

 

[Nautiknight]

Very cool! So there are places to stay along the kayak run? Really don't want to do a tent.

No. You have two options . you can do kayak day trips or you can camp. They have two islands and 7 shelters chickees. you could hammock it or do a tent . we did the tent and brought hammocks. it was bug free and cold. so stayed in the tents with our backpack sleeping bags and thermarests.. it was comfortable.

The refuge claims over 200 miles of kayaking canoe trails . we paddles 18 of those .lol.

I have kayak camped on the Blackwater River, in the panhandle, the Suwanee, Rock Springs and Wekiva and the 10,000 islands. This ranks right up there.

 

[Nautiknight]

Nice. I might want tips because i wanted to plan something like this for the kids.

Where is your favorite?

how old are your kids? I would start them off doing the Blackwater River near Milton ,Florida or doing the Rock Springs Run especially if they are young. Both of these have a nice current , the water is clear and you can see the bottom. Paddling down stream alll the way is nice for kids say between 3 and 12 . You can get like a MSR filter and filter the water in those river rivers. If you do Everglades , Suwannee and Okefenokee I suggest bringing water .

The variables are duration and season of course . Everglades is a Thanksgiving to Valentine's due to bugs. Okfenokee has the highest water and fewest bugs in March and April . You can do the Blackwater and Rock Springs anytime of the year but of course in the summer you got thunderstorms to contend with as well.

I took my youngest backpacking in the Smokies on a 2 night trip when he was 5 . Paddle camping is much easier because your boat carries the load. I will be happy to give you more tips when you hone in your idea.

 

[ucfMike]

how old are your kids? I would start them off doing the Blackwater River near Milton ,Florida or doing the Rock Springs Run especially if they are young. Both of these have a nice current , the water is clear and you can see the bottom. Paddling down stream alll the way is nice for kids say between 3 and 12 . You can get like a MSR filter and filter the water in those river rivers. If you do Everglades , Suwannee and Okefenokee I suggest bringing water .

The variables are duration and season of course . Everglades is a Thanksgiving to Valentine's due to bugs. Okfenokee has the highest water and fewest bugs in March and April . You can do the Blackwater and Rock Springs anytime of the year but of course in the summer you got thunderstorms to contend with as well.

I took my youngest backpacking in the Smokies on a 2 night trip when he was 5 . Paddle camping is much easier because your boat carries the load. I will be happy to give you more tips when you hone in your idea.

Any recommendations for similar excursions around Ashville or the western part of North Carolina, by chance? I'd love to plan something for me and my boys (7 and 9 yr olds) once the weather warms up a bit. Thanks!

 

[Happy Hands]

Any recommendations for similar excursions around Ashville or the western part of North Carolina, by chance? I'd love to plan something for me and my boys (7 and 9 yr olds) once the weather warms up a bit. Thanks!

You can tube down the French broad with a cooler of beer. You can also rent stand up paddle boards. The New Belgium brewery is on the French Broad, but I don’t think you can dock there or whatever. Not far from Asheville is the Andrews/Bryson city area that has the Nantahala Outdoor Center and some really nice whitewater rafting.

 

[Happy Hands]

My son and I just wrapped up a 3 day kayak camping trip in the okefenokee swamp. We stayed 2 nights and the dark sky was amazing. We spent a night at Mixons Hammock and another at Canal Run chickee. Saw tons of Gators, otters, herons,egrets and more. it was a great trip and would do it again. I have kayaked many of Florida's spring fed rivers, the Suwannee, and 10,000 Islands wilderness waterway in Everglades. All these places have a unique beauty to them. The Okefenokee is no different. It's a beautiful landscape and highly recommend it.

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You weren’t afraid of the gators? I’m not afraid of much, but gators...

 

[Happy Hands]

Gators won't mess with you in a kayak

Gators will mess with anything they think might be food.

 

[Nautiknight]

As a biologist I am respectful of alligators . They normally don't go after kayaks or canoes but if they do it's not for food ,it's for territory issues and defense. We saw a ton of Gators . One did come off a log and head towards us . I was nervous .
Asheville,. well since I live here , I can tell you most of our rivers are at a minimum class 1 white water and I don't many where folks camp out along the way. Now lake camping you have options . Fontana Lake borders the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and there are many lake side designated back country campsites with bear cables for food storage along the lake. It's drop dead gorgeous on Fontana. We keep our boat there and I kayak there too. Lake Santeelah near Robbinsville has island camping too. It's part of the Nanatahala National forests. Then you have some kayak canoe camping options on Lake Chatuge down near Hayesville.

Your 8 and 10 year old kids would really enjoy the Blackwater. Here is the thing with the blackwater you camp on sandbars so you stop when you want to stop and if you have a GPS you can get an idea how far you have gone .

Y'all can send me aPM whenever and I will give you my cell phone and you can call or text me with any questions. I love the outdoors and enjoy hiking, backpacking, paddling, mountain biking and boating. I go to the keys a lot and fish offshore for dolphin (mahi mahi) when I can .