The National Park Foundation presents their annual ‘Top 10’ list, a
photography guide highlighting the very best Fall photo experiences in
America’s national parks and public lands. Number seven on this list is
Georgia's Okefenokee National Wildlife
Refuge, which spans nearly 402,000 acres. The Okefenokee National Wildlife
Refuge is a vast bog inside an immense, saucer-shaped depression that was once
part of the ocean floor.
This is an amazing thought our family considered on
our visit to the swamp that now lies 103 to 128 feet above mean sea level.
Native Americans named the area "Okefenokee" meaning "Land of the Trembling
Earth," referring to the peat deposits, up to 15 feet thick, cover much of the
swamp floor, so unstable in some areas that trees and bushes tremble from
above-ground disruptions.
A journey down Swamp Island
Drive, a 9-mile driving, biking and walking loop, will lead you through a
diverse ecosystem that is home to many animals including, white-tailed deer,
black bears, gophers, snakes, alligators, turtles, woodpeckers, wild turkeys,
egrets and dragonflies. This makes Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge a world
class setting for families to explore Georgia's wildlife, and for photography
enthusiasts to capture the beauty and immensity of wildlife within the area.
A Ford
Photo Tip For Your Trip - One tip we can recommend when trying to take a great wildlife photos is to be
as patient as possible. This can be a true challenge for children, yet it is
well worth their effort! They'll not only see beautiful animals, but children
will also learn that nature move at its own pace, and patience has its rewards.
The “Top Ten Parks
and Public Lands Photo Tips” range from capturing the rich history
of
Jamestowne, Virginia, to watching alligators glide through the
swamps of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Whether you’re a
professional or new to photography, these tips will help you
discover some of the hidden gems that often get overlooked within the
nation’s diverse parks and public lands system.
In recent years the National Park
Service and the National Park Foundation had teamed with sponsors like CASIO and Ford Motor Company for the official “Share the Experience”
photo contest. Amateur photographers are encouraged to enter their
favorite photos taken in America’s national parks and public lands.
Winners are eligible for a variety of prizes and vacations to federal recreation areas. The “Share the
Experience” photo contest benefits America’s Federal Recreational Lands managed
by the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the National Park
Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service. We
hope these tips are helpful, and inspire you to get out and explore some of
America’s hidden gems hidden within the nation's public parks and recreation
lands.
