Major gateway to the Okefenokee Swamp is getting a new name

Stephen C. Foster State Park, one of three main entrances to Georgia’s famed Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, is getting a new name.

The park will now be called Okefenokee State Park, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources announced Tuesday.

Near Fargo, on the remote west side of the swamp, the park offers campgrounds and some of the best stargazing in the state. The park, nearly 300 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta, is Georgia’s only International Dark Sky-certified state park and serves as a jumping off point for excursions into the vast refuge.

A sign marks the National Wilderness Area inside the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. (Hyosub Shin/AJC 2025)

The park had borne the name of Stephen C. Foster, the famed American folk songwriter behind the classic “Oh! Susanna!” and others, since 1954. State officials said Okefenokee State Park better captures its role as a gateway to the swamp and will help boost awareness of the federal refuge’s new status as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In July, the Okefenokee joined the Great Barrier Reef, the Taj Mahal and other world-renowned destinations on the prestigious list, giving Georgia its first World Heritage site.

In a statement, Angie Johnson, the director of DNR’s state parks division, called the name change “an exciting day” for the agency.

“The designation of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is an incredible distinction and brings international attention to this remarkable natural resource,” Johnson said.

The rebrand comes as DNR executes a series of major upgrades to Okefenokee State Park’s facilities.

A full renovation of the park’s campgrounds was completed in August 2025, and a separate set of improvements to the boat basin, where tours and boat rentals are offered, wrapped up last month.