"Dismal Swamp That's Not Dismal" Dismal Swamp State Park by grandmaR

The visitor's center is just above the inset with the bird, and the US 17 bridge over the canal is in the top left corner. There appears to be a barge in the middle of the canal which was cut out by slave labor. We have done this trip three times by boat - once in November of 2000, once in November 2001, and once in November 2003 - and once by car (November 2002).

ICW mileage marker and stone canal marker

This is the only visitor's center that can be accessed both by road (US Rt. #17) and by boat (the Dismal Swamp Canal). The mileage is marked in statute miles (not nautical miles) from Hospital Point in Norfolk to Key West FL. This mileage marker shows that the Visitor's Center is 28 miles from Norfolk by water. Behind it is the stone marker which says we are 22 miles from the Deep Creek Lock

Visitor's Center

Visitor's center (closed) is on the left and the bathrooms are on the right, with sample cotton growing patch (right foreground). Snack machines are in a separate building. There are also picnic tables, and information on walking trails. But there are no restaurants (fast food or otherwise) or stores between Deep Creek and South Mills at the south end of the canal.

• Pros:Good information and helpful folks
• Cons:No showers or place to eat.
• In a nutshell:The only visitor's center accessible by both boat and car