Dismal Swamp State Park Sports & Outdoors Tips by grandmaR

MM 28.0 Free Dock

The Visitor's Center is open seven days a week in the summer, and Tues. thru Sat. from Nov 1 to Memorial Day weekend 9-5.

This is the only Visitor Center in the continental U. S. on both a major highway and an historic waterway. From the website:

Located in Camden County on scenic U. S. Highway 17, the original Ocean Hiway, just three miles south of the VA/NC border, the Center sits on the banks of the Dismal Swamp Canal, part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. The Canal is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been designated a National Civil Engineering Landmark, honors worthy of its colorful past.

In addition to the canal docks for large boats, there is a small boat ramp and small motor boats, kayaks and canoes can use the canal.

Equipment: The dock is 150 feet long and boats raft on each other. There's no dockmaster - the boaters manage their own docking.

There's no electricity available, but there is a nearby drinking fountain with a faucet (picture) to which you can attach a hose (except in the winter when the water is turned off), and trash cans. There are bathrooms which are open all the time which are climate controlled (heated/AC). No showers. There are pay phones and snack machines, picnic tables and grills. There are also walking/hiking trails nearby.

The Visitor's Center is closed Sunday and Monday in the winter. When it is open, boaters can watch videos on the history of the Dismal Swamp Canal or exchange paperbacks. The Visitor's Center also sells some cruising guides.

There is nowhere nearby to buy any food other than snacks.

Address: 2356 US Hwy 17 N. South Mills, NC 27976-9425

Directions: A distance of 13 nautical miles separates the Deep Creek lock and the North Carolina state line, and an additional run of about 1.8 nautical miles to the Visitor's Center.

Other Contact: dscwelcome@coastalguide.com

Phone: 252-771-8333

Theme: Boating/Sailing

Website: http://www.icw-net.com/DSCwelcome/