The Great Dismal Swamp is a 113,000 acre national wildlife refuge stretching over Northeastern North Carolina and Southeastern Virginia. Labeled “dismal” by explorers of the 1700s, it is anything but dismal.
The Great Dismal Swamp is a breeding paradise for hundreds of species of birds and an important sanctuary for black bears (one of the largest populations on the east coast). It supports 47 species of mammals and close to 100 species of butterflies.
The area is historically significant because indigenous people lived in the area, such as the Chowans. It was used by enslaved people as a refuge and was a route along the Underground Railroad.
The Great Dismal Swamp’s forested wetlands, grow above carbon-rich mantles of peat where dead and decomposing plant materials full of organic matter have settled over thousands of years.
Lake Drummond, one of only two natural freshwater lakes in the state of Virginia, sits in the middle of the Great Dismal Swamp. The water is saturated with tannins (think of tea) from the peat underneath and is a strong coppery-red color.
The water is so acidic it might be safe to drink. Although we would not recommend filling your canteens with lake water, we do recommend you take a trip to Lake Drummond to fully appreciate the magical atmosphere and wildlife.
Below is a list of resources to learn more about the Great Dismal Swamp:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Great Dismal Swamp Homepage
Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources – Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
