DISMAL SWAMP CANAL WELCOME CENTER

Facilities include clean restrooms open 24 hours a day, picnic tables & grills. A friendly staff waits to assist travelers with a variety of published materials and services. Whether you're interested in a weekend getaway or an extended vacation, the staff can help with your visit, including directions, lodging accommodations, and even reservations for the North Carolina Ferry System. For nature lovers and ornithologists, a car-top boat access is available on site for access to the Canal. Nature walks are available at the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, approximately 40 miles from the Welcome Center.

Boaters on the 22-mile long Dismal Swamp Canal are welcome to tie up to the 150-foot face dock and spend the night. The Welcome Center is located at Mile 28 on the ICW. Locks, located at each end of the Canal in Deep Creek, VA, and South Mills, NC -- open four times a day: 8:30 am, 11:00 am, 1:30 pm & 3:30 pm. North Carolina's Coastal Boating Guide and other publications on the waterways of our state are available to members of the boating fraternity.

Fresh water is also available. Of particular interest to boaters is the rose garden planted by the dock in honor of the famous Rose Buddies of Elizabeth City. According to the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Canal has a centerline depth of 6'3" and can handle most boat drafts.

The Welcome Center is open seven days a week from Memorial Day - October 31, and Tuesday thru Saturday from November 1 - Memorial Day weekend, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.

Tourism information is available on-line thru the INFO REQUEST FORM or by phone. Come visit Northeastern North Carolina and experience southern hospitality at its best! And, DO THE DISMAL!