Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is a protected natural area in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, with entrances in Suffolk and Chesapeake. You can plan a visit around its trails, Lake Drummond Wildlife Drive, or fishing and boating access, but check current access details before choosing your route.
- Location: Southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina; headquarters at 3100 Desert Road, Suffolk.
- Entrances: Portsmouth Ditch, Jericho Lane, Washington Ditch and Railroad Ditch.
- Trails: More than 40 miles of trails and boardwalks, open from sunrise to sunset.
- Lake Drummond Wildlife Drive: A 6-mile, one-way self-guided route that requires a vehicle permit.
Choose an entrance and activity
Choose your entrance based on whether you plan to hike or bike, drive to Lake Drummond, or spend time on the water. The refuge has four public entrances, and the Railroad Ditch entrance is also called the Lake Drummond Wildlife Drive entrance.
For a shorter walk, the Portsmouth Ditch Trailhead has a 1.5-mile TRACK Trails loop. The refuge also offers two lake-front piers and a boat ramp, alongside its network of trails and boardwalks.
The Railroad Ditch entrance at 3120 Desert Road leads to the self-guided Lake Drummond Wildlife Drive. This route is 6 miles one way and is the refuge’s only visitor access area requiring a vehicle permit. Lake Drummond is three miles wide and one of only two natural lakes in Virginia, according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.
The other access points are Jericho Lane at 1325 White Marsh Road, Washington Ditch at 3100 White Marsh Road, and Portsmouth Ditch at 3457 Martin Johnson Road in Chesapeake. Pines Trail and refuge headquarters are at 3100 Desert Road.
Check current refuge access
Check the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s official site before you go, especially for seasonal driving access and visitor contact station hours. The refuge contact station is at 3100 Desert Road, Suffolk, and its hours can be limited by staff availability; call ahead at 757-986-3705.
Refuge trails are open from sunrise to sunset. The Lake Drummond Wildlife Drive’s hours vary by season, and the refuge describes the route as open every day. The route requires a vehicle permit, with a $5 vehicle access fee.
Cell signal is limited in the area. Familiarize yourself with the trail map before setting out, and make sure you know which entrance matches your planned activity.
Trails, wildlife viewing and water activities
The refuge’s trails and boardwalks support hiking and biking, while Lake Drummond and Feeder Ditch offer fishing access. Hikers and bikers must stay on designated trails; walk your bike on narrow boardwalks.
Most trails follow earthen roads that may be dirt, gravel, grassy or muddy. Pines Trail and Washington Ditch Trail have fine stone-dust surfaces described as relatively smoother. October through May is identified by the refuge as the best time for hiking to avoid biting insects and excessive heat.
Motorized boats up to 25 horsepower are permitted on Lake Drummond only; the ditches are not maintained for passage. Fishing is allowed year-round during daylight hours in Lake Drummond and Feeder Ditch, in accordance with state regulations. You need a state fishing license, and fishing is permitted from piers and boats only—not from banks or ditches.
Dogs are allowed but must remain leashed. Swimming is not permitted in Lake Drummond or elsewhere in the refuge. Camping, fires and overnight use are prohibited, while hunting requires a refuge hunt permit.
The Nansemond National Wildlife Refuge visitor guide covers another wildlife refuge in the area.
What to bring for swamp conditions
Prepare for variable trail surfaces and limited cell signal by checking the map before you leave and planning for the terrain on your chosen route. Earthen roads can be muddy as well as grassy, gravelly or dirt-covered; the fine stone-dust surfaces on Pines Trail and Washington Ditch Trail are relatively smoother.
If you bring a bike, be ready to walk it on narrow boardwalk trails. Keep dogs leashed, and follow the refuge’s designated-trail rule. For a hike, the refuge points to October through May as the best time of year to avoid biting insects and excessive heat.
Making a day trip from Suffolk
Suffolk is a practical starting point for a refuge day trip, but choose your destination entrance before you set out: the refuge spans two states, and entrances serve different activities. The headquarters and visitor contact station are at 3100 Desert Road; the Portsmouth Ditch entrance is in Chesapeake.
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is about 15.5 miles from a two-star hotel in Suffolk, including a hotel in Suffolk. Treat that as a broad planning reference rather than a substitute for checking the route to your chosen entrance.
For a trail outing, decide on a trailhead and check the map before leaving. For a Lake Drummond drive, plan around the seasonal hours and vehicle permit. If you are going fishing or boating, confirm that your launch point and activity fit the refuge rules.
The guide to getting around Suffolk, Virginia offers local transportation context.
FAQs
How many entrances does Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge have?
The refuge has four public entrances: Portsmouth Ditch, Jericho Lane, Washington Ditch and Railroad Ditch. Railroad Ditch is also known as the Lake Drummond Wildlife Drive entrance.
Does the Lake Drummond Wildlife Drive require a permit?
Yes. It is the refuge’s only visitor access area that requires a vehicle permit. The vehicle access fee is $5.
Can you fish at Great Dismal Swamp?
Fishing is allowed during daylight hours in Lake Drummond and Feeder Ditch, in accordance with state regulations. A state license is required, and fishing is limited to piers and boats.
Can you swim or camp in the refuge?
No. Swimming, camping, fires and overnight use are prohibited in the refuge.