If you would have told me a year ago that I would be enjoying a swamp…I would have laughed. There has been something about visiting all of the State Parks of North Carolina that has changed my perspective and opened my eyes to the beauty in nature. Turns out, swamps are rather beautiful, magical and I enjoy them very much. We found that out on our visit to Merchants Millpond and Dismal Swamp State Park.

These two North Carolina State Parks were a little bit out of the way for us compared to others. These parks required a weekend adventure and not just a day trip. This is a part of the state we had never been to and we had been excited about planning a trip here for a while. Bonus, they are also near enough to the Outer Banks to make it a whole weekend thing.

Where are the Swamp Parks

First off, it is important to note that these two parks are really close together. They are less than 30 miles from each other. Because of this, we were able to visit both in one day. It is really good to do both in one day since these parks are a little out there and hard to get to for most. They are in the far Northeast corner of the State where not a lot of people visit. That was one of the things so appealing about these parks, going somewhere a lot of people don’t get to go. It was well worth the trip!

Both parks are well marked and easy to find. We used google maps to get us there and it worked great. If you are planning on visiting both parks in a day it is important to know about park closings. Dismal Swamp State Park actually closes earlier than most State Parks. The visitor center closes at 4:30 everyday and the park closes at 6 pm most of the year. We did not know this before we went so we missed out on the visitors center and could not do all we would have wanted to here. So just keep all of this in mind when planning your trip!

Merchants Millpond State Park

Merchants Millpond is one of the smaller parks in the State Park system. This does not take away from the experience though. Back in the day this land was the center of trade for the local community. There were many businesses all around this pond, including many mills. Hence the name – Merchants Millpond. Let’s be honest here, we would really describe it as a swamp. And a beautiful one at that.

What to do at Merchants Millpond

We arrived at the visitors center super late because we underestimated how much we were going to love these parks. We totally wish we would have had a lot more time. Silas has already made us promise that we will be back to fully explore both of these parks. We did not do our homework before going and just assumed we would be in and out of a muggy, bug-infested, stinky swamp. So, if you are reading this before going – learn from our mistakes!

We checked into the visitors center first – and it is a really nice one! There is a lot of history about the millpond, the nature you can find there, Native American artifacts and a ton of animal exhibits to check out.

One of the highlights about this park is kayaking in the swamp. We have kayaked or canoed in a lot of the State Parks and this would have been a really unique experience. We spoke to a couple there who were about to embark on a kayak adventure and they told us this was their favorite place to kayak. You can also camp across the swamp so many people kayak across and camp overnight here. This is why Silas wants to come back – to kayak in the swamp and hopefully see some gators. And we are in agreement.

There are a couple of great trails to hike here. We took the Cypress Point Trail and had a nice walk around the swamp on a boardwalk. This is a super easy trail (great for small kids!) and a good way to get introduced to swamp life. There are some great views and it is all in shade. Keep your eyes open wherever you go because there is a ton of wildlife here to spot!

Dismal Swamp State Park

Dismal Swamp State Park History 101…there is a lot, buckle in. This park is part of the Great Dismal Swamp – which is a National Wildlife Refuge. This swamp played a vital role in the history of North Carolina. This area used to be about 1.28 million acres where Native Americans hunted and fished. But, because of the wet ground could not live here. In 1763 George Washington made a visit to the Great Dismal Swamp. Here he proposed the idea to connect the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia to the Albemarle Sound in North Carolina through a canal. The canal was finished in 1805 and was the lifeblood of the economy for this region for years. It remains the oldest continually operating manmade canal in the United States. The more you know!

Today, it serves as an awesome State Park but also a working canal. This is the reason the park closes early. The bridge needs to be moved for boats to pass through each evening. There is a lot to do here! So let’s dive in.

What to do at Dismal Swamp

Before we tell you what to do it is good to get a lay of the land. The park is located behind a rest area so it could be a little confusing upon arrival. Just follow the brown State Park signs and you will be fine. The parking area is located on the other side of the canal from the Visitors Center and the rest of the park. You will need to cross the bridge over the Dismal Swamp Canal to get there.

We wish we could tell you about the visitors center, it looked really cool. The Park Rangers even told us that on the way out! We were still able to get our stamp because there is a Ranger booth at the bridge until 6. You have to check in here when you enter the park so you don’t get left on the other side when the bridge moves!

Boating on the canal is a big activity here. You can rent kayaks and canoes for $7 per hour. There are also many biking trails, which seemed to be pretty popular here as well. You can also rent a bike for $7 an hour. There are a lot of trails here to choose from. We took the Swamp Boardwalk Trail and wanted so badly to see a bear. Instead, we saw a giant flock of wild turkeys. Which was cool in its on right. PS – a group of turkeys is called a rafter. You are learning more than you thought you would today.

Something we really enjoyed was just spending time on the canal bridge. Its so beautiful and unique here. Take your time and enjoy Dismal Swamp State Park.

What Else is Around the Swamp Parks

Not too far from Dismal Swamp is Elizabeth City. It is a historic town on the water that prospered early on from the swamp canal. Today it is the site of the largest Coast Guard base in the nation. It is full of historic homes, a cute downtown and waterfront viewing. We went on Sunday….and everything was closed. But, we did have a nice walk by the water and met some friendly locals. They taught us about crabbing. We actually saw one of them catch a crab with a raw chicken drumstick. Silas thought this was fantastic..we did too.

This is a nice little town to stop in and check out the history and waterfront. There were a lot of restaurants and shops, just not open on Sunday! Down the road from Elizabeth City is the gateway to the Outer Banks which is where we headed for the holiday weekend. We spent some time there checking out all of the National Parks.

Takeaways From Our Trip to the Swamp Parks

• Do your homework before you go! Know when the parks close. You never know when one is different from others in the State Parks System.
• Don’t underestimate the beauty of nature…specifically swamps! Kayaking seems to be the thing to do.
• Leave more time than you think you would need. It is good to build some margin into your trip so you can do something unexpected and go the adventure way.
• Talk to the Park Rangers and learn the history of the Parks. We learned a ton about these parks and their place in history.
• Don’t go to an old small NC town on a Sunday afternoon.

Wow, we were so surprised by how much we enjoyed this part of the state! We will be taking another trip back here for sure. We hope this inspires you to check out something new and different. And enjoy going the adventure way.

What are some places of unexpected beauty you have been to? Have you visited either of these parks? What was your favorite part?

Looking for more State Parks to explore? Check out our guides to South Mountains State Park, Mayo River State Park and Pilot Mountain!

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