A Beautiful Rest Stop at the Dismal Swamp

The Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center and Rest Area in Camden County, N.C. was recently recognized several national publications as one of the most beautiful and unique rest stops in America.  In February 2018, USA Today listed the Dismal Swamp Welcome Center as a favorite Rest Stop in the nation due to the excellent condition of facilities and amenities offered.  The article states, “It’s a unique place…also accessible by boat and has its own welcoming dock.”

The Welcome Center was also mentioned in Southern Living and in a recent Architectural Digest article titled “The 15 Most Beautiful Rest Stops in America” and .  Beautiful scenery provides the perfect location for “motorists to pull over and enjoy a stroll along a nature trail” or paddle the historic Dismal Swamp Canal.

  The Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center provides assistance and information to both highway and waterway travelers for North Carolina’s historic sites, attractions, special events and travel conditions. This tourism office is operated by the North Carolina Department of Transportation and managed by Camden County.  Located on the historic Dismal Swamp Canal, the Welcome Center features a facedock for recreational boats traveling through this 22 mile long waterway.  The Canal is also an alternate route on the Intracoastal Waterway and managed by the Norfolk District Army Corps of Engineers. The Dismal Swamp Canal Trail, managed by Camden County Parks and Recreation, and the Dismal Swamp State Park are adjacent to the center.

Images:  Camden TDA/Byrd’s Eye Photography