I lived in Deep Creek since 1973 and I have never visited this park. I was pleasantly surprised that my Sister and I ran into other Creekers who were also there with their children for the first time. I loved the displays and the information about the Enslaved People who dug out the swamp to allow others to navigate the waterways. I was so happy that we went on a brisk day when the bugs were laying low. HeeHee! We were able to walk around and look at the dock, the farm house, and a few other out buildings for the farm area. Very interesting that they were families that still lived next to the swamp area. The parking lot is well-kept and free. We found a few places to sit and eat, as well as a few water fountains for visitors. Everything was clean and tidy. We enjoyed listening to the water. Very nice visit! read more

Dismal Swamp Canal Trail - Hiking Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

To be honest, people on insta were telling me I was actually at the wrong location for what I was looking for. I was so excited to fit in time to go hike the dismal swamp. I've been thinking about it for a while and it fit right into my timeliness this week visiting Machicomoco and Kiptopeke State Parks. I got here and it was all paved. Bikes and pet walkers. I expected some dirt trails and pine needle tails and smelly water to brave through. Cattails or pussy willows if you prefer. Instead I got hard pavement and dogs. I did walk a little ways out. It just wasn't my thing. Cheers to the people who bike and pet walk here. If you pick up poo, put the bag in the trash. Why pick it up if you try to anonymously drop it further down the trail? read more

Dismal Swamp Canal Trail - I guess I was at the wrong location - Hiking Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

The Dismal Swamp Canal Trail offers a variety. So it deserves a 5 star for all that it offers. Start out with the great parking. It is out and back and an Easy hike. It has great mile markers so you can pace yourself or like we do sometimes just walk 3 miles stop and eat lunch and then walk 3 miles back. It's up to you. The total hike is mostly paved and it is flat all the way 9.8 mies elevation 49ft. It is hiker, dog, bike, stroller, and wheelchair friendly. And they have beautiful boat ramps available for kayaking or canoeing . They have an air pump for bikes. The views are good. Forest, wild flowers, wild life and cool river views. We brought our watercolors to do some plein air painting. Spring is the perfect time for the butterflies and really beautiful weather. We saw 5 sail boats going through the canal and 2 kayakers. They do have events . We showed up and they were having a mile run and a 5 mile. so if your concerned with crowds check the events before you head on down to hike or bike or whatever your heart desired. BUt just get out and enjoy and have fun read more

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Love love love. A bit of a drive from Pungo but worth it. This trail is so well maintained and well-marked with mileposts for each mile (in some cases .25 and .5 miles) that it's easy to set a goal or pace and stick to it. I could see this being a great place to prep for a race. It's been recently paved and is fresh and clean with no debris on the trail at all. Fresh pavement and no issues for the entire length of 8 miles down and back. About mid-way there is a rest area with an exceedingly clean and nice restroom, some picnic tables, and a boat pier/tie-off mooring area. There are three places to park and start on the trail. We started at the first and main one with the "Chessie" the black bear statue. Plenty of parking and another restroom area located here. Very happy to have done this trail - it's a hike from VAB - but so worth it! There is mostly shade on this trail but I would bring spf and bug spray anyway. It's a canal trail so there are bugs and there are areas with direct sun. read more

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[Coronavirus review] The trail here looks like an abandoned road, which isn't the prettiest thing, but is helpful for social distancing. It's also the rare "trail" where bikes and pedestrians can coexist because it's so wide. It runs parallel to a canal, but through thick greenery there are relatively few spots where you can even see the water. There isn't a ton of wildlife on a road, but signs warned of bears. Assuming you don't see any bears, the strength of a place like this is that it's suitable for a wide variety of ages and ability levels; just about anyone can use this straightaway surface and get some fresh air in. read more

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How awesome!!! When we arrived we arrived at the perfect moment when the bridge was moving. So we got to experience that. The welcome center was closed because it was a Sunday but we were able to cross the bridge to check out some of the scenes. It looks like you could bike the trail it also look like you could take kayaks into the water and other boats. There's a lot of history to the swamp as well it was interesting reading about it on one of the placard's we saw. This is definitely an activity to do on a weekend to pass time and find things to do I highly recommend it. read more

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This is a really cool park. It's a wonderful re-purposing of old U.S. Hwy 17. The old 2-lane highway has been turned into a hiking/biking trail. It stretches for over 16 miles, I only hiked the first three miles up and back from the northern trail head. I really enjoyed the peaceful nature walk, which at places had breathtaking, postcard-esque views of the canal. It wasn't too crowded either, even on the 85 degree Memorial Day I visited. It also wasn't swarming with flies and mosquitos, as I feared going in. There is plenty of free parking at the northern trail head, as well as a clean public restroom. There are also picnic tables and benches there, and at several places along the trail. The paved trail makes this a suitable and easy walk for any fitness level or age. It was a great experience, and I will be back again! read more

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I thought this was going to be an actual trail through the woods but it was only a paved road

Amazing flat trail - great for kids to ride bikes and walk. Love the mile markers for each .25mi. Not much scenery to keep the kids engaged, but it is paved and great for a walk after a storm. Apparently also a great location for bird watching as we ran into a few looking for a rare FL bird in VA. read more

Dismal Swamp Canal Trail - Hiking Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

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Nice place to get out in to nature on a well paved wide road that used to be a rail road track. Lots of folks cycling. I was surprised it wasn't even buggy. There were many beautiful butterflies on the edges of the road. Clean restroom at the parking lot. read more

Dismal Swamp Canal Trail - Hiking Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

Nice length. Great view. Lots of history signage. Plenty for of parking. Dog on leash friend. Great for bikes.

As I am now a few days past wanting to tear my quadriceps from my body, I can now write about how awesome this trail is. We came here Sunday around 4pm and there weren't many people at all. The parking lot is a good size and there is plenty of parking for your horse trailer...should you want to bring your horses. I don't have any...just a small army of kids. Like Allison L. said, the route is 8.5 miles long of an old section of VA SR.17. The entire 8.5. miles is paved. There are restroom facilities being constructed at the beginning and midpoint-ish but are still not opened (they're supposed to open spring '14). The trail runs along the canal, which is visible during parts of the trail. Other times, it's hard to see through the vegetation. We did see a bear one our way back (which by this point was close to 7pm), which got scared once we made a lot of noise and ran back into the woods. There are plenty of signs along the trail letting you know what to do if you encounter a bear since the Dismal Swamp has the highest concentration of black bears in the state. There are also signs letting you know what type of wildlife you can expect to see. In addition to the bear, I saw a river otter...which, in no way, trumps a bear sighting. This trail was relatively easy. Our two elementary school-aged kids biked the whole 17 miles while the toddler rode in the bike trailer. I've be more sedentary than I care to admit and the trail was very easy for me. However, during the night with two muscle relaxers writhing in pain...I was reminded how you should not expose atrophied muscles to crazy an almost-20 mile long bicycle jaunt. But, I'm ready to go again. The heady fragrance of honeysuckles and lilacs just enriched an already wonderful experience. Another bonus would be kayaking/canoeing in the canal...which we did see a pair doing. This is probably my second favorite biking experience with the first being the 15mile trek at Shark Valley in the Everglades (the wildlife and views are insane...c'mon, it's the Everglades). However, this is a new family favorite...relatively easy, quiet, peaceful, and just awesome to reconnect with family/yourself/nature. read more

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The gps brought me to the boat ramp. From there it's an easy paved walking pass. I wish I had my bicycle with and enjoyed the trail a bunch more!!! read more

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Can't they think of a happier name for this place? It's beautiful even in the frigid cold. It's serene and deceivingly calm, but at a closer look you can see a strong undercurrent. There's a cute, short trail along the canal, outside the parking lot (without traversing the bridge) that run along the side and showcases the old logging engine that used to drag the trees out of the forest. At the end of the trail is a geocache where you can sign into their little book and leave a comment. There's also a little cash for those in need that you can contribute to. Cute adorable idea. read more

Dismal Swamp Canal Trail - gorgeous even in the winter with a serenity and underlining current - Hiking Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

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I am unsure why skateboards are not allowed, their reasons for this seem a bit far fetched. I mean falling off and hitting a child or spooking a horse?? really!! Well in the near future I plan to go down there one weekday late morning and skateboard on my longboard and see what happens. I am pretty sure no body will be on the trail and unless there are some mean looking rangers lurking about I plan on giving it a go!! PART 2, 09/17/13 I skateboarded the trail on my electric skateboard with no problems. There were some workers on the trail and they were very cool and just asked about the electric board. Sounded like they assumed it was ok to skate the trail. I only saw 4 bikers who just said hello in passing, I did see a large black bear who crossed the path about 50 yards ahead of me. He just ambled off the road never looked in my direction. read more

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This place is wonderful to walk, run, bike, and dog walk. The view is very scenic and peaceful. They have mole makers so you can keep track of how far you've gone and with public restrooms and bike pump, this is perfect for all. read more

Dismal Swamp Canal Trail - Hiking Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

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My mom and I came on Mother's Day, as we both enjoy biking. Being from Norfolk/VA Beach, we typically go to First Landing or Botanical Gardens but we wanted to try something new. We ventured out to Chesapeake to try this highly-rated trail and we were not let down. We enjoyed the flat, paved surface - a nice change from our usual dirt/sand paths. However, don't let the flat surface deceive you! We kept biking and biking because it felt so smooth and nice, when we finally decided to turn around at about the seven mile point, after seeing pretty fields and historic homes, we felt great.. until around 3 miles away from our destination. We were hurting, it was painful to get back to the car. All in all, we had a great time and enjoyed seeing something new. read more

Dismal Swamp Canal Trail - Hiking Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

What a beautiful and serene place to encounter nature, and I had no idea it was 10 min from my house! I highly recommend! We finally recovered from the various strains of the flu and cold and this was the perfect outting to kick the winter dust off! Parking is free, and the trail is INCREDIBLY clean! I love that dogs are allowed to! No matter the time of year! We went in February.. NO TICKS.. and the bears are still asleep read more

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Love this path and that there are always people exercising. Never overly crowded, just enough for it to feel safe for being semi secluded with the chance of seeing bears and other wildlife. read more

Great hidden trail (old road) that is flat and easy to run! 8 miles out... 16 round trip! Take a stroll and see some wild adventures!

What a great place to jog or ride a bike. If you hit the early-mid morning hours or mid-late afternoon you are guaranteed shade. Nice flat surface and plenty of stops along the way to relax and enjoy the Dismal Swamp. Sounds like an oxymoron I know. The trail runs along the inter-coastal waterway so you can relax and enjoy boats passing by if you hit it right. There are lots of improvements that are currently underway that will give this trail a bright future (bathrooms & water fountains. Can I get an Amen!). The 8 mile trail with three locations from which to start is great for running or biking. Make it a circuit and you've got a 16 mile stretch. The trail is made from an old road which allows a lot of room. I pulled a kid trailer behind me and never worried about taking too much space. It can be a bit creepy if you're by yourself jogging, so I'd make sure you go early enough to be with the largest crowd. All in all, this is a great place to train, or take the kids. Plan a picnic at one of the many bench or picnic table stops they have along the way! read more

Dismal Swamp Canal Trail - Such a peaceful trail! - Hiking Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

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Walk, bike or run this closed road left open just for you!!! Perfect place to spend time enjoying all of the gifts Mother Nature has to offer- trees, the swamp, and lots of birds. You will be happy you ventured here. Bathrooms were very clean- nicely kept park and a slice of Virginia history. read more

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We drove out here to go hiking with the kids and dog without really knowing too much about it. The City of Chesapeake website says, "The Dismal Swamp Canal Trail is a former section of Virginia State Rt. 17, now a multiuse trail open to bicycling, walking, running, horseback riding, and boating. The north trailhead is located at the intersection of Dominion Blvd and Old Rt 17 in Chesapeake, VA, and runs south 8.5 miles, adjacent to the Dismal Swamp Canal." It is much better for biking or roller blading than hiking as it is all just a paved road. There are no off-road trails. There are tons of signs warning you that you may encounter bears. We didn't see any. We were there on a Friday afternoon and only saw one other couple walking the trail and probably eight or so cyclists. We let our dog run off the leash because she is incredibly obedient and there weren't really any people around to complain. She never wandered off into the trees, but she still managed to pick up some ticks while we were there. She had them between her toes, on the inside of her hind leg, and on her neck, so if you take your dog there be sure to check thoroughly for ticks when you leave. None of us found any ticks on ourselves, thankfully. There are a couple picnic tables along the canal where you can stop and rest if need be. It is incredibly quiet. We didn't notice very much wildlife, which I thought was strange. No birds or squirrels. I think the only animals I saw were a dead mouse in the road and a snake in the water. It's really not too terribly exciting, unless you run into a bear maybe, but it would be a really great place to go for a bike ride with your family. read more

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Great place for dedicated runners and cyclists that either require or desire reliable distance markers for training. Trail: The 12mi shaded paved trail is essentially a straight shot from one end to the other. 1/4 mi markers identify your distance each way of travel. It's also plenty wide (two car lanes) to allow for multiple park goers on the trail. Amenities: If you're not a dedicated athlete no worries there's plenty of picnic stops along the canal with a at least one small pier. Restrooms are at the beginning of the trail, near the 3 mi maker and a couple other portapotties as well. Overall: I'd like to give it 5 Stars but without any turns or side trails I can't go past 4. Even so I'll continue to frequent this place a couple times a week as its great for getting a solid understanding on my run/cycle distance-time. read more

If you're looking for a place to run, this is a quiet old closed road running down the canal. It's not very scenic and just a simple out and back. It's very flat without many curves. It feels like running down a deserted country road. read more

Dismal Swamp Canal Trail - Hiking Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

If you're training to do a Tri, Dismal Swamp Canal trail is a great place to do your Run/Ride bricks! Everything is paved and it's nice and quiet. The road is in good solid repair, very few pot holes (truthfully it's better than a lot of roads I've been on). There is quite a bit of construction going on now, they're actually removing the single kinda gross porta-potty and replacing it with proper facilities! Full path is 8.1 miles in each direction for a total ride of 16. Plenty of parking! read more

Beautiful trail during the fall. We started at the north end next to Chessie the Bear and rode most of the trail. The trail is paved and easy to ride, a straight shot. A lot of runners and bikers on the trail. We enjoyed sitting next to the canal enjoying the peace and quiet. A few picnic benches along the way. There is also an old house that is really beer looking but there is a "US Government Property" surrounding it. I wonder what significance does this house have? read more

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Wowzers! What an experience!!! I came here today with the Boy Scouts to help support our new members who are required to complete a 5 mile hike. I brought two additional volunteer supporters to join us, and I would have had one more but I didn't think it would be a good idea. Here's why.... this individual requires use of a restroom facility quite often due to a health issue. I won't go into any details about his health but he would have needed to use the restroom about every 2 miles of walking. That's how he described it to me. Anyway, I explained to him that I did not think it would be wise for him to do the 5 mile hike with us here. I'm glad I gave him that advice. The only restrooms we encountered were the ones at the main entrance. After walking 2.5 miles, there wasn't even so much of a Porta Potty in site. This park is not very scenic, other than the road and plant life alongside the road. Every so often you'll catch a glimpse of the swamp. ...yet, there was a rest area in a small opening by the swamp but that was about it. We encountered a great deal of cyclists on our walk. Many of them were quite friendly, and some would wave and say hello or good morning to us. Unfortunately, we did come across a cyclist who was a complete jerk. He yelled at the children to get out of his way. It took every part of me to refrain from yelling back at him, ....I had to remind myself that sometimes its just best to keep my mouth shut. Seriously, how rude! This person clearly saw the large group of kids gathered on the side of the road where some were attempting to cross to join the group. He had plenty of time to slow down and announce his presence... even though we did see him coming. The adults in the group had already told the kids to watch out for the cyclist and gather close to the side. They were trying to get out of his way. There was absolutely no need for him to yell at them. This location is not the best place for hiking. You have to constantly watch out for the cyclists. Some of them are traveling very fast and some of them will pass ridiculously close to you. While on a water break, I spoke to a woman who was also resting. We talked about the park and she shared her concerns for safety. This is what she experienced on her walk that morning: "This one cyclist passed me so closely that he almost ran right into me. I was on the opposite side of the road walking outside a group of senior citizens who I had met earlier. There was a man jogging on the opposite side with his baby and he was attempting to pass us. There were two other women walking pass as well. They were PowerWalking and walked around us. There were three cyclists in a row who passed between us. Then another cyclist that was behind them was quite aggressive and risky with his skills as he weaved around the women and between the jogger and myself. He was going so fast that he knocked my water bottle right out of my hand. I was walking with the water bottle in my hand and my hand was at my side when he whipped pass me. The jogger yelled at him to be careful and the cyclist turned around and gave the jogger the middle finger! How rude!!!" During our brief discussion, we both agreed that this did not feel like a park that was open and welcoming to both hikers, joggers, and cyclists. It felt like a place fit for cyclists only and everyone else is just in their way. For safety purposes, I'd suggest a separate lane for the hikers and joggers. Even though I was not very impressed, I do plan to return. It is a great way to knock out a few miles on foot or bike, however, this will not be a park that I'll visit often. Oops! I almost forgot to mention. I should have taken a photo! THERE WAS A CAR ON THE TRAIL! This vehicle came off Cornland Road onto the Dismal Swamp trail. When we saw the car, we all were stumped. Are cars allowed on the Dismal Swamp Trail??? I DON'T THINK SO! Anyway, this dude drove as far as he could.. which was not very far. He stopped at the spot where there was a gate (about 200 ft away), backed up, then turned around and proceeded back down Cornland Road. He of course, was a cyclist. He had his bike on his bike rack that was attached to the back of his car. I wish I had thought to take a photo. read more

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Long, paved, STRAIGHT & FLAT, wide trail for walking, biking, skating, or jogging with a stroller. As a cyclist, I love it because the road is smooth (it used to be a highway years ago) it is mostly shaded, so even on a hot day it is plesant. The canal runs next to the road, and in some areas you have a great view. There are nice newer restrooms, water fountian, plenty of parking, a boat launch and equestrian area. Along the straight road, there are several picknick areas, benches and rest areas. It does go by homes and there is an area where cars enter the park, but it is about 5 miles down on the trail. Yes, theres plenty of wildlife to see from butterfiles, birds, rabbits, fox, wild turkey, skinks, and yes.....an occasional bear. (Only seen then 1 time in my 6 years of going though) Its a great place to take begenning bike riders, as its flat and theres no traffic. Be cautious and kind as the cyclists will call out "pass left" when they come by you. It keeps both you and them safe! read more

I've biked hiked and kayak the dismal swamp. It is the outdoors. Bring some bug spray for the evenings. The only think that could be better is if they had another bathroom 10 miles in. Also the ones they already have leave them open year round. read more

The kids and I went out there this morning and rode our bike until noon. We mostly saw bicyclists of all levels from street bikes to cruisers like we had. The trail was clearly marked and paved throughout. There were some runners and walkers, but we didn't see any horseback riders though they are allowed on the trail as well. The trail is wide enough for passing safely if you are riding at a high rate of speed. Even though it was hot and humid the tree canopy provided plenty of shade to make it cool and breezy on the trail. If you are looking for a nature hike with paths through the woods then this may not be the trail for you as I didn't observe any unpaved hiking trails. We had a great leisurely ride and plan to come back often. read more

Just made a trip today to ride our horses along the trail. Well, sad to have to say, this is no longer a horse freindly environment. Starting with parking the horse trailer, and not finding out until you are at end of road their is no designated parking for horse trailers. Had to park in construction area, never sure if it was truly allowed. Under stand construction is happening, but a sign or two would of helped. The trails are nicely paved, but there is hardly any grassy area anymore for the horses to walk on. Website mentioned horses can walk on grass. All the edge of the roadway where there is some grass, has been covered in crush and run rock. Horses feet took a beating. This is truly a walking trail only. Very few places to pick up the pace. Great place for bikes, roller blading and jogging. Will never return with horses. Come to think of it, we saw no evidence of prior horses using the area. One less place to enjoy horseback riding. read more

The Dismal Swamp Art Festival October 24,2015. The festival features miles of trail, artists, live music, pop-up restaurants, micro breweries, family friendly interactive art and nature activities read more

beautiful, free from cars place to run or ride your bike. great place for kids. i will def be back!

A lovely place to go for a run,bike ride, or even a romantic walk. The one bad thing is the yellow flys. But it's natures so that's just part of the elements. Just being bug spray. read more

I bike here from my house on the bike path down 17. I am very happy that they have put in restroom facilities. Although I often go by myself, there is hardly ever a crowd down this trail so it can get a little creepy by yourself. There is often park rangers patrolling to make sure that everyone is alright. There are trail markers every quarter mile. Keep in mind that just past the 6 mile marker there is a boat ramp and vehicles DO have access to that part of the road so keep a look out! read more

This is a nice place to ride or run overall. Would get a much better review if the city would get the water and bathrooms working. The trail is 8.1 miles long and two lanes wide. There are a lot of walkers, runners, and cyclists here almost always. Just needs water and bathrooms (other then porta-johns). read more