Dismal Swamp State Park will close on June 14 for extensive repairs to the bridge that allows entrance to the park, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. Repairs are expected to take six months. The park will remain closed for the duration of the construction project. Visitors may still access the main canal, a Federal waterway, via the boat launch at the end of Ballahack Road or at Swayers Creek in Camden.
The canoe and kayak launch will also be repaired during the project. It will not be safe for visitors to access the launch site as it is too close to the heavy equipment that will be in place for bridge repairs. A 90-ton crane and several tractor-trailers will be used during construction.
Construction will begin on the west side of the canal, where asphalt will be removed and the area will be graded to improve water flow away from the visitor center. Wooden timbers on the fixed portion of the bridge will be replaced.
On the bridge’s east side, both the bridge and truck bridge will be removed and transported offsite for repairs. While those repairs are underway, asphalt and concrete will be removed from around the bridge tender building to correct the grade of the area. All gates at the bridge will be repaired.
“These repairs will provide much-needed updates to the park’s bridge and adjoining areas and provide safe entrance to the park for years to come,” said Adam Carver, superintendent of the park. Park staff ask that visitors abide by the closure, which will be in effect seven days per week, for their safety. Updates on the park opening after construction is complete will be available on the park’s website at ncparks.gov/Dismal-Swamp-State-Park.
About North Carolina State Parks
North Carolina State Parks manages more than 250,000 acres of iconic landscape within North Carolina’s state parks, state recreation areas and state natural areas. It administers the N.C Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, including its local grants program, as well as a state trails program, North Carolina Natural and Scenic Rivers and more, all with a mission dedicated to conservation, recreation and education. The state parks system welcomes more than 19.8 million visitors annually.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state's natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. NCDNCR's mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state's history, conserving the state's natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development.
NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, two science museums, three aquariums and Jennette's Pier, 39 state parks and recreation areas, the N.C. Zoo, the nation's first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, State Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology, along with the Division of Land and Water Stewardship. For more information, please visit www.ncdcr.gov.