Field Trips to Dismal Swamp State Park

Students will experience the Swamp without getting their feet wet! The park's half-mile Boardwalk Trail loops through the forest just beyond the visitor center. Many animals are found in this area, including butterflies, birds, snakes, turtles, deer, and even the occasional bear. Endangered Atlantic white cedar trees grow at the main entrance, and bald cypress trees can be seen along the way. Edible fruits such as blackberries and grapes will be observed near summer.

To challenge students' observation skills, they will be given a picture scavenger hunt to mark off as they hike. A few are staged, but most are naturally occurring. Most groups can expect to see live wildlife in its natural habitat.

Please note: The scavenger hunt is optional and primarily intended for lower grade levels.

There are onsite bathrooms and picnic tables for lunch breaks.

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Many animals that live in the Swamp make themselves scarce during the day, but the park's extensive taxidermy collections offers all students the chance to see all the animals that can be found here. Mounts, pelts, and skulls allow them to observe the shapes and sizes of different species while discussing their life history and diet.

There are onsite bathrooms and picnic tables for lunch breaks.

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Eastern North Carolina has one of the highest densities of black bears on the continent, with over 300 living in the Great Dismal Swamp. These fascinating animals can find everything they need to thrive in the forests and swamps of the area. But what kind of resources do bears need? What challenges do they face? With a park ranger, students will learn the answers to these questions by pretending to be bears themselves in this activity!

There are onsite bathrooms and picnic tables for lunch breaks.

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One of the most exciting ways to experience the Swamp is to paddle along the historic Dismal Swamp Canal itself. Students will learn about history and look for aquatic wildlife, while working on communication and teamwork to control and propel their boats.

Rangers will review safety information and basic paddling strokes on land. Students will be primarily in double kayaks, and a very limited number of single kayaks may be available for teachers and chaperones.

Variation: Request the Big Canoes and take the whole class out at once!

There are onsite bathrooms and picnic tables for lunch breaks.

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Hop aboard the Dismal Swamp Express, our open-air double wagon! Students can observe more of the park than is accessible to them by foot and observe wildlife and plants along the way. The trip will pass the liquor still and lighter boat replica exhibits, where students can learn about the cultural history and significance of the Swamp.

For smaller groups with more time, the wagon can allow access to remote areas of the park, and students can observe the effects of the last major wildfire in 2011 or learn about hydrology restoration projects or the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker re-introduction program on the neighboring wildlife refuge.

There are onsite bathrooms and picnic tables for lunch breaks.

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Suppose you took a hike in the woods, and there was no cell phone service and no GPS available... could you still find your way? (There is not reliable cell phone service in much of the park!)

This workshop introduces participants to the basics of maps, map reading, and compass skills, including hands-on practical exercises. The program begins with a discussion of the components of a map and then moves to a map-drawing exercise. Next, we cover pacing and simple compass use. Finally, we go outside and calculate pace, finishing with a short course that must be navigated in teams using a map and compass.

Please note: Younger students are likely to need additional guidance and assistance from teachers and parent chaperones.

There are onsite bathrooms and picnic tables for lunch breaks.

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This workshop builds on the skills learned in "Which Way Do We Go?" and assumes that students have either successfully completed and understand the concepts from that class, or are already comfortable with basic compass skills, such as determining a compass bearing using a map.

The 102 course looks more closely at scale and topography with classroom activities. After a review of pacing and distance calculations, teams of students will be given a map and compass, along with a set of five checkpoints to locate using their new skills.

Please note: Younger students are likely to need additional guidance and assistance from teachers and parent chaperones.

There are onsite bathrooms and picnic tables for lunch breaks.

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Wildlife is all around us in the park. Often, however, we never see an actual animal. So, how do we know who is out there? Animals leave many signs that you can read like a map, telling you who was there, when, and what that critter might have been doing. Tracks and other signs are commonly seen in the park.

One of the grossest — or maybe the neatest! — is scat. What's scat, you ask? It's manure, droppings, waste, feces... it's poop! Each species leaves distinct scat behind, so if you learn to ID scat, you can learn which animals have been around an area. This exercise utilizes a dichotomous key and 10 "scat samples" for students to identify.

Optional Extension: Hike to search for real scat and animal signs.

There are onsite bathrooms and picnic tables for lunch breaks.

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Wildlife is all around us in the park. Often, however, we never see an actual animal. So, how do we know who is out there? Animals leave many signs that you can read like a map, telling you who was there, when, and what that critter might have been doing. Tracks and other signs are commonly seen in the park.

Students will look at examples of animal tracks and signs found in the park, as well as replica scat (poop), and learn ways to tell which species left them. They will then make a take-home track cast (may be plaster or flour-based).

Optional Extension: Hike to search for real scat and animal signs.

Older students may make tracks also, but the activity does not align as closely to those standards.

There are onsite bathrooms and picnic tables for lunch breaks.

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The dark waters of Dismal Swamp hide many fascinating creatures beneath the surface, from invertebrates to fish, turtles, and more! Join a park ranger to explore the waters with nets and buckets.

We'll talk about where our finds fit into the Dismal Swamp ecosystem, what they tell us, and look at the smallest ones under the park's MicroEye Scope, which allows the whole class to view at once! We will also learn about the Swamp water itself, one of the most fascinating features of the Dismal Swamp.

Variation for Grades 5 to 12: Conduct water quality testing for temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and nitrates. Before carrying out the tests, students will be asked to hypothesize about the results they expect.

There are onsite bathrooms and picnic tables for lunch breaks.

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