November 2, 2009, 3:39 pm
The most popular trail in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife
Refuge is getting a facelift, prompting the National Park Service to
temporarily close the refuge’s Washington Ditch entrance.
More than 10,000 visitors each year hike the Washington Ditch
Boardwalk trail, according to Park Service officials. The trail was
built in the late ‘70s and has been subjected to everything from
thousands of falling trees, the wrath of Hurricane Isabel and the
incessant gnawing of bears.
The site of the boardwalk also holds historical significance, as it
was the location of the work camp known as Dismal Town, a base camp for
both slaves and hired hands digging the Washington Ditch for the Dismal
Swamp Land Co., of which George Washington was a prominent shareholder.
The ditch, which was named prior to Washington’s presidency, is
thought to be the first landmark to get his name, according to park
officials.
The new boardwalk will feature an environmentally sensitive decking
material, and it will be wider, with fewer railings (to provide better
visibility) and new interpretive signs. Also, handicap access from the
parking area is expected to be smoother.
