Lake Drummond Wildlife Drive (Auto tour)
Our most popular refuge destination, the "Lake Drummond Wildlife Drive" is a self-guided drivable route which is open every day and can be accessed from the Railroad Ditch trailhead at 3120 Desert Rd, Suffolk. This Wildlife Drive route is a 6-mile (one-way) gravel road and features 3 boardwalks to stop at along the way. Visitors are welcome to drive, walk, or bicycle along this route. This is the main route in which visitors access the lake for boating, fishing, and wildlife observation. Along the drive, look for turtles and river otters in the ditches, and don't forget to glance up once in awhile -- you may spot one of our resident black bears sunning in the trees!
See our Lake Drummond Wildlife Drive brochure for more detailed information about sights and stops along the way.
Wildlife Drive Hours
April 1 - September 30, 7:00 am - 7:00 pm
October 1 - March 31, 7:30 - 5:00 pm
The electronic entry gate closes one hour earlier to allow vehicles to exit on time.
Permit or Fee Required
Wildlife Drive (Railroad Ditch Trailhead) is the only visitor access area on the refuge that requires a vehicle permit. A $5 cash-only fee is charged per vehicle and is payable at the HQ office or at the self-service payment station about 1/2 mile down Wildlife Drive. This fee is waived if you possess a parks pass, such as a Duck Stamp, or America the Beautiful Annual, Senior, Access, or Military pass. Please note which pass you have on your permit slip as you drive in. The refuge also issues an optional $25 Great Dismal Swamp annual pass that waives the vehicle fee for the calendar year. All of these passes can be purchased at the HQ office at 3100 Desert Rd.
