Swamps of Virginia

The Geographic Names Information System, maintained by the US Geological Survey online, can be used to query for locations by place name or type of "feature." As defined by Appendix C - Definitions in the GNIS User Guide, a "swamp" is a:
poorly drained wetland, fresh or saltwater, wooded or grassy, possibly covered with open water (bog, cienega, marais, marsh, pocosin)
The 144 swamps of Virginia with a name are all in the Coastal Plain (you can tell by the counties in which they are located...), with the exception of Bearwallow in Sheanandoah National Park, on the border of Page and Warren counties. (Camp at Matthews Arm, north of Thornton Gap, and hike down Overall Run to explore it...)

Look for waterfalls west of the Fall Line, and swamps east of the Fall Line. Flat topography and the presence of water are both essential to the formation of swamps, while waterfalls require topographic relief in addition to water....

The GNIS search is not a reliable mechanism to identify all the swamps of Virginia. For example, the list below omits Dismal Swamp (surrounding Lake Drummond) and Dragon Swamp (the headwaters of the Piankatank River forming the southern border of Middlesex County). Still, the search reveals the predominance of swamps in the flat coastal areas.

Some have been modified heavily by attempts to drain Virginia swamps for agriculture. In the Piedmont and higher-elevations of Virginia, the water keeps flowing downhill and rarely forms swamps - so the bogs in the Appalachians are uniquely valuable habitat...

Geographic Names Information System Query - Results for "Swamps" in "Virginia"

Feature Name St County Equivalent Name Type Latitude Longitude USGS 7.5' Map
Bell Neck Swamp VA Accomack swamp 373111N 0754652W Exmore
Big Marsh VA Accomack swamp 374723N 0754735W Chesconessex
Black Duck Marsh VA Accomack swamp 375431N 0752217W Chincoteague East
Black Narrows Marsh VA Accomack swamp 375558N 0752348W Chincoteague West
Byrds Marsh VA Accomack swamp 375158N 0753957W Parksley
Carrs Marsh VA Accomack swamp 375603N 0751931W Chincoteague East
Chandler Marsh VA Accomack swamp 374154N 0755025W Pungoteague
Chimney Pole Marsh VA Accomack swamp 372757N 0754212W Quinby Inlet
Clubhouse Marsh VA Accomack swamp 373508N 0753754W Wachapreague
Coards Marshes VA Accomack swamp 375934N 0751940W Chincoteague East
Dahl Swamp VA Accomack swamp 374138N 0754745W Pungoteague
Ditches, The VA Accomack swamp 374839N 0754204W Parksley
Egg Marsh VA Accomack swamp 375709N 0752515W Chincoteague West
Egg Marsh VA Accomack swamp 374836N 0753139W Bloxom
Fishing Creek Marsh VA Accomack swamp 375707N 0760124W Ewell
Freeschool Marsh VA Accomack swamp 375508N 0754238W Saxis
Horse Marsh VA Accomack swamp 375438N 0752244W Chincoteague West
Hyslop Marsh VA Accomack swamp 373639N 0755434W Jamesville
Janeys Creek Marsh VA Accomack swamp 375528N 0752013W Chincoteague East
Michael Marsh VA Accomack swamp 375322N 0753942W Saxis
Moreland Swamp VA Accomack swamp 373315N 0754540W Exmore
Parkers Marsh VA Accomack swamp 374416N 0754912W Pungoteague
Ragged Point Marshes VA Accomack swamp 375940N 0751742W Chincoteague East
Shelly Bay Marsh VA Accomack swamp 375532N 0752621W Chincoteague West
South Point Marsh VA Accomack swamp 375551N 0760130W Ewell
Walker Marsh VA Accomack swamp 375400N 0752700W Chincoteague West
Wildcat Marsh VA Accomack swamp 375836N 0751916W Chincoteague East
Willis Marsh VA Accomack swamp 375451N 0752533W Chincoteague West
Wire Narrows Marsh VA Accomack swamp 375558N 0752425W Chincoteague West
Mount Swamp VA Caroline swamp 381201N 0771535W Rappahannock Academy
White Marsh VA Caroline swamp 381420N 0771359W Port Royal
Sunken Marsh VA Charles City swamp 372108N 0765318W Brandon
Green Sea VA Chesapeake (city) swamp 363945N 0761815W Deep Creek
Aiken Swamp VA Chesterfield swamp 372251N 0772144W Dutch Gap
Presque Isle Swamp VA Chesterfield swamp 372210N 0771533W Hopewell
Fork Swamp VA Cumberland swamp 372615N 0782239W Willis Mountain
Beverly Marsh VA Essex swamp 380419N 0765556W Champlain
Church Swamp VA Essex swamp 375423N 0765255W Mount Landing
Criddlin Swamp VA Essex swamp 375540N 0765658W Mount Landing
Hutchinson Swamp VA Essex swamp 380445N 0765911W Champlain
Margaret Lee Swamp VA Essex swamp 380150N 0765718W Champlain
Otterburn Marsh VA Essex swamp 380606N 0765951W Champlain
Dyke Marsh VA Fairfax swamp 384604N 0770256W Alexandria
Coleman Swamp VA Gloucester swamp 371728N 0762959W Achilles
Four Point Marsh VA Gloucester swamp 372003N 0762430W Achilles
Guinea Marshes VA Gloucester swamp 371620N 0762143W New Point Comfort
Pratts Mill Swamp VA Gloucester swamp 373017N 0762923W Wilton
Big Swamp VA Henrico swamp 373808N 0773912W Hylas
Curles Neck Swamp VA Henrico swamp 372150N 0771700W Hopewell
Ballard Marsh VA Isle of Wight swamp 365854N 0763144W Benns Church
Belle Meadow Pocosin VA Isle of Wight swamp 370129N 0764457W Bacons Castle
Ennis Pond VA Isle of Wight swamp 364832N 0764247W Windsor
Horse Swamp VA Isle of Wight swamp 364808N 0765145W Zuni
Pettit Pocosin VA Isle of Wight swamp 370211N 0764241W Bacons Castle
Ross Pocosin VA Isle of Wight swamp 365342N 0763932W Smithfield
String Of Logs Pocosin VA Isle of Wight swamp 365116N 0764340W Windsor
Back River Marsh VA James City swamp 371250N 0764549W Surry
Pitch and Tar Swamp VA James City swamp 371225N 0764600W Surry
Black Marsh VA King George swamp 381751N 0770138W Dahlgren
Black Swamp VA King George swamp 382013N 0771920W Passapatanzy
Cleve Marsh VA King George swamp 381133N 0771430W Port Royal
Cohoke Marsh VA King William swamp 373238N 0765712W New Kent
East Point Marsh VA King William swamp 374945N 0755834W Tangier Island
Gleason Marsh VA King William swamp 373800N 0765159W Truhart
Lee Marsh VA King William swamp 373210N 0765135W West Point
Meadows, The VA King William swamp 374033N 0770802W Manquin
Sweet Hall Marsh VA King William swamp 373317N 0765327W New Kent
Bridge Marsh VA Lancaster swamp 373853N 0763001W Urbanna
Cabin Swamp VA Lancaster swamp 374745N 0762656W Lancaster
Currells Swamp VA Lancaster swamp UNKNOWN UNKNOWN Unknown
Knoddy Swamp, Mount VA Lancaster swamp 374633N 0762751W Lancaster
White Marsh VA Lancaster swamp 373728N 0761716W Deltaville
White Marsh VA Lancaster swamp 374527N 0762410W Lancaster
Meggs Bay VA Middlesex swamp 373414N 0763419W Saluda
Cousiac Marsh VA New Kent swamp 373335N 0765530W New Kent
Eltham Marsh VA New Kent swamp 373218N 0764927W West Point
Hill Marsh VA New Kent swamp 373337N 0765159W West Point
Lilly Point Marsh VA New Kent swamp 373319N 0765936W New Kent
Beach Marsh VA Northampton swamp 371133N 0755613W Townsend
Big Creek Marsh VA Northampton swamp 371047N 0755119W Ship Shoal Inlet
Big Easter Marsh VA Northampton swamp 372003N 0754647W Cobb Island
Crabbing Marsh VA Northampton swamp 372359N 0755009W Nassawadox
Ebb Stake Marsh VA Northampton swamp 372338N 0754853W Nassawadox
Eckichy Marsh VA Northampton swamp 371954N 0755027W Cobb Island
Egging Marsh VA Northampton swamp 372655N 0754317W Quinby Inlet
Elkins Marsh VA Northampton swamp 371948N 0755201W Cobb Island
Gull Marsh VA Northampton swamp 372118N 0754721W Cobb Island
High Shoal Marsh VA Northampton swamp 372539N 0754355W Quinby Inlet
Little Easter Marsh VA Northampton swamp 372011N 0754548W Cobb Island
Man and Boy Marsh VA Northampton swamp 371653N 0755008W Cobb Island
New Marsh VA Northampton swamp 371613N 0755132W Cobb Island
Outlet Marsh VA Northampton swamp 372231N 0755113W Nassawadox
Short Prong Marsh VA Northampton swamp 372408N 0754831W Nassawadox
Bell Swamp VA Northumberland swamp 375134N 0761615W Reedville
Dameron Marsh VA Northumberland swamp 374659N 0761739W Reedville
Bearwallow VA Page swamp 384615N 0781730W Bentonville
Big Salt Marsh VA Poquoson (city) swamp 370815N 0762010W Poquoson East
Kennon Marsh VA Prince George swamp 371746N 0770021W Charles City
Branham Mill Swamp VA Richmond swamp 375659N 0764322W Haynesville
Mangorite Marsh VA Richmond swamp 375608N 0764910W Tappahannock
Morattico Swamp VA Richmond swamp 374909N 0763920W Morattico
Buckhorn Swamp VA Southampton swamp 363353N 0771407W Boykins
Lightwood Swamp VA Southampton swamp 365355N 0770029W Manry
Whitehouse Swamp (historical) VA Southampton swamp 364240N 0770551W Courtland
Big Marsh VA Stafford swamp 382050N 0772020W Passapatanzy
Brent Marsh VA Stafford swamp 382643N 0771934W Widewater
Adams Swamp VA Suffolk (city) swamp 363411N 0763656W Corapeake
Briars Pocosin VA Suffolk (city) swamp 365147N 0763259W Chuckatuck
Cross Swamp VA Suffolk (city) swamp 364858N 0763052W Chuckatuck
Cypress Swamp VA Suffolk (city) swamp 363744N 0763715W Suffolk
Daughtrey Pocoson VA Suffolk (city) swamp 364153N 0764335W Buckhorn
Eley Swamp VA Suffolk (city) swamp 364630N 0764018W Windsor
Janes Swamp VA Suffolk (city) swamp 364952N 0763209W Chuckatuck
Kingsale Swamp VA Suffolk (city) swamp 364144N 0764916W Holland
Parker Pocoson (historical) VA Suffolk (city) swamp 363337N 0764044W Whaleyville
Pine Swamp VA Suffolk (city) swamp 363442N 0763746W Whaleyville
Quaker Swamp VA Suffolk (city) swamp 363917N 0764400W Buckhorn
Raby Pocoson (historical) VA Suffolk (city) swamp 363620N 0763629W Corapeake
Wilroy Swamp VA Suffolk (city) swamp 364817N 0763308W Chuckatuck
Broad Swamp VA Surry swamp 371214N 0765209W Surry
Cypress Pocosin VA Surry swamp 370323N 0765158W Runnymede
Shrub Pocosin VA Surry swamp 370409N 0764644W Runnymede
Tuckers Pocosin VA Surry swamp 370345N 0764505W Runnymede
Willy Cox Pocosin VA Surry swamp 370409N 0764948W Runnymede
Galley Swamp VA Sussex swamp 365730N 0772425W Stony Creek
Mush Pond Swamp VA Sussex swamp 365650N 0772117W Sussex
Mussel Swamp VA Sussex swamp 365945N 0770930W Littleton
Peaquarter Swamp VA Sussex swamp 365709N 0772658W Stony Creek
Desert, The VA Virginia Beach (city) swamp 365442N 0760110W Cape Henry
Gum Swamp VA Virginia Beach (city) swamp 364440N 0760740W Fentress
Lovetts Marsh VA Virginia Beach (city) swamp 364818N 0755812W Virginia Beach
Sandbridge Marsh VA Virginia Beach (city) swamp 364340N 0755704W North Bay
Scopus Marsh VA Virginia Beach (city) swamp 364548N 0755908W Virginia Beach
Stinger Marsh VA Virginia Beach (city) swamp 364202N 0755635W North Bay
Dancing Marsh VA Westmoreland swamp 381112N 0765511W Colonial Beach South
Digwood Swamp VA Westmoreland swamp 381153N 0765520W Colonial Beach South
Drakes Marsh VA Westmoreland swamp 380548N 0770118W Loretto
Drum Bay Marsh VA Westmoreland swamp 380527N 0763857W Machodoc
Grannys Bar VA Westmoreland swamp 380804N 0763809W Saint Clements Island
Hollis Marsh VA Westmoreland swamp 380952N 0764523W Stratford Hall
Long Pond VA Westmoreland swamp 380811N 0763701W Piney Point
Longwood Swamp VA Westmoreland swamp 381136N 0765431W Colonial Beach South
Mason Swamp VA Westmoreland swamp 381049N 0765320W Colonial Beach South
Popes Creek Swamp VA Westmoreland swamp 381009N 0765530W Colonial Beach South

Dragon Run: Virginia's Most Pristine Water Body

Lake Drummond and Great Dismal Swamp

Wetlands in Virginia

Rivers and Watersheds
Virginia Places