Trails in parks, wildlife areas and DNERR’s Blackbird Creek Reserve remain open

DOVER, Del. – The trail at the St. Jones Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR) near Dover is temporarily closed past the first marsh boardwalk as a result of damage caused by Monday’s severe storms.

A University of Delaware-operated weather station at the reserve measured a peak wind gust of 67.9 miles per hour just before 4 p.m. Monday. Numerous trees fell across the trail that connects to the adjoining Ted Harvey Conservation Area. Staff have worked to clear the trees and will need to perform repairs to the boardwalk, which could take a few weeks. A small greenhouse on the reserve was also destroyed by a fallen tree.

“Many people enjoy getting out and walking the trail at St. Jones, especially lately,” said Dayna Cobb, Director of DNREC’s Division of Climate, Coastal & Energy. “But the safety of visitors is our primary concern, and so much of the trail will be closed until repairs are completed.”

For those looking for alternatives, state parks and wildlife areas remain open, as well as the trails at DNERR’s Blackbird Creek Reserve near Townsend.

While most state parks, nature and wildlife areas continue to stay open for Delawareans, many amenities, including restrooms, are closed. Individuals who visit state properties are required to engage in responsible social distancing practices, avoiding groupings of people.

About DNREC

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with DNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contact: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov

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New Year’s Day is a great time to kick the 2020s off on the right foot with one of 18 First Day Hikes hosted by DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation. First Day Hikes is a national movement sponsored by America’s State Parks to encourage the celebration of fitness in the nation’s great outdoors.

There’s no need to register for any of the hikes listed below; just show up prepared to walk! Items hikers may want to bring along include comfortable hiking/walking shoes, a camera, a bottle of water, appropriate layers for the weather, a hat, sunglasses, a backpack, and snacks. Some hikes may require water-resistant shoes, or have age or pet restrictions. Not all hikes are suitable for strollers.

Check out one of the following hikes to celebrate the New Year at a Delaware State Park.

• 10 a.m. – Alapocas Run State Park, Wilmington – 2 to 3 miles – Easy/Moderate
Meet at Blue Ball Barn. Leashed, well-behaved dogs welcome.

• 10 a.m. – Fort Dupont State Park, Delaware City – 1.1 miles – Easy
Meet at the parking lot closest to the river, at the end of Wilmington Avenue/Old Battery Lane.

• 10 a.m. – Trap Pond State Park, Laurel – 2 miles – Easy
Meet at Baldcypress Nature Center.

• 11 a.m. – Cape Henlopen State Park, Lewes – 1.5 miles – Moderate
Park in the Point Comfort Station Parking lot and walk north to the Point parking lot. Minimum age: 7 years old with an adult.

• 12:30 p.m. – Brandywine Zoo, Wilmington – 1/4 mile – Easy
Meet at the gift shop.

• 12:30 p.m. – Fort Miles Museum and Historical Area, Lewes – 1.7 miles – Easy
Meet at Fort Miles Parking Lot. Minimum age: 7 years old with an adult

• 1 p.m. – Bellevue State Park, Wilmington – 1.5 to 3 miles – Easy
Meet at Bellevue Arts Center. This hike is for all ages and is stroller friendly.

• 1 p.m. – First State Heritage Park, Dover – 1/4 mile – Easy
Meet at the John Bell House.

• 1 p.m. – Holts Landing State Park, Bethany Beach – 1.7 miles – Easy
Meet at Holts Landing Picnic Pavilion.

• 1 p.m. – Killens Pond State Park, Felton – 1 to 3 miles – Varying Difficulty
Meet at the Nature Center.

• 1 p.m. – Lums Pond State Park, Bear– 2.5 miles – Easy/Moderate
Meet at Area 1 Pavilion/. Pets are permitted but must be on a 6-foot leash.

• 1 p.m. – Auburn Valley State Park, Yorklyn – 1.1 miles – Moderate
Meet at 1516 Snuff Mill Road Trail lot.

• 1 p.m. – Brandywine Creek State Park, Wilmington – 2-2.5 miles – Moderate
Meet at the Nature Center.

1 p.m. – White Clay Creek State Park, Newark – 1 to 2.5 miles – Multiple Difficulties
• 1.3 miles – Moderate – Millstone Pond Trail. Meet at Carpenter Recreation Area.
• 2 miles – Moderate/Difficult – Arc Corner Monument Loop. Meet at Nature Center.
• 2 miles – Moderate – PennDel/Pomeroy Trail. Meet at Nature Center
• 2.5 miles – Moderate/Difficult – Twin Valley Trail. Meet at Carpenter Recreation Area.

• 3:30 p.m. – Auburn Valley State Park – Easy – 1 mile
Meet at the Paper Mill Parking Lot on Benge Road.

For more information about the Delaware State Parks First Day Hikes and to see maps of the park trails beforehand, go to https://destateparks.com/firstday or call 302-739-9220.

DOVER – In observance of Earth Day, Monday, April 22, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control encourages all Delawareans to take part in the many activities across the state that not only help the environment but also offer an opportunity for enjoyment of the outdoors.

Thursday, April 18

Earth Day Hike and Meet Up at Grain H2O
Lums Pond State Park, Summit Marina, Bear – 6 p.m.
In celebration of Earth Day, take a refreshing hike around the park. Afterward, meet up at Summit Marina’s Grain H20 restaurant and enjoy an elixir (non-alcoholic drink) such as the Peach Agave Tea, Berry Blast or Paloma Fizz. Pre-registration required. Call 302-368-6989 for cost and information.

Friday, April 19

Full Moon Hike
Bellevue State Park, 800 Carr Road, Wilmington – 7:30 p.m.
Take an hour-long hike under the full moon. Look and listen for nocturnal animals. Wear comfortable shoes as we will venture into the woods. Call 302-761-6963 by 4 p.m. the last business day before the hike for meeting location. Event free of charge.

Full Moon Hike
Holts Landing State Park, Dagsboro – 7:30 p.m.
Hike the Sea-Hawk Trail with a naturalist at night! Although the full moon will provide some light, learn how to rely on other senses to navigate this 1.7-mile trail, and find out about some of the nocturnal creatures that call this park home. Pre-registration required; call 302-227-2800. $5 per person.

Park After Dark: Full Moon Fridays
White Clay Creek State Park, Newark – 7:30 pm
Meet at Possum Hill Entrance for Tri-Valley Trail and join a park naturalist for an evening hike to enjoy the moon’s journey in the sky. Pre-registration required, $5 per person; register with payment by noon on Friday and receive $1 discount. For information, call 302-368-6900.

Saturday, April 20

Party for the Planet: Earth Day Celebration
Brandywine Zoo, 1001 North Park Drive, Wilmington – 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
What can you do to help save species? Learn about what you can do to make every day Earth Day during this special event. Event free of charge.

Down to Earth Hike
Cape Henlopen State Park, 15099 Cape Henlopen Drive, Lewes – 11 a.m.
Celebrate Earth Day with a hike searching for early spring plants and animals. Dress to explore outside. For ages 7 and older with an adult. Limit 20. Pre-registration recommended; call 302-645-6852. Event free of charge.

Monday, April 22 (Official Earth Day)

Earth Day Volunteer Project
Killens Pond State Park, 5025 Killens Pond Road, Felton – 10 a.m. – noon
Meet at the nature center and give back this Earth Day. Please wear close-toed shoes, bring a water bottle and dress for the weather. Gloves and tools will be provided. Please register online at destateparks.com/Volunteer. For more information please contact: Volunteer Manager Alison Romano, at Alison.Romano@delaware.gov or 302-900-1423.

Earth Day Coast-to-Coast Clean-Up
Delaware Seashore State Park, Rehoboth Beach – 10 a.m.
Help keep Delaware Seashore clean from coast to coast! Meet at the Indian River Life-Saving Station for a staff-led beach clean-up, then travel to Savages Ditch to clean up debris found in the salt marsh. Preregistration required; call 302-227-6991.

If These Trees Could Talk Walking Tour
First State Heritage Park, Dover, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Travel around The Green and experience some natural history, tree identification, and hear some of the events to which these trees have borne witness. Walking tours leave from the John Bell House on the hour and last approximately 45 minutes. Event free of charge. For information, call 302-739-9194.

Earth Day Hike
Trap Pond State Park, 33587 Bald Cypress Lane, Laurel – 5 p.m.
Join a park naturalist at the nature center for a hike to celebrate Earth Day. Event free of charge. For information, call 302-875-5153.

Earth Day Hike
Brandywine Creek State Park, 41 Adams Dam Road, Wilmington – 5 p.m.
Join us as we enjoy this leisurely hike through the park. The meadows will be blooming, birds will be chirping, and we will be basking in the beauty of the park! Hike will be approximately one hour. Event free of charge; park entrance fees in effect. For information, call 302-655-5740.

Wednesday, April 24

Stroll with the Superintendent at Yorklyn Bridge
Auburn Valley State Park, Yorklyn – 10 a.m.
Join Auburn Valley State Park Superintendent Laura Lee to explore the historic Yorklyn industrial district. Meet at the Yorklyn Bridge Trail parking lot. For information, call 302-239-5687. Event free of charge.

Saturday, April 27

Pre-Order Compost Bin Sale Distribution
Blue Hen Corporate Center, 655 South Bay Road, Dover – 8 a.m. – noon
(Adjacent to the Delaware Solid Waste Authority’s Collection Event)
DNREC’s Recycling Program is offering compost bins that can be pre-ordered online at a discount price of $50, half the retail price of the bins. The bins must be picked up by the purchaser at any of three locations: Dover, Lewes, and Delaware City. The Dover pick up is on April 27, while the other pick up locations are later in spring and early summer. Deadline to order compost bins for Dover pickup is Friday, April 19. To order, visit www.enviroworld.us/delaware. For more information, call 302-739-9403.

Wild About Whales Earth Week Program
DuPont Nature Center, 2992 Lighthouse Road, Milford – 11 a.m.
Did you know that whale poop is beneficial in many marine environments? In honor of the 2019 Earth Day theme – Protecting our Species – we will learn about whales and how they are interconnected with so many of our ocean species and ecosystems. Preregistration is requested by calling 302-422-1329 or emailing Lynne.Pusey@delaware.gov.

To see all of DNREC’s Earth Day events take a look at our Departmental Earth Day Calendar Page.

Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 49, No. 101

LEWES – DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation will host a public open house April 19 to review the Cape Henlopen State Park Trail Concept Plan. The open house will be held 4-7 p.m., Thursday, April 19, at the DNREC Shoreline and Waterway Services facility, 901 Pilottown Road, Lewes, DE 19958.

On display will be a series of maps showing existing and proposed trail alignments covering a range of environmental aspects related to existing and a conceptual trail system. Public comments are welcome.

For more information, visit http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/parks/Information/Pages/Cape-Henlopen-Trail-Concept-Plan.aspx.

Vol. 48, No. 51

Contact: Beth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation reminds visitors to Delaware’s state parks that entrance fees will be in effect starting Thursday, March 1 through Nov. 30, 2018.

Revenue generated from park entrance fees is used to manage 16 state parks and more than 26,000 acres of state park lands. Delaware’s state parks are primarily self-funded, with 65 percent of revenue to operate and maintain the parks generated by park users. The revenue is used for trail maintenance, environmental and recreational programs, visitor amenities, guarded beaches, management of campgrounds, cabins, and more.

Daily park entrance fees for vehicles registered in Delaware are $4 at inland parks and $5 at ocean parks. Fees for out-of-state vehicles are $8 at inland parks and $10 at ocean parks. Where fee attendants are not on duty, visitors should deposit the daily fee in the self-registration envelopes provided at park entrances and place them in the designated secured drop boxes.

Annual passes are a convenient way to access the parks for the entire fee season. A Delaware resident annual pass costs $35, and Delaware residents 62 and older will receive a discounted rate of $18. A $65 lifetime pass is available for Delawareans 65 and older. Reduced rates are also offered to Delawareans who receive public assistance, or who are active duty military or veterans. Active duty military personnel with an out-of-state license plate can purchase an annual pass at the in-state rate. Please visit www.destateparks.com for further information and requirements.

In addition, the corporate and group pass program offers participating businesses, nonprofits and other groups discounted annual passes for their employees. For more information, or to purchase corporate passes, please contact Caroline Foltz at caroline.foltz@delaware.gov.

Parks officials remind customers that annual passes and surf fishing permits can be purchased online to save time when they visit a park during fee season. Annual park passes may be purchased online at www.destateparks.com, at all park offices, at DNREC’s main office in the Richardson & Robbins building at 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, and at six retail locations. For more information, visit www.destateparks.com/fees/passes/index.asp.

Vol. 48, No. 39

Contact: Beth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902