Killens Pond State Park to Close to Public Saturday for Cross Country State Meet

Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will close Killens Pond State Park Saturday, Dec. 5 for the 2020 Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) Cross Country state championship races. The park will reopen at 8 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 6.

For the safety of the competing teams and to limit community spread of COVID-19, DIAA has announced that no spectators will be permitted at this year’s championships. Instead, the races will be live streamed by the DIAA. The DIAA will broadcast Division II Girls 10:30 a.m., Division II Boys at noon, Division I Girls 1:30 p.m. and Division I Boys 3 p.m.

To support the DIAA mandate, the park will be closed during the championship Saturday to avoid any large gatherings.  

To watch the races or for more information about the championship, visit .

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 and connect with DNREC on , or .

 Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov, Shauna McVey, shauna.mcvey@delaware.gov

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FELTON – DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation announced today that Killens Pond Road, from Paradise Alley Road to Scrap Tavern Road, will close to through traffic July 22 – Aug.16 for construction. Work will include repair and replacement of the bridge deck at the spillway adjacent to Killens Pond State Park.

Detour signs will be placed by DelDOT to route traffic from the day-use side of the park to the campground throughout the construction period. Visitor access from Route 13 to the campground entrance on Paradise Alley Road and to the main park entrance from Killens Pond Road will not be impacted. DelDOT flaggers will be on hand during the construction to direct pedestrian access to and from the Pondside Trail.

The park will remain open during the construction period.

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

Vol. 49, No. 179

DOVER – You don’t have to hibernate over the holidays this year if you get out and get moving in Delaware’s state parks. From “First Day Hikes,” to “Zoo Camp,” to “Stroller Rollers,” there is plenty to do and see in DNREC’s state parks over the winter break from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day.

Children who love animals will be thrilled to attend Zoo Camp at the Brandywine Zoo on Dec. 27 and 28. During “Winter Wonders” half day camp, kids will find out all how animals survive during the winter– which ones stay awake, and those who sleep. On Dec. 28, the “Zoo Crew” can spend a half-day learning what it’s like to be a zookeeper. For more information about Zoo Camp, including programs, ages, fees, and registration visit https://BrandywineZoo.org/Camps.

Start your new year off right taking a “First Day Hike.” As a family, or on your own, experience the newest trail at Delaware’s newest state park, Auburn Heights State Park in Yorklyn, or take a “Stories of the Green Walking Tour,” at First State Heritage Park, or learn about “the Point,” the northeastern tip of Cape Henlopen State Park. Numerous other “First Day Hike” opportunities are offered in 10 other state parks throughout the state. For specific times and parks, visit https://www.destateparks.com/Programs or call: 302-739-9200.

Bellevue State Park is a haven paved with paths and lots of areas to explore nature with your toddlers, perfect for strollers, so enjoy “Stroller Rollers,” designed for children 12 months to three years old. Be introduced to the wonders of nature and expand your child’s cognitive and interactive skills as you venture through the park and learn how you, as parents, can facilitate early learning experiences to teach an appreciation of nature.

Attend the “Winter Break Out: Who Let the Snakes Out?” at Killens Pond State Park, and find out how park staff care for the amphibians and reptiles at the park’s Nature Center. Create some favorite meals to help our feathered friends throughout the winter at Cape Henlopen State Park during “Holiday for the Birds.” If you’ve picked up a few pounds during the holidays,“Walk It Off” at Bellevue State Park on Monday mornings. Information and charts to track your progress are available.

For more information about these and all of the many other programs going on in Delaware’s state parks over the holidays, visit https://www.destateparks.com/Programs or call: 302-739-9200.

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

Vol. 48, No. 334

Registration deadline Sept. 15 for state’s 19th BOW event 

DOVER – Registration has been extended until Friday, Sept. 15 for Delaware’s 2017 Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program, set for the weekend of Oct. 6-8 at Killens Pond State Park in Harrington. The 2017 event marks the 19th year that Delaware has hosted the program, sponsored by DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife.

BOW offers a variety of 1.5-hour and 3.5-hour courses taught by volunteer instructors who share their expertise and provide instruction in a safe, supportive and non-competitive atmosphere. The cost of participating in the full BOW weekend is $130, which includes meals, lodging, instruction, and use of necessary equipment and supplies. The cost of participating in only Saturday’s BOW courses is $90, including meals, instruction, and use of necessary equipment and supplies.

Participants can choose from a wide range of hands-on courses during each of the sessions. Included are Orienteering 101, Campfire Cooking, Camping 101, Tree I.D., Intro to Canoeing, Daypacking/Hiking, Invasive and Nuisance Plants in Delaware, Cooking Your Catch – How to Process Your Fish, Intro to Shotgun, Intro to Target Archery, Birding 101, Intro to Fly Fishing, Beginning Freshwater Fishing, Prehistoric Storytellers (a course on Delaware’s horseshoe crabs), Native Landscaping for Pollinators, Boating Safety, Waterfowl I.D., Edible and Medicinal Plants, and Wonders of Wetlands.

A specialty course this year at BOW is a mentored crossbow deer hunt. The course involves learning how to safely use a crossbow, participation in a hunter safety course, and taking part in a mentored deer hunt at Killens Pond State Park. Participants in the hunt are required to have a Delaware hunting license and hunter education certification. Each hunter will be partnered with a mentor who will guide them during the managed hunt.

BOW registrations must be received by Friday, Sept. 15, with registration packets available online at de.gov/bow. Please send completed registration forms with payment to: Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife – BOW, 2992 Lighthouse Road, Milford, DE 19963. For more information, contact Lynne Pusey at 302-422-1329 or email: lynne.pusey@delaware.gov.

Scholarships are also available for the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman event through the Delaware Friends of BOW. To apply for a scholarship, candidates should complete the BOW Scholarship Application form. The deadline for applying is Sept. 15. Once completed, scholarship application forms should be sent to Delaware Friends of BOW, 410 Cornish Road, Harrington, DE 19952.

While BOW is aimed primarily at women, it offers an opportunity for anyone 18 or older to learn skills that allow them to participate in numerous outdoor activities. Since the first BOW was held in Wisconsin in 1991, this exciting international program has expanded to 46 states and seven provinces with more than 80 workshops offered each year. The main goal of the BOW program is to provide women the opportunity to learn skills that encourage and enhance participation in outdoor activities, such as hunting, shooting, fishing, boating, and other activities.

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

DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation announced today that the Killens Pond State Park waterpark will be closed to the public on Thursday, June 30, for final preparations of its new water slides in advance of the July 4th holiday.

The waterpark will re-open at 11 a.m. on Friday, July 1.

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

Vol. 46, No. 235