List of Delaware state parks facts for kids
Delaware is a state in the USA. It has 17 state parks. These parks are looked after by the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation. This group is part of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC). One park, First State Heritage Park, is also managed with other city and state groups.
Every one of Delaware's three counties has at least one state park. New Castle County has the most parks. Wilmington State Parks is actually made up of several smaller parks, but it is managed as one big park. The state park system covers over 26,000 acres of land. It also has over 160 miles of trails for walking or biking. You can even see the Milky Way galaxy faintly from 10 of the 17 state parks!
In 2015, Delaware State Parks won a special award. It was the Gold Medal for the best state parks system in the country. This award came from the National Recreation and Park Association. Delaware was the tenth state to win this award since it started in 1997. They won against states like Wyoming, Georgia, and Missouri.
What Are Delaware's State Parks Like?
Delaware's first public lands were set aside a long time ago in 1682. William Penn, who owned the colony, wanted land to be kept for everyone. This land is now part of Cape Henlopen State Park. Later, a person named William Poole Bancroft worked hard to protect beautiful areas in northern Delaware. He wanted them to be saved for future generations. Bancroft also gave his own land to create public parks. He even set up a trust to buy more land for parks after he passed away.
Some state parks in northern Delaware used to be large estates. These estates belonged to members of the Du Pont family. The state bought these lands after the family members died. Other state parks in Delaware were once military bases. These bases were no longer needed, so they became parks.
Three state parks in northern Delaware protect parts of the historic Brandywine River. These are Alapocas Run, Brandywine Creek, and Wilmington. This river was very important for local businesses in the past. Four state parks in southern Delaware protect ocean and bay beaches. These are Cape Henlopen, Delaware Seashore, Fenwick Island, and Holts Landing. These beaches are very popular in the summer!
Explore Delaware's State Parks
Here is a list of the state parks in Delaware. Each one offers something special to see and do!
| Park Name | County | Size (Acres) | Year Started | Image | What Makes it Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alapocas Run | New Castle | 415 | 2002 | This park protects a part of the Brandywine River. It connects to Wilmington and Brandywine Creek State Parks by trails. It has the Blue Ball Barn, built in 1914, which now shows Delaware folk art. | |
| Auburn Valley | New Castle | 452 | 2008 | This park was once the Marshall family's estate. It includes the 1897 Auburn Heights Mansion. You can also see a collection of old steam-powered cars at the Marshall Steam Museum. | |
| Bellevue | New Castle | 328 | 1976 | This park was the estate of William du Pont, Jr.. It has tennis courts and a horse racing barn. It also features Bellevue Hall, which looks like James Madison's home, Montpelier. | |
| Brandywine Creek | New Castle | 933 | 1965 | Much of this park was once part of Henry A. du Pont's Winterthur estate. It was a dairy farm from the 1870s to the 1920s. The rest of the land was saved by William Poole Bancroft. This park is next to First State National Historical Park. | |
| Cape Henlopen | Sussex | 5320 | 1964 | This is Delaware's largest state park. It has parts of Fort Miles from World War II. You can see its tall observation towers along the beaches. These beaches are on both the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay. You can also see two lighthouses from the beaches. | |
| Delaware Seashore | Sussex | 2825 | 1965 | This park has beaches on both the Atlantic Ocean and Rehoboth Bay. It also includes the old Indian River Life Saving Service Station. | |
| Fenwick Island | Sussex | 379 | 1966 | Fenwick Island State Park became its own park in 1981. Before that, it was the southern part of Delaware Seashore State Park. | |
| First State Heritage | Kent | 2004 | This park is special because it's a "park without boundaries." It connects historic places all over the capital city, Dover. | ||
| Fort Delaware | New Castle | 288 | 1951 | This park protects all of Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River. It includes a historic Civil War fortress. This fortress once held prisoners of war. | |
| Fort DuPont | New Castle | 322 | 1992 | This park was a military base named after Rear Admiral Samuel Francis Du Pont. It was used from the Civil War through World War II. It protects land along the Delaware River and the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. | |
| Fox Point | New Castle | 108 | 1995 | This park was once an old industrial site. It was cleaned up and now has trails and fun activities along the Delaware River. | |
| Holts Landing | Sussex | 206 | 1965 | This park used to be a farm and a boat ramp run by the Holts Family. | |
| Killens Pond | Kent | 1488 | 1965 | The main part of this park is a 66-acre millpond. It also has campgrounds, hiking trails, and a water park for fun. | |
| Lums Pond | New Castle | 1790 | 1963 | Lums Pond used to provide water for the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal. It is the biggest freshwater pond in Delaware. It also has a new zip-line course for adventure! | |
| Trap Pond | Sussex | 3653 | 1951 | This park protects the northernmost groups of baldcypress trees in the eastern United States. | |
| White Clay Creek | New Castle | 3398 | 1968 | White Clay Creek State Park protects land around the White Clay Creek National Scenic & Recreational River. It is next to Pennsylvania's White Clay Creek Preserve. | |
| Wilmington | New Castle | 345 | 1998 | Wilmington State Parks is a group of smaller parks in the city of Wilmington. They protect land along the Brandywine River. The park includes Brandywine Park, Brandywine Zoo, H. Fletcher Brown Park, and Rockford Park. |
See Also
- List of U.S. national parks
- List of Delaware state wildlife areas
- First State National Historical Park
