Best, underrated hiking trails in Delaware to explore this fall
The summer heat in Delaware is slowly fading and early mornings have a distinct, faint crispness to them. Fall is right around the corner, and Delawareans should look to get outside and enjoy a walk or two on the state's many trails and hikes from Hockessin to Rehoboth Beach.
AllTrails, a leading trail rating platform, ranked the best trails in Delaware. Details for these trails, and many more around the First State, could be found on their website.
Gordons Pond Trail- Cape Henlopen State Park, Lewes
Brandywine Creek River Loop- Brandywine Creek State Park, Wilmington
Swamp Forest Trail- Lums Pond State Park, Kirkwood
Alapocas Woods Trail- Alapocas Run State Park, Wilmington
Lenape Loop South, Middle Run Natural Area- Middle Run Valley Park, Milford Crossroads
Prickly Pear Trail- Delaware Seashore State Park Fresh Pond, Bethany Beach
Chestnut Hill Trail- White Clay Creek State Park, Pike Creek
Rocky Run Loop- Brandywine Creek State Park, Wilmington
Tulip and Hidden Pond Trail- Brandywine Creek State Park, Wilmington
Snow Goose Loop- Middle Run Valley Park, Pike Creek
Fall is a great time to explore these and other trails.
Delaware Greenways' Terri Jones said different parts of the state offer different kinds of trails for hiking and cycling. In northern Delaware, there are more hills and more views at the coming fall colors. It has more of the autumnal, forest vibe some may be craving after a long summer.
She said Northern Delaware Greenway Trail, which includes some of the trails listed above, is a good example of that kind of experience.
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"You get that whole foliage, feel the leaves on the ground, the crispness of the air." Jones said. "You get the full vibe of, if you were feeling like you were up north, somewhere further, like New England."
That long trail extends from Brandywine Park, and snakes north and then east towards I-495 along the Delaware River in Holly Oak. She said some parts of the trail could be challenging, especially to cyclists.
Nancy Peffer of Wilmington Trail Club said White Clay Creek part was a standout trail in the Fall. She said it was hard to pick a favorite, through.
"There's just a lot of woodland, which is our favorite place to hike, and beautiful tree color and stream running through makes it extra nice," Peffer said.
Further downstate, Jones recommends Gordon's Pond trail in Lewes and Junction and Breakwater Trail, which extends from Lewes into Rehoboth Beach. These trails offer a coastal vibe that can linger from the summer into autumn.
"They're great for coastal views and bird watching at that time of year," Jones said.
Those trails are also more user-friendly because they are mostly flat.
A trail that flies under the radar for most people, according to Jones, is the Oversee Farm Trail in Auburn Valley State Park in Yorklyn. The trail is 1.1 miles and features hills, forests and buildings with architecture from a bygone era.
"It's just really lovely out there with a lot of very tall evergreen trees and then also forested areas," Jones said. "It's a sweet little loop."
She also recommended the Michael N. Castle Trail, which runs along most of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal from the Maryland border to the west and the Delaware Bay to the east. It is a 8.7 mile trail that is mostly flat. Jones said it won't have the hills and forest vibes of northern Delaware, but it offers a great walk through fall colors while being a good bird watching spot.
"You're along the waterway, and that's just got a neat vibe to it, because you're you're also seeing birds out there and other things going on. It just makes it really nice," Jones said.
Jones advised people venturing out this autumn to still plan ahead and bring plenty of water on their journey anywhere in the First State.
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Besides the practical advice, she also recommended people be "present" while on these trails and allow for some decompression. Delaware could often be overlooked as a place with good trails, but they exist as much as anywhere in the Northeast.
"I think the best recommendation is to just really look around you and get your eyes off your phone and really just take in the beautiful surrounding," she said. "Because we really do have Delaware is a gorgeous state, and I think you miss some things often, if you're not just fully present with your outing on the trail."
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware hiking trail guide for fall