5 National & State Parks In Delaware You Have To Visit

Delaware may well be the second-smallest state in the nation, but what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in natural diversity. Home to everything from Atlantic coastal dunes and dense maritime forests to ancient cypress swamps, Delaware's national and state parks protect remarkably varied ecosystems within a remarkably compact area.

Between them, these five parks represent the very best of Delaware's outdoor activities, as well as some of the First State’s best scenery. Whether you’re a nature enthusiast looking for a new experience or are seeking ideas and inspiration for a scenic road trip, you really should plan on visiting these five national and state parks in Delaware.

Cape Henlopen State Park

Located where the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay meet, Cape Henlopen State Park is home to more than 5,000 acres and six miles of beautiful beaches, dunes, pine forests, and saltwater marshes. One of the most scenic coastal environments on the Eastern Seaboard, here you’ll find the Great Dune, a massive sand formation that rises 80 feet above sea level. Accessible via a steep walking trail with incredible views of the ocean, bay, and surrounding landscape, this vast dune continues to shift and evolve with the winds, creating an ever-changing topography.

The park's ocean side features wide, sandy beaches with designated swimming areas, as well as perfect surfing conditions near the fishing pier. Over on the bayside, calmer waters are ideal for kayaking and paddleboarding, as well as for beachcombing and spotting horseshoe crabs.

In May and June, thousands of these fascinating sea creatures spawn on bay beaches, a ritual that attracts millions of migrating shorebirds dependent on protein-rich eggs for their journey to Arctic breeding grounds. You can learn more about this remarkable aspect of the park at the Seaside Nature Center with its touch tanks and exhibits on local wildlife.

When To Visit: April through October are ideal for their warm weather and access to the full range of park facilities. For wildlife spotters, May-June is the best time for horseshoe crab spawning, while September-November is the perfect time for hawk migration.

First State National Historical Park

Delaware's only national park, First State National Historical Park preserves 1,100 acres across seven sites that tell the fascinating story of the state’s vital role in the founding of the United States. While the focus is on historical preservation, the park features several areas of outstanding natural beauty, including the Beaver Valley along Brandywine Creek. Here, mature hardwood forests, meadows, and wetlands provide habitats for many bird species. Designated a National Wild and Scenic River, the creek also created many rapids and quiet pools as it sliced through ancient rock. These places now support native brook trout and smallmouth bass.

Centered around the historic Woodlawn estate once owned by William Poole Bancroft, Beaver Valley has eight miles of trails that wind through its forests of poplar, beech, and old oak trees. The valley's steep slopes, rising over 200 feet from the creek, create distinct microclimates that support plants not usually found in Delaware, including mountain laurel groves and colonies of pink lady's slipper orchids.

The park's Dover Green site includes a natural area along the St. Jones River and features freshwater tidal marshes that support great blue herons, river otters, and snapping turtles. The Fort Christina site in Wilmington, the site of the first successful European settlement in the Delaware Valley, was established in 1638 and features interpretive trails explaining how Swedish and Finnish colonists adapted to their new home.

When To Visit: April through October offer the best hiking conditions, while May is perfect for viewing the park’s wildflower blooms. Leaf-peepers should visit in October when fall foliage along the Brandywine Valley is nearing its peak.

Trap Pond State Park

Trap Pond State Park surrounds America’s northernmost natural stand of bald cypress trees, creating an environment that appears more Deep South than it does Mid-Atlantic. The centerpiece, the 90-acre Trap Pond, was created in the late 1700s to power sawmills processing the surrounding virgin cypress forest. Today, the remaining cypress trees, some over 500 years old, rise from the dark waters with their distinctive "knees," the woody projections from the root system that help them survive the waterlogged soil.

These ancient trees and the park’s floating peat mat bogs create a unique ecosystem that supports species usually only found much farther south, including barred owls and river otters. The paddling is good here, too, and canoe and kayak rentals are available. The Chesapeake Conservation Corps maintains a designated canoe trail through the cypress swamp, marked with numbered buoys corresponding to an interpretive guide that explains the ecology and history of the area.

Another way to explore this unique ecosystem is via the park's Cypress Point Trail, which circles the pond. Boardwalks extend over wetland areas, allowing a close-up look at the trees and wildlife. Prefer biking to hiking? The Bob Trail cuts through pine and hardwood forests with enough elevation change to challenge most riders. Be sure to also check out the Baldcypress Nature Center, which has live animal exhibits and a large aquarium containing fish species found in the pond.

When To Visit: April through June are great for wildflowers and migrating songbirds, while October and November are ideal to see fall colors. Fancy a paddle through park’s cypress swamps? Then June, July, and August are best.

Delaware Seashore State Park

Stretching along a narrow barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Rehoboth Bay, Delaware Seashore State Park protects roughly 2,800 acres of beach, dunes, and coastal bays across 6.5 miles of stunning coastline. The park's position on this slim strip of land, barely a half-mile wide at some points, creates a unique environment where you can enjoy ocean sunrises and bayside sunsets without having to venture too far from where you left your sunshade and beach chairs.

The park's beaches range from developed areas with bathhouses and concessions near the Indian River Inlet to more remote sections accessible only on foot or with a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Surf fishing areas like the Indian River Inlet Bridge offer up everything from striped bass to bluefish and flounder, depending on the season. The bridge itself includes dedicated fishing platforms and walkways that allow anglers access to the deep, fast-moving waters of the inlet, while surf fishing permits allow driving on the beach privileges.

Over on the park’s bayside shore, calmer conditions are ideal for families with young children and water sports enthusiasts. Burton Island, accessible only by boat, is great for birding with nesting areas for black skimmers, least terns, and piping plovers. The park's Indian River Marina, the largest on Delaware's inland bays, is a departure point for charter fishing adventures targeting deep-sea fish like tuna, marlin, and mahi-mahi.

When To Visit: May through September provides plenty of opportunities and ideal weather for swimming and water sports. If fishing’s your thing, April and October-November are optimal for surf fishing, while winter is ideal for storm watching.

White Clay Creek State Park

Set along the White Clay Creek valley in northern Delaware, White Clay Creek State Park is home to one of the state's last remaining examples of a Piedmont stream valley habitat. This National Wild and Scenic River has carved a dramatic valley through ancient bedrock, leaving behind a landscape of steep ravines, floodplain forests, and rolling hills that reach as high as 300 feet. The park's location, where the Piedmont plateau meets the coastal plain, has led to diverse geological features, including exposed rock outcrops, spring seeps, and vernal pools that support rare plant communities.

Thanks to its 37 miles of trails, it’s possible to see much of this fascinating landscape up close. As you explore, you’ll see habitats ranging from mature tulip tree forests to meadows that protect grassland birds like bobolinks and eastern meadowlarks. One of the best routes, the Twin Valley Trail follows the creek through a deep gorge where hemlocks cling for dear life to the slopes, creating a cool microclimate that supports species typically only found in northern forests.

The Millstone Trail is another scenic route through the park. It passes the ruins of several 18th and 19th-century creek-side mills, their stone foundations still evident. Another man-made highlight is the Judge Morris Estate section. Here, formal gardens and a manor house survive from the 1790s, surrounded by 200 acres of fields and forests that demonstrate three centuries of land use history in Delaware.

When To Visit: Wildflower viewing is best from March through May, as well as trout fishing. It’s also a popular spot for fall foliage, which peaks in October.

Whether you visit one or all of these five state and national parks in Delaware, be prepared to be impressed by their remarkable ecological diversity. Explore the shifting dunes of Cape Henlopen or the ancient cypresses of Trap Pond, and you’ll see protected areas that seem untouched by time. If you’re willing and able to explore beyond Delaware's usual sightseeing spots, pack your hiking boots and start exploring.