Just north of downtown Wilmington, Delaware and minutes, if not seconds, from the Pennsylvania state line you'll find Brandywine Creek State Park. The park is divided by its signature grey stone walls that were built of local stone in the late 1800s, when the property was a dairy farm owned by the du Pont family. Today, three nature preserves are located within the park, including: Tulip Tree Woods, a majestic stand of 190-year-old tulip poplar, and Freshwater Marsh, the first nature preserve in Delaware. The property became a state park in 1965.
Ripe with activities Brandywine Creek Park offers seven trails for hiking, biking and some for horseback riding. In addition the park offers opportunities for wildlife observation and photography, the open meadows are excellent for picnics, kite flying, and disc golf, and in the winter try sledding or cross-country skiing.
Brandywine Creek State Park has an extensive meadow management program and an active bluebird population program, and a variety of habitats that the park an outstanding place to see wildflowers, songbirds, deer, and other flora and fauna. Many species of hawks can be seen migrating over the valley from mid-September to mid-November.
Explore the Trails of
Brandywine Creek State Park
There are seven designated trails throughout Brandywine Creek State Park with from several trailhead parking areas and nearby communities.
Brandywine Trail (Hiking, Biking, Equestrian)
The 2.9 mile Brandywine Trail runs in close proximity to the east bank of Brandywine Creek. Trail users enjoy a gradually undulating crushed stone trail with beautiful views of the Creek. The trail is accessed from the Thompsons Bridge or the Rockland Falls Road Trailheads.
Creekside Trail (Hiking)
The 2.6 mile Creekside Trail, entirely within the flood plain, hugs the eastern bank of the Brandywine Creek. The trail runs from the north where the park boundary adjoins the National Park boundary to the south near Rockland Road trailhead. Not a contiguous trail, it connects to the Brandywine Trail in several places.
Hidden Pond Trail (Hiking)
The1.6mile trail begins at the Brandywine Creek Nature Center. Enter through the rock wall next to the Nature Center, then hike through the Tulip Tree Woods Nature Preserve. Forest will give way to open fields beyond the carefully crafted stone walls built by masons in the early 1900's. The trail surface is packed earth; the grade is gradual throughout most of the hike with steep grade changes as the trail approaches and leaves the banks of Brandywine Creek.
Indian Springs Trail (Hiking)
The Indian Springs Trail is a 1.8 mile long trail that begins behind the Nature Center in the Tulip Tree Woods Nature Preserve. Trail users experience rocky terrain and stunning views of Brandywine Creek and the elaborate stone walls within the park.
Longwall Trail (Hiking, Biking)
The Longwall Trail is a short linear 1.1 mile trail that highlights steep rocky slopes on the east side of the Brandywine River. It terminates on the north end at the Rocky run trail and at the south end at the Brandywine Trail. A local favorite, the trail is primarily natural surface, twisty, rocky, and very challenging.
Rocky Run Trail (Hiking, Biking, Equestrian)
Rocky Run Trail is a 1.8 mile long trail that can be accessed from the Thompson's Bridge trailhead. It has packed earth and paved surfaces. The trail winds through the east side of the Park through mature mixed steep-sloped rocky Piedmont forests.
Tulip Tree Woods (Hiking)
The Tulip Tree Woods Trail is a short 0.5 mile natural surface trail accessed from the nature center. The trail meanders through the Tulip Tree Woods Nature Preserve where visitors can experience first-hand the towering Tulip Trees, some more than 200 years old.
We invite you to explore Brandywine Creek State Park as well as all the amazing outdoor recreation opportunities available throughout Wilmington & the Brandywine Valley. And don't forget to share your experiences on Instagram and Twitter using #VisitWilm.