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Sussex County, DE
Highlighting Lewes
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Cape Henlopen State Park

15099 Cape Henlopen Drive
Lewes, DE 19958

302-645-8983

About the ParkWhen the current lands of the state of Delaware were granted to William Penn sometime after 1682, Penn proclaimed that Cape Henlopen and its natural resources were to be for the common usage of the citizens of Lewes and Sussex County, thus establishing some of the nation's first "public lands." It has remained in the public domain ever since, playing a major role in local shipping and in the nation's military history. The historic Henlopen Lighthouse no longer helps to guide vessels through the treacherous bay waters, but the two stone "breakwaters" barriers off the point of the Cape, completed in 1869 and 1901, still form a safe harbor for boats during rough seas. As a Delaware state park, Cape Henlopen remains in the public domain.Activities:Beach WeddingsCamping – Primitive Youth GroupCanoeing – FlatwaterCross-Country SkiingDisc GolfFishingGeocachingHikingInterpretive ProgramsMountain BikingNature/Cultural/Historical ProgramsPicnickingSchool Group Programs + REECH ProgramSleddingSummer CampsVolunteeringWeddings/Special EventsAmenities:Bait and Tackle StoreBathhouseBeachesBoat Rentals*Borrow-A-Bike ProgramCamp StoreCampgroundTent and RV sites with 3-Point HookupsCampground Laundry FacilitiesCamping cabinsDay Use AreasDay Use Group FacilitiesDisc Golf CourseDrinking WaterDump StationsEquestrian TrailsFishing PierFood/Refreshment Concession Stand*Fort Miles Historic SiteGuarded Swimming Area with Bathhouse*Seaside Nature Center -- Interpretive Center and Gift ShopKayak/SUP Rentals*Osprey CamPet AreasPicnic PavilionsPicnic TablesRestroomsShowersSurf Fishing (Off-Road) Areas (license required)TrailsUmbrella Rentals*Wedding/Special Event VenueWheelchair-Accessible Beach Area*Summer onlyWater, Beaches, and TrailsCape Henlopen's beaches attract thousands of visitors who enjoy everything from ocean swimming, boating, fishing, and kayaking to clamming, paddle-boarding and wind-surfing. But Cape Henlopen offers more than just the ocean and bays. The park's premiere trails offer hiking and biking exploration.A designated swimming beach, accessible from the Lewes entrance to the park, provides lifeguard patrols between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day (schedule may vary depending on staff availability).Mobi-Mat equipment, consisting of three 30-foot mats allowing those in wheelchairs and power chairs to access the beach from the boardwalk, is also available at this location.Camping and CabinsCape Henlopen's campground, set among pine-covered dunes, now includes 2-point hookups, 100-amp service on several sites, and sites to accommodate larger rigs. Twenty walk-in tent sites lie adjacent to the Waking Dunes Trail. Twelve camping cabins -- two-room individual cabins that offer an outdoor spigot and fire ring for cooking and share a communal bath house -- offer an economical alternative for vacationing at the beach.Fort Miles Museum and Historical AreaDuring World War II, the Delaware River was a chief priority for defense planners because of the access it afforded to the giant trade centers of Wilmington, Philadelphia, and beyond. Fort Miles, located in what is now Cape Henlopen State Park, was a key piece of the nation's coastal defense at that timeSeaside Nature CenterThe centerpiece of the newly-renovated Seaside Nature Center is a 495-gallon two-level touch tank, complete with viewing windows that allow visitors to see stingrays, horseshoe crabs and other species in the tank while they’re underwater. The nature center also features five 1,000-gallon tanks with local fish, exhibits that explain the different habitats within the park, a live Osprey cam (April through August), and a gift shop. A wide selection of activities and programs for children and adults are led by Seaside Nature Center staff each week.Borrow-A-Bike ProgramFree bikes are available at the Seaside Nature Center on a first-come, first-served basis, weather permitting, for 2 hours at a time, Bikes must remain within the park and stay on the paved bike trail. For more information, call the nature center. The Borrow-A-Bike Program is a project of the Friends of Cape Henlopen.Available 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily on days when the nature center is openNature PreserveBeach Plum Island Nature Preserve – Washover Barrier Spit provides the only publicly owned wild beach in Delaware incorporating dune and marsh habitat as it lies between the Delaware Bay and the Broadkill River. A portion of beachfront allows surf fishing and pedestrian use however, a majority of the Preserve is off limits to human activity for the purpose of wildlife conservation. It provides important habitat for horseshow crab spawning and shorebird feeding in the spring.Amenities: Linear Trail on river side (pedestrian only). Parking lot, limited access to beach and Broadkill River.Acreage: 127 acres

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