Alapocas Run State Park

Cool little park to wander around in! I made a quick stop here a couple weeks ago and it was so pretty with all the fall colours! The park was very quiet with only a handful of other people around, including a couple of rock climbers which was cool to see. There was plenty of parking available at the lot beside the Alapocas Ball Fields as well as a porta potty and garbage can which is always super convenient!

Hands down, one of my top 3 hiking spots in Delaware. I have spotted many Eastern Garter and Ribbon snakes here. I have yet to see the elusive Copperhead. There are moderate trails, beautiful views, and an abundance of flora and fauna to admire. There are also several geocaches hidden in this park. The waterfall is nice. Sitting along the river can be so relaxing and restorative. There are sometimes rock climbing events here, and there is also a baseball field with portable toilets. There is no shortage of poison ivy and ticks, so be prepared for that. The area is mostly shaded but probably still sensible to wear sun block.

When I arrived here, I was expecting a nice, flat idyllic hike through greenery. That is very much not what I got. But what I did get was quite exhilarating, a nice party experience through unexpectedly rugged terrain. There are solid, sheer cliffs here that are quite surprising to someone like me that typically associate this area with rolling flat hills and waterways. I cannot quite say the landscape is as majestic and imposing as what I am used to back home in Colorado, but it reminded me of back home a little more than I expected. The landscape here is quite wooded and thick. Please stay on the paths if you can. If you venture out of the paths, the terrain can become quite challenging and arduous. I once had to scramble down this steep slope to get back to a path on the lowlands. And I suffered the misfortune of having these thin vines wrap around me. I did nothing, they looked innocent enough. I was naive. The harder I pulled the tauter these vines became and I eventually had to take a deep breath and manually go through the process of untangling my limbs from these vines. The topography here is quite demanding, and if you are going to venture off the paths, I highly recommend you bring hiking boots. Even if you are planning to stay on the path, I highly recommend bringing the boots anyway. The landscape can become quite steep, and the changes in elevation are not always forgiving. But I hope I do not dissuade anyone from coming into this park from what I've been saying. It is an opportunity for exploration, evoking sparks of wonder and enchantment at exploring this unfamiliar and quite vibrant terrain, characterized by stark geologic uplifts that elevate up these layers and striations of rock formed over millions of years, resulting in a symphony of staggering vistas.

A hidden gem of hiking nestled in Wilmington. Little waterfalls, cliffs, rock climbing, and wooded & paved trails. As a native northern Californian, these trails and cliffs make me forget I'm on the east coast. Quite dramatic terrain and elevation changes here, in a small and easy to hike in an hour or so package.

Great place for hiking, jogging and cycling. It’s really pleasant cool forest area, all trails are properly marked. There is an option for rock climbing as well, which is amazing 😉. We had a great weekend😘 * Use hiking shoes 👟. Some shortcut trail are really steep. Enjoy your day!. UPDATE: The fall colors this week are just perfect 🤩.