Hike the Pinelands Trail

There are two places you can pick up this trail in the Cape Henlopen State Park. One trailhead is located in the Fort Miles parking lot. The other trailhead, and where I usually start, is across from the Seaside Nature Center. The beginning of this trail and some places throughout can often be muddy and covered in water due to the low lying areas and surrounding bogs. It sometimes requires maneuvering through and around trail areas that are completely covered in water. Trust me, it's worth it! This is a beautiful walk through a unique, sandy pine forest. There are four species of pine, including loblolly, Virginia, pitch and black, as well as cranberry bogs. The trail consists of packed and loose sand, mostly covered in pine needles. The trail is not marked very well and because the trail and surrounding areas are covered in pine needles, it's easy to wander off the trail. No worries though, it's not a large enough area to get seriously lost in. Downed branches will line the trail in some places as well as some bright green blazes on trees to keep you on track. Look for the old artillery bunker which was built during World War ll. The trail to the top offers a nice view. There are two places you can easily hop off the trail for more sightseeing, one is Fort Miles Historical Area and the other will take you to the paved bike loop where there is an entrance to the beach. Both of these places are marked with trailhead signs. Be sure to look for deer along the trail and also in the field by the Nature Center parking lot!