Cape Henlopen State Park

About the Park

When 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 Weddings
Camping – Primitive Youth Group
Canoeing – Flatwater
Cross-Country Skiing
Disc Golf
Fishing
Geocaching
Hiking
Interpretive Programs
Mountain Biking
Nature/Cultural/Historical Programs
Picnicking
School Group Programs + REECH Program
Sledding
Summer Camps
Volunteering
Weddings/Special Events

Amenities:

Bait and Tackle Store
Bathhouse
Beaches
Boat Rentals*
Borrow-A-Bike Program
Camp Store
Campground
Tent and RV sites with 3-Point Hookups
Campground Laundry Facilities
Camping cabins
Day Use Areas
Day Use Group Facilities
Disc Golf Course
Drinking Water
Dump Stations
Equestrian Trails
Fishing Pier
Food/Refreshment Concession Stand*
Fort Miles Historic Site
Guarded Swimming Area with Bathhouse*
Seaside Nature Center -- Interpretive Center and Gift Shop
Kayak/SUP Rentals*
Osprey Cam
Pet Areas
Picnic Pavilions
Picnic Tables
Restrooms
Showers
Surf Fishing (Off-Road) Areas (license required)
Trails
Umbrella Rentals*
Wedding/Special Event Venue
Wheelchair-Accessible Beach Area
*Summer only

Water, Beaches, and Trails

Cape 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 Cabins

Cape 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 Area

During 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 time

Seaside Nature Center

The 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 Program

Free 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 open

Nature Preserve

Beach 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