Cape Henlopen State Park main beach will be guarded through September 5. We encourage you to use guarded beaches.
For more information, please read the press release.
View our Frequently Asked Questions for information on Rehoboth's Deauville Beach transition to DNREC's management, aimed at improving conservation and public enjoyment. View Meeting Presentation
Cape Henlopen was once a World War II coastal defense site. Take a tour of Battery 519, and climb to the top of the Observation Tower to discover the roles the towers played in the operation of Fort Miles.
The Biden Environmental Training Center will reopen for events, conferences, retreats and more in mid-2024. Interested in hosting your event here? Fill out our Interest Form.
Get up close with native marine life in the touch tank! You’ll learn about the park’s habitats and the creatures that live here. To understand more about the park, sign up for guided programs such as seining the bay, dolphin watches, or ghost crab hikes!
Did you know you can borrow a bike for free, thanks to the Friends of Cape Henlopen? Bike the Loop trail around the park to experience diverse ecosystems, including the maritime forests, dunes, and beach. It's a great way to experience the rich history of the park.
This 3.2-mile accessible trail offers stunning views of the park’s dynamic coastal habitats, including dunes, forests, and wetlands. Hike or bike across the elevated boardwalk, and look for wildlife along the trail.
Situated at the mouth of the Delaware Bay sits Cape Henlopen State Park and its 6+ miles of coastline. The “Point” of Cape Henlopen, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, shaped the history of this landscape. For millenia, native people lived off the land’s abundant and rich resources and in the late 1600s, William Penn granted the land and allowed citizens to harvest many of the same resources. The area’s strategic position led to the construction of Fort Miles during World war II with its iconic fire control towers along the Atlantic coast and, which served as a federal defensive site, training area and testing location both during and after the war. A diverse collection of habitats makes up the coastal ecosystem of Cape Henlopen State Park. Barrier dune, coastal beaches, and maritime forest are home to many species of plants and animals. Visitors can visit the Seaside Nature Center to participate in an interpretive program or learn about the park’s native plants and animals.
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.
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. Visit our Reservations section for camping information and pricing.
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. Visit the Fort Miles page in our Attractions section for information about programs and tours.
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 provided by the Friends of Cape Henlopen (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. Go to YouTube to view the Osprey cam
Visit the Seaside Nature Center page for more information.
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.
For most up to date hours & days of operation please check the Friends of Cape Henlopen State Park website or Call Nature Center to confirm they are open 302-645-6852
Lying between the Delaware Bay and the Broadkill River, Beach Plum Island Nature Preserve – Washover Barrier Spit provides the only publicly owned wild beach in Delaware incorporating both dune and marsh habitat. A portion of beachfront allows surf fishing and pedestrian use; however, a majority of the preserve is off limits to human activity to allow for wildlife conservation. The site provides important habitat for horseshoe crab spawning and shorebird feeding in the spring. The preserve has a pedestrian-only linear trail on the river side and a limited-access parking lot.
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
8:00 AM
Search the park for birds on their spring migration. Each walk will target current birding hot spots. For beginning and intermediate birders. Bring your binoculars or borrow a pair of ours. For ages 10 and older with an adult. Free with park entrance fees. Space is limited, please pre-register by calling the Nature Center at (302) 645-6852.
Saturday, May 4, 2024
11:00 AM
Hike the park looking for flowering plants and other signs of spring and witness plant phenology in action. Dress for the weather. For ages 7 and older with an adult. Free with park entrance fees. Space is limited, please pre-register by calling the Nature Center at (302) 645-6852.
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
8:00 AM
Search the park for birds on their spring migration. Each walk will target current birding hot spots. For beginning and intermediate birders. Bring your binoculars or borrow a pair of ours. For ages 10 and older with an adult. Free with park entrance fees. Space is limited, please pre-register by calling the Nature Center at (302) 645-6852.
Friday, May 10, 2024
7:00 PM
Witness one of nature's amazing scenes, as horseshoe crabs parade up and down our beaches during their nesting season. We will explore the bay beach and uncover their mysterious lives. For ages 7 and older with an adult. Pre-registration required; call 302-645-6852. $7 per person
Saturday, May 11, 2024
10:30 AM
Park rangers and veteran surf-fisherman will teach you the park rules and guidelines for driving on State Park beaches. Plus, get some tips and tricks for a successful, stuck-free day of surf-fishing. This is an indoor presentation only, no actual driving on the beach. Online registration closes 24 hours prior to the program. After that please call 302-645-6852. $5 per person
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
8:00 AM
Search the park for birds on their spring migration. Each walk will target current birding hot spots. For beginning and intermediate birders. Bring your binoculars or borrow a pair of ours. For ages 10 and older with an adult. Free with park entrance fees. Space is limited, please pre-register by calling the Nature Center at (302) 645-6852.
Saturday, May 18, 2024
11:00 AM
Join us as we search for vultures and tear apart fact from fiction about these cool scavenger birds. For Ages 7 and older with an adult. $5 per person. Online registration ends 24 hours prior to program. After that, if space available, please call 302-645-6852.
Friday, May 24, 2024
7:00 PM
Witness one of nature's amazing scenes, as horseshoe crabs parade up and down our beaches during their nesting season. We will explore the bay beach and uncover their mysterious lives. For ages 7 and older with an adult. Pre-registration required; call 302-645-6852. $7 per person
Saturday, May 25, 2024
11:00 AM
Fish the shallows of Delaware Bay using a beach seine net to collect fish, crabs and other creatures, and discover how the bay functions as a nursery. Dress to get wet and wear secure shoes, no flip-flops. For ages 5 and older with an adult. Online registration closes 24 hours prior to the program. After that please call 302-645-6852. $7 per person
Saturday, May 25, 2024
2:00 PM
Explore the ins and outs of these mysterious animals through hands-on dissection. For ages 7 and older with an adult. Online registration ends 24 hours prior to the program. After that, please call 302-645-6852. $9 per person
Sunday, May 26, 2024
9:00 AM
Search for bottlenose dolphins from our shore overlook and discover why they swim within sight of these beaches. For ages 7 and older with an adult. $6 per person