
Walk along the River View Trail and see both Battery Elder and Battery Read and Gibson. Stop to consider the role of Fort DuPont as part of a three-fort system in the evolution of coastal defense. Bring binoculars for spotting wildlife along the trail.
Walk around the property and read the waysides to discover the history of this park, which served as a military base from the Civil War all the way through World War II.
Fort DuPont State Park, named for Rear Admiral Samuel Francis du Pont, was an active military base from the Civil War through World War II. Following World War II, Fort DuPont was turned over to the State of Delaware. It has been used for various purposes, including as the Governor Bacon Health Center. Portions of the land were dedicated as a state park in 1992.
TThe park is bounded on two sides by the scenic Delaware River and the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. Use the boat launch to get out on the water to fish and explore the Delaware River. Click for information about fishing and fishing permits.
The River View Trail takes you alongside the Delaware River and affords a glimpse of the site's rich historic past. Six gun batteries were built at Fort DuPont during what is known as the “Endicott Period” (1898-1910), and five of them can be seen along the trail: Batteries Read and Gibson, completed in 1898; Batteries Rodney and Best, and Battery Elder, completed in 1899; and Battery Elder, completed in 1904.
There are currently no programs scheduled at this location