Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, DE - Pine Grove Trail

ABOUT THE PARK:
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge - US Fish and Wildlife Service

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 38.82175, -75.25952

Parking at Turkle Pond

TRAIL MAP:
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge Walking Trail Map - US Fish and Wildlife Service

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HIKE DISTANCE:
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge: 5 miles
   hiked together with (.7 mile drive away):
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge - Pine Grove Trail:  1.25 miles
   hiked together with (15.7 mile drive away):
Cape Henelopen State Park - Herring Point/Gordon's Pond Trail:  3 miles
   hiked together with (.9 mile drive away):
Cape Henelopen State Park, DE - Fort Miles/Pinelands Nature Trail:  2.25 miles

THE HIKE:

First things first, lunch at the Turkle Pond parking lot.

I had a fake chicken salad sandwich.  Shawnee had quite an aromatic tub of Whole Foods "Whole Paws" chicken dinner which....

.... as I was taking this picture and noticed something out of the corner of my eye ...

... someone else had apparently caught a whiff of.  "Did someone say chicken for lunch?!?!?!?"  Then the fox disappeared as fast as she had appeared.

On with the hike.  It is not very clear from the parking lot where the trail starts.  Walk a little farther in on the road and it will be on the right.  The sign makes it look like you keep straight but it is actually a right turn just after that Trailhead sign.

It's a very pretty trail and because it was only about 1 mile long, Shawnee did it without her wheelchair.

A short side trail to an overlook where there really is not much to see.

Coming up on a parking lot which is at the end of the road we drove in on.  That Honda Fit straight ahead, had his car door open blasting the stereo, he did.  How rude in the middle of the woods where you go for peace and quiet.

Coming out into the parking lot, to the right is Fleetwood Pond with ...

... a boardwalk out into the pond.

Fleetwood Pond

Again it is not clear where the trail continues.  Walk along the road out of the parking lot and watch for the trail on the right.

The trail comes out directly across from the trailhead.

A right turn back to the parking lot.

A few more shots of Turkle Pond.

Turkle Pond

Now on to Cape Henelopen State Park about 17 miles away.  I had considered taking the ferry over from Cape May and drove right by it on the way to Cape Henelopen State Park but it would have involved lots of time waiting on the ferry, time that was better spent hiking, so I drove instead.

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