Sunday, January 23, 2022

White Clay Creek State Park, DE - Mason-Dixon Trail Loop

ABOUT THE PARK: 
White Clay Creek State Park - Delaware State Parks
During hunting season, some trails are open others are closed.  All trails are open on Sundays as there is no hunting in Delaware State Parks on Sundays.  The hike described here can only be done on a Sunday.

DIRECTIONS: 
GPS Coordinates 39.69490, -75.76282
Although I passed several parking areas along this hike route, I parked in the Fairfield Community lot to capture more of the Mason-Dixon Trail.

TRAIL MAP: 


HIKE DISTANCE:  13.9 miles

THE HIKE: 
I'll be staying on the Mason-Dixon Trail for the first 7-8 miles.  The Mason-Dixon Trail through White Clay Creek State Park will join various park trails.
Leaving the parking lot and turning left on Fremont Road.  The blue blazes of the Mason-Dixon Trail are visible along this road walk portion.
A short distance ahead, just before the bend, right into ...
... a small parking lot and a substation.
The Mason-Dixon Trail turns immediately left into the woods.
Left on Creek Road.
There are two parking areas on the right along the way.  This early in the morning, only one car.  On the way back in the afternoon, both parking areas were packed.
Second parking area.
The Mason-Dixon Trail turns right leaving Creek Road (we would be returning via Creek Road later).
The Mason-Dixon Trail will follow along with the Pomeroy Trail.
Crossing a bridge over ...
White Clay Creek
There were several dozen robins congregating in this area.  I managed to capture 4 in one shot but there were many, many more.
At the next bridge ...
... the Mason-Dixon Trail leaves the Pomeroy Trail crossing back over White Clay Creek.
The other side of the bridge, right at another parking area.  The Mason-Dixon Trail is missing from the sign, it is on the other side of the post.
Although this is the Mason-Dixon Trail, the blue blazes along the way are from the blue Penndel Trail.  The Mason-Dixon Trail will only be noted on posts at intersections through the park.
The Mason-Dixon Trail leaves the Penndel Trail to the left.
There are several intersections initially but it's easy to just follow the Mason-Dixon Trail arrows.
Every creek crossing has a bridge.
Giant Tree
The trails are all smooth and well-maintained throughout making for very easy hiking.
Coming up on Hopkins Road ...
... the trail passes the Arc Corner Monument where Pennsylvania and Delaware come together.
Crossing over Hopkins Road ...
... and into Pennsylvania.
Back into Delaware for a bit.
Benches for scenic break spots.
Now back into Pennsylvania where we will be for a while.
Just before this bridge at the far end before the trail loops back, a short trail straight ahead leads to ...
... the Tri-State Monument where Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania come together.
I saw M on two side and P on two sides but no D???
The benchmark on the monuments says M D P Corner No. 2 with an arrow but it seems to be in the correct location and everything I found Googling says this is the Tri-Corner Monument.
However, just the other side of that bridge to the left is another monument.  Although it has no engraving ...
... the benchmark says M D P Corner.  No arrow, no number 2.  But it is not in the right place.  It's a mystery to me.
Continuing onward.
Crossing Arc Corner Road, which is a trail.
Back into Delaware for good this time.
Through the nature center parking lot to the far end then right.
Downy Woodpecker
Coming out of the nature center parking lot, the Mason-Dixon Trail turns left but we would be leaving it now, turning right on the Penndel Trail.
After crossing Hopkins Road, the first right on the Twin Valley Connector.
This meets back up where we had been on the Mason-Dixon Trail, now retracing a short section in the opposite direction.
Balloon #2 of 2022.
Leaving the Mason-Dixon Trail and heading towards the Carpenter Trailhead.
This comes out on a wide mowed path through a disc golf course.
There were a lot of disc golfers out.  We turned left here just before the picnic tables ...
... to the Millstone Trail.
Carolina Wren
I had seen one pileated woodpecker and got several photos, all of which turned out blurry.  But I could hear more of them and was able to nab a clear shot of a second one, not realizing a blurry third was lurking in the background.  These guys are shy, fast and very hard to photograph so three at one time, wow! 
Millstone Pond
Finishing up the Millstone Pond Trail, we made two quick lefts then took a short unmarked trail to the right on to Wedgewood Road ...
... where we turned left a short distance to the gate on the right.  There were no trail signs here so I had to wing it with the Gaia app.
Through that gate and a short distance to the mowed Wells Field Trail where we turned right to loop around.
About 3/4 way around at a point in the mowed path, a trail not on the map goes into the woods.  It is the black dashed line in the Gaia app and it should take us back to the Penndel Trail so I gave it a shot.
This turned out to be my favorite part of the hike.  The trail was defined and easy enough to follow but not clear like the rest of the trails had been.
It was a very pretty area.
No bridges here - it's all rock hops.
Indeed, the trail comes out at the Penndel Trail where we turned right.
Coming up on the bridge we had crossed over at the beginning of the hike.
The Mason-Dixon Trail comes in from the left and now retracing back.
Something caught my eye over to the left so I bushwhacked over to find Balloon #3 of 2022.
After the second parking area ...
... a gravel trail to the left ...
... leads to waterfalls at a dam.
Back on Creek Road, then right into the woods.
Back at Fremont Road ...
... to the community center/swim club/park parking on the right.
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