Trap Pond State Park, DE

ABOUT THE PARK:
Trap Pond State Park - Delaware State Parks

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 38.526014, -75.481134

From the entrance road, I turned left in the lot and parked at the very far end near the maintenance area.

TRAIL MAP:
Trap Pond State Park Trail Map - Delaware State Parks

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HIKE DISTANCE:  13.8 miles

THE HIKE:

A huge flock of birds flying over at the start of our hike.

From the parking lot the Bob Trail goes through the picnic area between the parking lot and Trap Pond but dogs are not allowed there so we headed towards the maintenance area at the far end of the parking lot towards the dam where we picked up the Bob Trail and turned left.

Trap Pond

The Bob Trail parallels Trap Pond Road briefly then turns right and cuts through the boat launch parking area,

Miles markers about every half mile.

We passed the campground which looked packed in mid-November.

Crossing the road to Cypress Point horse trailer parking; we would be returning on this road at the end of the hike.

Black-capped chickadees everywhere.

With the green American Holly trees and Loblolly pines in addition to sunshine and temps in the 50's it was easy to forget we just had a snow storm in NJ a few days prior.  It was worth the drive to get away from that.

Trails are not blazed but there are directional posts at every intersection.  We'd be coming back this way at the end of the hike to go through Cypress Point.

A long boardwalk through the swamp.

The Bob Trail is the busiest trail in the park.  In fact, it was the only trail I ever ran into other people during the entire hike.

When the Bob Trail turns right, straight ahead a short distance is ...

Bethesda Church with an old cemetery.

All children.

Back to the Bob Trail which now runs parallel to Wootten Road.

Coming out on Wooten Road, the Bob Trail crosses the bridge to the right but we turned left a short distance ...

... to the Raccoon Pond Trail on the right at the bend.

Going along Raccoon Pond.

Not another soul on this entire trail.  It was obvious it is not used much as there were minor blow downs and the trail was at times a little hard to follow.

These posts mark hunting blinds.  Although it was not easy to find out, I was able to determine prior to going that there is no hunting in state parks in Delaware on Sundays.  This is not noted on any of the signs in the park.

The trail goes through a power cut fairly close to the end.

The trail was flooded out just before Pepperbox Road where the trail ends so we turned around here.

I had noticed a clearing that looked like it might be a nice spot for a break so we headed there on the way back only to find ...

... an old cemetery!

Continuing back.

My first Golden-crowned Kinglet!

Back at Raccoon Pond.

At Wooten Road, left ...

... across the bridge ...

... where I picked up a huge wad of fishing line, surely sparing some poor animal from an awful death.

After the bridge, just beyond the trail crossing sign, a left on ...

... the Huckleberry Trail.

I could tell by the soft trail surface that this trail is not used much either.  That works for us.  We like having trails to ourselves.

A little bit of a tricky crossing ...

... before we stumbled onto another small cemetery.

The trail crosses back over Wootten Road.

Getting closer to the parking lot, we were running into more people.

At the Island Trail we turned left.

Trap Pond

Double-breasted Cormorant

When the Island Trail crossed the Bob, Trail, we turned left on the Bob Trail.

Brodie stepped off trail for some horses to pass ...

... then promptly sniffed where they had been.

Coming out on Wootten Road, we turned left across the bridge ...

... then left to continue on the Bob Trail.

Back through the swamp.

Then left on an unnamed trail towards Cypress Point.

Left on the Cypress Point Trail.

This turned out to be my favorite trail of the entire hike and again, one that appears to not be used much.

It goes long the swamp through very pretty areas.  I would have lingered longer but the sun was setting fast.

Trap Pond

Carolina Wren

The Cypress Point Trail comes out into a parking lot where we turned right ...

... to road walk ...

... to the other side of the camp store ...

... where we turned right on the Bob Trail to retrace from the beginning of the hike.

A couple of late bike riders on their way out before dark.

We made it back with just a few minutes of light to spare and almost the only car left in the lot.