Delaware is a small state but it has some really great places to experience the outdoors. There are tons of activities to experience, one of which is running. In this post we share some of the best places to run in Delaware.
Brandywine Creek State Park – There are five trails within the park. Most of the terrain is easy to moderate. The Northern Delaware Greenway also happens to run through the park (a 2.9 mile segment.)
Gordon’s Pond Trail – This trail is only 3.2 miles long and is made of small crushed stone. It’s relatively flat and a great place to get in a short and easy recovery run. About 3/4 of a mile into your run you’ll come to the Gordon’s Pond Scenic Overlook. We recommend bringing bug spray!
Junction and Breakwater Trail – This trail is 5.8 miles long. It connects Rehoboth Beach and Lewes and follows a section of the old Penn Central Rail Road. The surface is mostly flat and the surface is a mixture of tiny crushed stone, pavement and a couple of wooden bridges. Look for signs behind the outlet shopping malls in Rehoboth for the trailhead.
Killens Pond State Park – There are four trails at this park that combine to make 8.5 miles. Located in Central Delaware it has some beautiful bridges and parallel forest to run over and through. Fall colors, if you time it right, can also be beautiful here.
Northern Delaware Greenway – This paved path is 10.4 miles long and links up Bellevue State Park, Brandywine Creek State Park and the City of Wilmington together. You’ll pass by both Bellevue Hall and Rockwood Mansion along the route and experience some hilly sections in the Alapocas Woods section of the trail.
Prickly Pear Trail – We hesitate to even tell anyone about this trail because we love it so much! It’s a flat, easy, fairly shaded path of fine gravel and some sand. It’s wide too, great for both running and riding bikes. In addition, it’s proximity to Bethany Beach, Dewey and Rehoboth make it a go-to for any runner looking for a workout that doesn’t involve Route 1.
Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk – Though the boardwalk is only a mile long, we still think it’s one of the best places to run in Delaware. If you go early in the morning, you watch the sun come up over the ocean and join all of the other walkers, runners and sunrise gatherers. If you go later on in the day you can people watch. Watch out for boards sticking up at odd angles, though. I’ve tripped more than once because I’m preoccupied with everything around me lol.
The beach – This idea might be super obvious but it’s still one of the best places to run in Delaware. Not much beats looking at the ocean as you run. Make sure that once you get on the beach, you know where to turn to get back to your car or hotel! From the sand a lot of the places look identical. In addition, please be sure to stay off the dunes and only cross back along the designated paths.
Best Places to Run in Delaware Recap
How many of these places have you logged some miles on? We love that there are so many great places to run in DE. The state is tiny but it’s not lacking in variety! Most of the places listed are also great for walking and biking. Did you know there were so many trails in Delaware?
If you’re going to be visiting the beach, be sure to check out our story series on the Best Places to Eat in Ocean City and the Delaware Beaches, the Best Bars at the Beach, the Best Things to Do in OC and DE and Free Things to do at the MD and DE Beaches!