State park offers hiking series starting Dec. 2

Designed to encourage area residents and visitors to get outdoors and enjoy the forested and marsh areas of the park in the chilly months, the Delaware Seashore State Park hiking series offers opportunities to acquaint guests with available hiking trails and provide some interesting information about animals, plants and historic features of Delaware Seashore and Holts Landing state parks.

“The majority of park visitors are well aware of warm-weather recreational opportunities available along our ocean beaches and inland bay areas, but this series invites people to take pleasure in some of the lesser-known areas of our parks,” said Dorothy Sheehan, site manager of the Indian River Life-Saving Station. “We hope guests will take the opportunity to learn about our trails by joining a naturalist for an organized hike and then return often with friends and family.”

Burton Island and Thompson Island nature preserves

In 2004, Burton Island, just west of Indian River Marina, and Thompson Island, on the northern shore of Rehoboth Bay, were designated as Delaware State Nature Preserves, the highest level of protection for important natural resources. Both are located in Delaware Seashore State Park.

The Burton Island Nature Preserve features a trail that was renovated in 2009 with new boardwalks to provide access to wide expanses of salt marsh, but the trail also winds through upland forest and allows views of both Rehoboth and Indian River bays. Naturalist-guided walks will be offered at 2 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 11 and Sunday, Jan. 29. This hike is suitable for children who can walk just a little over a mile.

There will be a special Full Moon Hike on Burton Island offered at 6 p.m., Friday, Dec. 9, and again in April. Guests will learn about the moon and nocturnal animals in the park and enjoy some interesting after dark activities. Guests are asked not to bring flashlights.

Preregistration is required for all Burton Island hikes and the fee for each is $4 per person.

The Thompson Island Nature Preserve includes more than 160 acres of forest and salt marsh with a variety of plant and animal life, and the site holds significant evidence of use by Native Americans for thousands of years. To protect natural and cultural resources, all visitors to this preserve are required to stay on the marked trail. Naturalist-guided hikes of approximately 2 miles will be offered at 9:30 a.m., Friday, Dec. 2; 2 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 8, and 1 p.m., Saturday, March 17, with participants meeting at the Indian River Life-Saving Station due to limited parking at the preserve. Preregistration is required and the fee is $5 per person.

The Thompson Island Trail is being improved under a recently negotiated contract, and visitors should be prepared to encounter muddy conditions on parts of the trail.

Fresh Pond Hikes

The Fresh Pond Tract of Delaware Seashore State Park is south of Indian River Inlet and north of Bethany Beach and Ocean View. Hikes will be offered at 2 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 15, and 10 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 4. Preregistration is required and the fee is $4 per person.

Holts Landing State Park

Naturalists will introduce guests to the Sea Hawk Trail in Holts Landing State Park, which is north of Ocean View along the shore of Indian River Bay. This trail passes open meadow, salt marsh, freshwater ponds, and through forest to provide opportunities to see a variety of bird life and plant species. Guests will learn the history of the park and gain some information about the Assawoman Canal in the Bethany Beach area. Walks will be offered at 2 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 22, and Sunday, March 4. A special Arbor Day hike will be offered at noon, Friday, April 27. These are free programs and no preregistration is required.  Directions to Holts Landing are available by calling the Indian River Life-Saving Station at 302-227-6991.

January Sundays Hike Series

The hiking events listed above include a trek each Sunday in January after New Year's Day, permitting opportunities to get outdoors and warm up muscles in the winter season. The series starts with a Sunday, Jan. 8 visit to Thompson Island and finishes with a Sunday, Jan. 29 trip around Burton Island.

Park staff encourages visits to the forested areas of state parks in cold weather months due to greatly reduced activity among ticks and other biting insects. Also, reduced cover on deciduous trees, which shed their leaves in the fall, opens vistas that cannot be seen in warmer weather.

To get more information or to preregister for hiking events or other programs, call the Indian River Life-Saving Station at 302-227-6991 or visit www.destateparks.com and click on Delaware Seashore State Park.