Cape Henlopen State Park

Accessibility

Cape Henlopen does this better than most. There are two kinds of beach chair here, both free, and about sixteen miles of trail firm enough to roll on. There are also things that are simply not accessible, and this page says which.

Beach wheelchairs: free, no booking

Beach wheelchairs with oversized balloon tyres, which roll over soft sand and through shallow water, are available at the main beach. They cost nothing and need no reservation. You can borrow one daily from 8 a.m. to sunset, between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day.

There is no time limit, but the park asks that once you have reached your spot on the sand you walk the chair back to its stand so somebody else can use it, then collect it again when you are ready to leave.

Track chairs: free, but book two days ahead

Motorised all-terrain track chairs — treads rather than wheels, with headlights, a horn, a tilting seat and an optional companion joystick — are available at Cape Henlopen at no charge, in three-hour sessions.

These do have to be reserved, at least 48 hours in advance. Book by calling the park on (302) 644-5005 or through the Delaware State Parks reservation form. They will take you places a beach wheelchair will not, including further along the sand and onto rougher ground.

Trails you can roll on

Delaware State Parks counts roughly sixteen miles of accessible trail at Cape Henlopen, with a plan to reach nearly twenty-five by 2032. In practice the two you want are:

• The Bike Loop — 3.3 miles, paved throughout, described by the park as suitable for hiking, biking and strollers. It connects the nature centre, the campground, the bathhouse, the observation tower and Fort Miles.
• Gordons Pond Trail — packed crushed stone with a long elevated boardwalk over the marsh, and listed by the park as accessible.

The standard the park works to is at least three feet of width, grades no steeper than twelve per cent, cross slopes under five per cent, and firm stable surfaces. The sand trails — Pinelands, Seaside Nature, and the western Salt Marsh Spur — do not meet it and are not presented as accessible.

Other facilities

• Mobility mats have been laid at Cape Henlopen to improve wheelchair access onto the beach.
• ADA-compliant pole showers have been installed at Gordons Pond.
• The path to the Fort Miles Artillery Park has been paved, giving access to all of the gun pads.

What is not accessible, and what we could not confirm

Being straight about the gaps is more useful than a page that implies everything works.

• The observation tower is stairs only. Delaware State Parks describes it as accessible via a circular staircase. No lift and no accessible route to the top is documented anywhere, and we would not want anyone to drive here expecting one.
• Fishing pier access is not described on any official source we could find. If this matters to your visit, call the park before you come.
• Specific accessible parking and restroom locations within Cape Henlopen are not published. They exist; where exactly is not stated.