M-DT Hike 3/11: 3 States in 1 Hike
Spring Hike (Meteorologically Speaking)
A special Spring Mason-Dixon Trail System hike will be held on Saturday March 11 in coordination with the Wilmington Trail Club (WTC). Visit three states in one hike! Two distance options will be offered. The hikes will include stops to discuss the Mason-Dixon surveys and the state boundary markers encountered along the way.
LONG HIKE: The longer hike will be just over six miles and also serve as the WTC’s medium distance hike for the day. This hike will start promptly at 9:00 am at the White Clay Creek State Park’s Chambers Rock Road parking area and is expected to finish by noon. The short hike group will join the long hike group at the White Clay Creek Nature Center. Pete McLaughlin will lead this hike and sign-in hike participants at the start.
Nearest Address: Chambers Rock Road Parking Area,873 Chambers Rock Rd, Newark, DE 19711 (39.732778, -75.760815)
Online Directions: Google Mapping
Written Directions: From the intersection of DE-2 (Kirkwood Highway) & DE-7 (Limestone Rd). Take DE-2 (Kirkwood Highway) west for 3.9 mi. Proceed north on DE-72 (Possum Park Road) for 1.8 mi. At traffic light (by Shell Station) continue straight onto Thompson Station Rd to the 4-way Stop. Continue straight to the next Stop sign and turn left on Chambers Rock Road. The parking lot will be on the right just after the bridge.
SHORTER HIKE: The shorter hike will be just under 4 miles and will also serve as the WTC’s New Member Hike for the week. This hike starts at 9:30 am and finishes about 11:30 am. This hike will meet at Nature Center Parking Lot, approximately 1.6 miles from the start of the longer hike, and join the long hike group for around 3.8 miles. Gary Kirk of the WTC will meet New Member Saturday hikers in this lot to sign up and lead that group.
Nearest Address: White Clay Creek State Park Nature Center, 1475 Creek Rd, Newark, DE 19711 (39.726999, -75.767097)
Online Directions: Google Mapping
Written Directions: From the intersection of DE-896 and Cleveland Avenue, proceed north on DE-896 for 2.6 miles. Turn right onto Hopkins Rd and proceed 1.0 mile. Take the first left onto Tweeds Mill Rd (opposite Creek Road, just before Hopkins Bridge). Continue up the road and the lot entrance will be on your second left.
POST-HIKE SOCIAL: After the hike there will be a MDTS lunch gathering at Timothy’s of Newark at noon. All hikers invited.
Address: 100 Creek View Rd, Newark, DE 19711
Online Directions: Google Mapping
Written Directions: From hike parking, proceed east on Chambers Rock Road (from long hike parking) or Hopkins Road (short hike parking) to Thompson Station Road. Turn right on Thompson Station Road and proceed to the first traffic light at Paper Mill Road. Turn right on Paper Mill Road towards Newark, drive 2 miles, cross the White Clay Creek bridge, and turn left on Creek View Road.