The Pinelands Trail: Shifting Landscapes

The Pinelands Trail takes you through a living example of natural and man-made change in a maritime forest. Maritime forests, also known as pine barrens or pinelands, are found in sheltered coastal areas. As you hike the trail, you’ll travel through an ever-changing environment of old bogs, drained wetlands, and maturing pine woods.

Many natural processes are at work throughout this maritime forest. At one point along the trail, you will see how blowing sand transforms the landscape. In another area, you will find sun-loving trees being replaced by shade-tolerant trees in a process known as succession. People have also brought change to this environment. They planted non-native vegetation and bulldozed some areas to make fire roads, railroad beds, and to place sand on artillery bunkers as camouflage.

The trail will take about one hour to hike. Enjoy your trip.

Delaware's Coastal Heritage Greenway

The Pinelands Trail is one of many stops along Delaware's Coastal Heritage Greenway. This Greenway, which extends from urban Fox Point State Park to the beaches of Cape Henlopen State Park, encompasses many of Delaware's finest cultural and natural resources. Within the corridor are large expanses of open space containing critical wildlife habitat and countless opportunities to educate and inform the public about the richness and diversity of Delaware's past.

We invite you to learn more about the Coastal Heritage Greenway and visit other stops along the corridor. For more information, call (302) 739-5285.

For more information, e-mail Delaware Greenway & Trail Program Information.
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