Adopt-A-Trail Program
The Friends of White Clay Creek State Park and the State Park Staff have established an Adopt-A-Trail program (formerly called Trail Watch) with the goal of maintaining quality trails throughout the park. This program provides an excellent opportunity for park and trail users to get involved and contribute to improving the trail system in the park. If you are interested in adopting one of the trails as an Adopt-A-Trail volunteer please contact our project leader, Mike Ott, (302) 738-6652, for additional details. Click to see a Trail List that includes trails currently assigned and trails still open for adoption.
Program Overview
Adopt-A-Trail volunteers provide monthly monitoring and limited maintenance of assigned trails, including removal of litter and fallen branches and pruning of intruding vegetation (especially multi-flora rose). Volunteers also check trails after storms and high winds. Conditions and specific problems, such as a fallen tree blocking the trail, are reported to the park staff for their follow-up. An Adopt-A-Trail Report is completed after each trail survey to provide the Park Staff with the status of the adopted trail. Reports of "no problems" are just as valuable as ones that uncover conditions needing attention.
Trail Maintenance Guidelines
All new volunteers receive a walk-through training session. Training in trail construction and maintenance techniques or comparable experience is required for any trail maintenance activity beyond clearing of litter and small branches, trail trimming, and submitting status reports. No new trail improvements or significant modifications should be performed without specific review and permission from the Park Staff.
The Park has adopted a single-track, sustainable trail design. Water erosion resistance is achieved by following contour lines, avoiding the fall line, and providing periodic short reverse grades to shed water. A tread width of 30 to 36 inches is standard. This minimizes destruction of habitat, provides adequate width for user comfort, and concentrates wear from traffic to keep the trail free of vegetation. There should also be 10 inches of selective vegetation clearing on either side of the tread. Invasive species such as multi-flora rose bushes should be trimmed back aggressively or pulled out by the roots if possible. Native species should only be trimmed back as necessary to maintain adequate clearance for trail users.
The open space above the trail should be cleared to a height of 7 feet. This provides adequate clearance for users, and at the same time limits sunlight, which helps minimize the intrusion of invasive species such as stilt grass, honeysuckle, etc.
Additional Guidelines and Safety Reminders
Be sensitive to the environment that you are in - do not trample plants, break branches, or collect species of special concern.
Do not pick up any items that might be hazardous or may contain hazardous materials. If something of this nature is discovered, contact the Park Office (302-368-6900).
Avoid trails during hunting seasons in the fall and winter months, except on Sundays when there is no hunting. Click on Notices, or contact the Park Office (368-6900) for schedules.