Bancroft Bridge Update
After historic floods from the remnants of Hurricane Ida during the last week of August in 2021, the Bancroft Bridge was struct with high flood water and heavy debris causing severe damage. The Division closed the bridge and performed structural analysis to determine the impact of the damage. The Division has a written report and recorded a presentation of the findings and alternative solutions evaluated to fix or replace the bridge.
View the video presentation from the Bancroft Bridge Update meeting.
Available are also the Public Workshop Presentation and the DNREC Alternatives Report.
National Weather Service
Explore Alapocas Woods
Alapocas Run is also home to the Northern Delaware Greenway Trail, a National Recreation Trail. Discover this 1.80 mile, loop trail near Rockland, Delaware. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 53 min to complete. This is a very popular area for hiking, mountain biking, and rock climbing, so you’ll likely encounter other people while exploring. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.
About the Park
Around Delaware’s beautiful Blue Rock cliff, formerly quarried and now home to the state’s only natural rock-climbing wall, natural resources like mature woodlands and the Brandywine River meet a rich industrial and cultural history at Alapocas Run State Park. The Blue Ball Barn, now a popular event space named for the Blue Ball Tavern that once served travelers in the area, was built in the 1900s as a dairy barn that supported A.I. DuPont’s Nemours estate. It now houses the Delaware Folk Art Collection and tells the park’s history in story form. Pawpaw trees, North America’s largest native fruit-bearing tree, grows in the forest understory. Delaware’s only venomous snake, the non-aggressive Northern Copperhead, occurs here. A Storybook Trail winds around the Can-do Playground, designed to be accessible to every child.
Hours + Info
Open daily from 8 a.m. until sunset
Sunset today is 07:18 PM
Park Office/Blue Ball Barn Hours
Open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily
The park office is located in the Blue Ball Barn.
Holiday Closures:
- Thanksgiving Day (11/25/2021)
- Christmas (12/24 and 12/25/2021)
- New Years Day (1/1/2022)
The Can-Do Playground is located at
4360 Weldin Road Wilmington, DE
Athletic Fields
Is your club, league, or group looking for a well-maintained area for games or other activities? Three versatile fields in the East Park section of Alapocas Run State Park offer a variety of opportunities for organized sports.
Sports Accommodated:
Fields 1 and 2: Soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, flag football, Ultimate Frisbee®, kickball
Field 3: Field hockey, flag football, Ultimate Frisbee®, rugby, youth soccer, youth lacrosse
The athletic field permit application available under Maps + Downloads on this page contains field reservation information and rates.