Walking Dunes Trail (Cape Henlopen State Park) Hiking Guide
The Walking Dunes Trail leaves the Herring Point parking lot in Cape Henlopen State Park and heads inland through wooded uplands and across tidal marsh to the Great Dune. World War II fire control towers stand over the dunes along the way. It is a beach-country hike about two hours south of Wilmington, near Lewes.
Permit: Ocean-park entrance fee at Cape Henlopen, per vehicle per day from March 1 to November 30: $10 Delaware plates, $20 out-of-state plates. No charge on foot or bike, and none December through February. Annual pass $50 / $100.
Distance and Footing
The park's trail finder lists the Walking Dunes Trail at 2.5 miles and rates it easy, and its park map gives 2.6 miles with an average grade of 2 percent and a short maximum of 14 percent. The trail description says the path follows a gentle grade over sand, crushed shells or pavement for 1.6 miles to the dune. The Outbound maps it as a 2.48-mile loop with about 43 feet of gain.
The Great Dune and the Towers
The trail ends at the Great Dune. The Outbound calls it Delaware's highest sand dune, rising 80 feet, and points out the fire control towers left from the park's years as a WWII military base. In late spring look for pink lady's slipper along the trail and beach heather blooming yellow on the dune. The 0.6-mile Salt Marsh Spur meets the trail near its midpoint for a closer look at the tidal marsh. In summer, watch for poison ivy along the edges.
Gun-Season Closures
This is the trail to plan around in fall and winter. On Cape Henlopen's 2025-26 hunting map, the Walking Dunes Trail was among the trails marked closed during gun hunting seasons. The park's 2026-27 dates for the east side are a youth hunt on November 7, general firearm seasons November 13-21, December 12-19 and January 16-23, and a muzzleloader week January 25-30. Hunting never takes place on Sundays in Delaware state parks, so Sunday is the day to go in those weeks; the Gordons Pond Trail from the same lot stayed open.
Fees, Hours and Dogs
The Herring Point lot is inside the fee area. Delaware-registered cars pay $10 a day and out-of-state cars $20 from March 1 to November 30, the higher rate Delaware sets at its ocean parks; arriving by bike or on foot costs nothing, and winter visits are free. Hours are 8 a.m. until sunset, and a dog may come along if it stays on a 6-foot or shorter lead. From Wilmington, plan on about 94 miles and two hours each way.
Hiking tips for Walking Dunes Trail (Cape Henlopen State Park)
- Start at the Herring Point parking lot.
- Check the hunting calendar before a weekday visit from November to late January.
- Add the Salt Marsh Spur for marsh views.
- Wear long pants in summer; poison ivy grows along the trail.
- Visit in late spring for lady's slipper and beach heather.
Nearby trails to explore
- Gordons Pond Trail (Cape Henlopen State Park)
- Bob Trail (Trap Pond State Park)
- Hidden Pond Trail (Brandywine Creek State Park)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
A drive to the Cape is better split, and the Great Dune is a good excuse for it. Post a Walking Dunes hike on TrailMates, set up carpools from Wilmington in the event's group chat, and meet at Herring Point. Download TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play.