New Castle County
Route
Wilmington to New Castle, Delaware
Miles
8-16
Start Location
Wilmington Riverwalk
Start at Riverfront Wilmington and head out to the DuPont Environmental Education Center, with its riveting view of the Christina River and a wildlife refuge. A boardwalk, opened in 2018 as part of the Jack A. Markell Trail, takes you south via a paved rail-to-trail to the historic town of New Castle, a colonial community with cobblestones, charming brick homes and another beautiful stretch of Greenway along the Delaware River.
The majority of this route is on trail and off-road, but the section in New Castle includes some low-stress, historic streets between the Jack A. Markell Trail and the Battery Park Riverfront Trail. From Wilmington to New Castle’s Battery Park is about 8 miles one way or 16 miles for an out-and-back trip.
Local Knowledge
The Markell Trail is the star here, but you’ll find plenty of other highlights to enjoy:
Enjoy the bustle of Wilmington and its downtown Riverwalk, marked by art and shops and eateries. Just north of town, the Northern Delaware Greenway follows the Brandywine River and offers views of dramatic rock faces and waterfalls.
Historic New Castle has a colorful history, as illustrated by the multiple flags flying from the New Castle Court House Museum in the center of town. It was settled first by the Dutch, then Sweden, then Great Britain. In 1682, the King of England granted William Penn all of Pennsylvania and the “lower three counties,” which eventually separated and became Delaware, with New Castle as its capital. The city has always been a transportation hub, valued first for its location on the Delaware River, with access to the Atlantic Ocean, then as a terminus for the New Castle-Frenchtown Railroad, which opened in 1831 as one of the first rail lines in the country.
Just before downtown Wilmington, the DuPont Environmental Education Center makes a scenic stop for learning about the birds and other wildlife that make their home in the freshwater tidal marsh adjoining the Christina River.
Be sure to walk or ride out along the New Castle Riverfront Greenway, a little over a mile of paved path with the Delaware on one side and broad green park and trees on the other.
Accommodations & provisions
You can’t beat the location of this rental in the heart of downtown New Castle in the former David Finney Inn. Walk a block in either direction for colonial-style dining at Jessop’s Tavern.
In Wilmington, treat yourself to fun burgers, healthy greens and delicious milkshakes at Farmer and the Cow, a few blocks from the riverfront and right on the Greenway route at 413 N. Market Street.
Recommendations by Lisa Watts, who biked the entire East Coast Greenway in 2018.
More Itineraries
With a 3,000-mile route spanning Maine to Florida, the possibilities are endless for day trips, multi-day excursions and long-distance rides along the East Coast Greenway.
