10 reasons to visit Delaware State Parks this winter

While cold weather months might not be the time you think about visiting a park, the winter scenery features sights, sounds and experiences not available during other seasons, according to park staff and hikers.

“More of the landscape is exposed because the foliage has died back and you can see topography and features more clearly than any other time of the year,” said Teresa Pierce, interpretive programs manager at Auburn Valley State Park. “The great historical ruins stand out more – the stone foundations of old buildings, little barns and outbuildings or stone steps from a home that’s no longer there.”

Bird watching is a highlight for many visitors in the sparse winter landscape, said Angel Burns, Delaware State Parks chief of interpretation.

“I love birding year round, but in the winter, the colors, especially the reds, really pop out – the cardinals, the woodpeckers. It’s really striking,” Burns said. “Some people may see cold weather and snow as a challenge, but those are also some of the reasons people come out this time of year – to explore the beauty of winter, the frosty mornings, the animal prints in snow.”