Great Places

Lums Pond State Park & Whale Wallow Nature Center

39°33'47.12"N  75°43'8.07"W

1068 Howell School Road
Bear, DE 19701

Phone: (302) 368-6989
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There are no natural lakes in Delaware, but Lums Pond State Park offers its largest (189 acres) freshwater pond. It's also one of the few places you can embark on a tree-top adventure course, complete with zip lines (pictured), or camp inside a "yurt," or Asian-style tent. And you can even rent a canoe, kayak, pedal boat, rowboat, or sailboat; that or bring your own--there's a boat ramp too.

This park offers excellent fishing for bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass, perch, pumpkinseed sunfish and more. It also has 10 miles of hiking trails that meander through 1,700 acres of wilderness. We recommend waterproof hiking boots for these, especially the Swamp Forest Trail. This runs parallel to the shore of Lums Pond and, well, it can get a bit swampy. Along the way, pay a visit to the nearby Whale Wallow Nature Center, the official gateway to Lums Pond State Park.

As in any state, we suggest you consult current fish advisories before eating local fish. These can be found at Delaware.gov, keyword "fish advisories." And whenever in doubt, simply practice catch-and-release fishing, a fun pastime by all accounts.

Visit the Friends of Lums Pond State Park online at DEStateParks.com/Park/Lums-Pond/Friends.asp.

Photo by the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary

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