Special Features

Delaware is the southernmost coastal state in our region as well as being mountainless, so early spring riding is definitely in order here. The state offers a surprising array of natural and historical places for the mountain biker to explore. There's something for everyone, from the rolling terrain of historic New Castle to the 90-mile coastline and beautiful beaches of Delaware's southern shore.

Discover the natural beauty of Brandywine Creek State Park by bicycle. Special park features include Tulip Tree Woods, a majestic stand of 190-year-old tulip poplar, and the Freshwater Marsh is the perfect place for spotting wildlife this spring. The Brandywine Creek Nature Center offers programs such as Frogs and Toads at Dusk, Birding Basics and Breakfast, guided canoe trips and more.

The White Clay Creek watershed is one of only a few relatively unspoiled river systems in the urbanized corridor between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Newark, Delaware. Here White Clay Creek State Park is a popular spot for bird watching as the sky fills with birds on their spring migration paths. 35+ miles of well-groomed, multi-use trails take you through varied habitats and additional miles for mountain biking can be found in the adjacent county-managed Middle Run Valley Natural Area.

Cape Henlopen State Park in Southern Delaware is perfect for a combination bike and nature oriented week-end get-away this Spring. Cape Henlopen State Park and the Junction and Breakwater Trail (pictured above: right) offer bike paths for easy scenic cruising through scenic woods and tidal marshlands.

Also see explore Southern Delaware by Bicycle for more details.

Explore Maryland this spring, a bike friendly state with a rich history and diverse geography, from the mountains of western Maryland to the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean. Plenty of biking opportunities exist in the many national, state, and county parks, state forests and natural areas.

Depending on winter snow cover or wet spring weather,  mountain biking in some areas of the western Maryland mountains may have to wait till the trails dry out. However, The Savage River State Forest offers a network of gravel woods roads and xc ski trails to challenging, rugged singletrack trails for outddoor activities all year long. Then in late April the exciting Greenbrier Challenge and MD State Championship Mountain Bike Races takes place at Greenbrier State Park. (see 2008 MTB events calendar).

Spring comes earlier to Central Maryland and the rural countryside of the Eastern Shore and Southern Shore regions. Enjoy the early spring warmth while riding trails through farmland, coastal forests, inlets, bays and tidal marshes. A good bet this Spring is the fast and dry singletrack at Susquehanna State Park where you can also access the Lower Susquehanna Valley Greenway Trail.

Spring is a great time to bike on the historical Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath (pictured right) which travels 184 miles along Maryland's scenic Potomac River valley from Georgetown (Washington, D.C.) to Cumberland, Maryland. There are many geological and historical sites along the crushed stone and gravel trail, including the Great Falls of the Potomac.

The Northern Central Railroad Trail is a 10 foot wide trail of fine crushed stone that provides a quiet escape from nearby Baltimore. Much of the trail follows along the meandering Gunpowder Falls River through rural farmland. Scenic rock outcrops, spring wildflowers and a variety of wildlife, including deer and beaver can be seen along the trail. The trail also passes through Gunpowder Falls State Park where there are miles of more challenging mountain bike trails.

For riding later in the spring, Garrett State Forest contains a diversity of trees, abundant wildlife and beautiful scenery. Mountain streams trickle throughout the region, offering visitors glimpses of beaver ponds and cranberry bogs.

Outdoor adventure awaits you in Pennsylvania as you re-connect with nature this spring. The state offers thousands of miles of trails, from easy to challenging, from well-traveled trailheads and rail trails to remote wilderness. They take you through sweeping valleys and old-growth forests and climb far-reaching hills and mountains. You will find state park trails, passages through the countryside and rail trails, converted from historic railway routes.

The Lehigh Gorge Trail, an abandoned stretch of the Jersey Central Railroad welcomes multi-use recreation along the Lehigh River in the Poconos region. Early Spring on the Lehigh Gorge Trail is magical when the water in the Lehigh River is high and there are fewer crowds. The river gorge cuts deep into the Pocono Plateau, providing outstanding views of rock outcroppings, streams, gushing waterfalls and steep slopes blanketed in hemlock, rhododendron and mountain laurel.

One of the most spectacular natural areas in the Commonwealth, the Pine Creek Gorge is often referred to as the "Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania." The Pine Creek Trail (shown above right) in the Susquehanna Valley is a rail trail which travels through the Gorge and two state parks. Besides beautiful spring scenery, forests of old growth Hemlock and native Red Pine, dramatic rock outcroppings and gushing waterfalls,  there is plenty of wildlife viewing opportunity here.

A bike ride on the historic 60 mile long Delaware Canal State Park bike path is a ride into American history. From riverside to farm fields to historic towns, cyclists will enjoy the ever-changing Spring scenery along its corridor. Paralleling the Delaware River, this diverse park contains an historic canal and towpath, many miles of river shoreline, eleven river islands, two state natural areas and passes through many quaint historical towns.