White Clay Creek Preserve

Hiking  -  Biking  -  Horseback Riding  -  Fishing  -  Hunting  -  Cross-country Skiing

White Clay Creek Preserve is managed for low intensity recreational day use activities throughout the year. Day use areas are open daily from dawn to sunset.

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Fishing: White Clay Creek is stocked several times a season and is considered one of the best trout streams in the area. Special delayed harvest and artificial lures only regulations apply to the Middle Branch of White Clay Creek from Good Hope Road south to its confluence with the East Branch. Any bait may be used on the East Branch. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission laws apply.

Complete information on fishing rules and regulations in Pennsylvania is available from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.

Go to the U. S. Geological Survey Web site for the water level of the White Clay Creek Near Strickersville. http://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/uv/?site_no=01478245&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060,00010

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Hiking: Hiking trails explore the habitats of the park and tie in with trails in the White Clay Creek Preserve in Delaware.

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Biking: Bicyclists may use portions of Edwin Leid Trail. Bicyclists also use the roads in and along the borders of the Preserve.

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Horseback Riding: 8 miles of trails
An 8-mile equestrian trail traverses the entire length of the northern portion of the Preserve.

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Hunting: About 1,800 acres are open to deer hunting only.

Hunting woodchucks, also known as groundhogs, is prohibited. Dog training is only permitted from the day following Labor Day through March 31 in designated hunting areas. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Pennsylvania Game Commission rules and regulations apply. Contact the park office for ADA accessible hunting information.

Use extreme caution with firearms at all times. Other visitors use the park during hunting seasons. Firearms and archery equipment used for hunting may be uncased and ready for use only in authorized hunting areas during hunting seasons. In areas not open to hunting or during non-hunting seasons, firearms and archery equipment shall be kept in the owner's car, trailer or leased campsite. The only exception is that law enforcement officers and individuals with a valid Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms may carry said firearm concealed on their person while they are within the park.

Complete information on hunting rules and regulations in Pennsylvania is available from the Pennsylvania Game Commission Web site.

Winter Activities

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Cross-country Skiing: Cross-country skiers may use the hiking and bridle trails when snow cover permits.

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Environmental Education and Interpretation

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White Clay Creek Preserve no longer offers environmental education and interpretive programming due to significant reductions in the State Parks budget.

Explore Education to find a nearby park with an education program.

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Access for People with Disabilities

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If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a disability, please contact the park you plan to visit.

 

 

 

White Clay Creek Preserve is part of a larger tract of land sold to William Penn in 1683 by Lenni Lenape Chief Kekelappen. It is thought that Kekelappen lived in Opasiskunk, an “Indian Town” which appears on a survey map of 1699 at the confluence of the Middle and East branches of White Clay Creek. This area is now part of the Preserve.

Opasiskunk was a large settlement, covering several acres. Archeological evidence points to habitation in the area from the early Archaic Period up through the early 18th Century. Frequent flooding over the past two centuries obliterated all surface evidence of this once important settlement.

There are several points of historical interest in the Preserve. The Yeatman Mill House is probably the oldest dwelling in the area. It was the hub of a very prosperous milling and agricultural complex in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Built in 1729, the London Tract Baptist Meetinghouse is at the intersection of Sharpless and London Tract roads. In its stone-walled cemetery rest many of the area’s earliest settlers including Dr. David Eaton, whose home across the street in the Preserve, is a classic example of a double door Pennsylvania stone farmhouse. Two further points of interest are the tri-state Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Arc Corner monuments marking historical points along the Mason-Dixon Line.

In 1984, the DuPont Company donated land to Pennsylvania and Delaware for the purpose of preserving the diverse and unique plant and animal species, and the rich cultural heritage of the area. Today, these lands form the bi-state White Clay Creek Preserve, the only land designated as a preserve in the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks.

Because White Clay Creek posses outstanding scenic, wildlife, recreational and cultural value, it has been designated by Congress as a National Wild and Scenic River, and shall be preserved in free-flowing condition for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. www.whiteclay.org

Keep in Touch

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Volunteering

Like to spend time in the outdoors, meet friendly people and help make Pennsylvania State Parks great? Volunteering at a park might be for you.

Becoming a Conservation Volunteer is easy.

• Sign up to be a Conservation Volunteer
  OR
• Contact your local state park directly and ask for the Conservation Volunteer coordinator - you'll be hooked up with an interesting and appropriate project in Pennsylvania's natural resources.
   

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation

Believing that each generation is responsible for leaving behind a better legacy of good conservation, the Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation (PPFF) was created in 1999 to give supporters and users of Pennsylvania's parks and forests a positive way to contribute to the conservation of our publicly-owned properties. The Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation welcomes the support of individuals and businesses who share a commitment to conserving, protecting, and enhancing the natural, scenic, and recreational areas of this commonwealth. www.paparksandforests.org

Make a Donation

To a park - find this park's address below

To a park or the Bureau of State Parks - Pennsylvania Parks and Forestry Foundation www.paparksandforests.org

Through a purchase at a park gift shop

Thank you for your support!

Education Programs

We love when young people ask us how to get involved!

DiscoverE has programs for young people ages 4 to 17, provided by Pennsylvania State Park educators. By combining recreation and education, we hope to motivate children to learn more and return often, leading to a lifetime of outdoor enjoyment and conservation leadership. 

In Watershed Education, teachers and students assess water quality of a local stream on a quarterly basis and develop strategies to solve local water quality problems. 

ECO Camp - Exploring Careers Outdoors - is a week-long residential camp for a cross-section of high school youth from across Pennsylvania, sponsored by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). Participate in action-packed, hands on activities and recreational adventures in Pennsylvania’s state parks and forests that expose youth to conservation, recreation and careers in natural resources. Learn how people make a living working in the outdoors.

Explore education for more information on these and other programs.

Explore the Calendar of Events to find a program near you.

iConservePA

Do you take conservation personally? iConservePA is a Web site managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources whose vision is to inspire citizens to value their natural resources, engage in conservation practices and experience the outdoors. Take conservation personally.

Come Work with Us

Pennsylvania State Parks and the Department of Conservation and Natrual Resources offer a wide range of civil service and non-civil service jobs, from foresters, to rangers, to engineers, to educators, to botanists and so much more. Learn what is currently available.

Tell us What You Think

Contact this park with compliments, concerns and issues about the park.

White Clay Creek State Park

Nearby Attractions

Information on nearby attractions is available from the  Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau. www.brandywinevalley.com

Delaware's White Clay Creek State Park

The 4,000-acre Delaware state park includes 486 acres of the original land grant of White Clay Creek Preserve. The park and preserve have activities year-round. The park is ideal for a quiet walk or a family picnic, and has exceptional opportunities for bird watching and photography. A disc golf course and over 30 miles of nature and fitness trails offer a pleasant way to exercise and enjoy the outdoors. Nature education and interpretative programs are offered at the Chambers House Nature Center on Hopkins Road. The park office is near the intersection of Chambers Rock and Thompson Station roads.

Delaware's White Clay Creek State Park

Maps and Downloadables

Below are many of the maps and publications for this park. You can read them or download them and might need special software (all free) to view the publications.

You must have the free Adobe Reader to view the maps and brochures that are in pdf format (.pdf).

Alternate versions of the text of the brochures are in rich text and text formats. Click on the files to view them. To download (.rtf) files:
For Windows users, right click on the link then left click on "Save target as" to download the file to your computer. For Mac users, hold down the "Options" button and click on the link, then select "Save" to download the file to your computer.

Recreational Guide

White Clay Creek Preserve (.pdf) (1,545 kb, 3/11) 
White Clay Creek Preserve Recreational Guide (.pdf) (341kb, 3/11)
    large print version of the guide text (.rtf)

Interactive GIS Map

The Interactive GIS Map uses Geographic Information Systems to create a map that does not need to be downloaded and features driving directions, searchable park amenities and customizable maps. Please note that the background maps are maintained by a variety of public sources and driving directions usually go to the nearest large road.