Brandywine Valley Trail Plan Implementation

Background:

The Brandywine Valley unit of First State National Historical Park is the largest unit of the park, covering 1,359 acres along the border of Delaware and Pennsylvania. This land was originally inhabited by the Lenni-Lenape people. Later, early Quaker industrialists developed the area, and it was eventually sold to William Poole Bancroft. Bancroft created the Woodlawn Trustees to manage and protect the land.

In 1959, the Woodlawn Trustees began building bridle paths to help their officers and guests explore more of the area. They used some existing farm roads and added new paths for recreational use. By 1968, these paths were open to the public for activities like hiking, biking, and horseback riding.

In 2013, roughly 1,105 acres were donated to the National Park Service (NPS), and in 2021 another 254 acres were donated. In 2024, the park completed a Comprehensive Trail Plan that defines a designated shared-use 27.8-mile trail network that will provide high-quality recreational opportunities, promote visitor safety and enjoyment and preserve connectivity with leased property within the Brandywine Valley section of the park and neighboring properties. 

 

Timeline:

Over a five-year period, the NPS anticipates implementing trail construction and modifications in the following order:

1. Trails affected by mica mine fencing

2. Trails intersecting private inholdings

3. Trails that help promote user safety, such as avoiding dangerous road crossings

4. Trails promoting connectivity throughout the Park

5. Trails in the Rocky Run area

Trail closures would generally occur concurrently with associated trail construction and modifications. As resources allow, implementation may occur concurrently in multiple portions of the unit.

Upcoming Trail Projects:

Dates:	Project Location:	Work Description:	Volunteer Recruitment:
				September 15 - September 23	North Central	Re-route, repair, closures, and construction	This project is not open to volunteers.
				September 29 - October 7	North Central	Re-route, repair, closures, and construction	This project is not open to volunteers.

The park is working on developing projects for volunteers to assist. Once a project is identified it will be posted here as well as on the park's social media platforms and volunteer.gov.

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: How will the park announce upcoming trail work or closures? 

A: Two weeks prior to the start date of any trail closure due to renovation or restoration will be announced on First State National Historical Park’s website and social media platforms. In addition, the park may place h-frame signs near the closest trail intersections, or parking lots.  

Q. How will the National Park Service implement the Brandywine Valley Trail Plan?

A. The NPS will phase implementation over approximately 5 years and use a hierarchy of priorities as a guide. This approach will allow the NPS to minimize interruptions in trail use during trail construction and closures. The NPS determined the hierarchy of priorities based on factors including connectivity (including with adjacent lands), current trail conditions and associated impacts on natural and cultural resources, level of use, and anticipated staff and volunteer capacity.

Q: What will happen if I am caught on a closed trail?

A: Anyone found recreating off-trail may receive a verbal or written warning, or a ticket for violating 36CFR1.5(f).  The specific restrictions related to trail usage can be found in the 36CFR1.5(a)(2) section of the Superintendent’s Compendium.

Q. Why is the National Park Service targeting Mountain Bikers? 

A. The National Park Service is not targeting Mountain Bikers; however, the National Park Service has regulations in 36CFR §4.30 (the Bicycle Rule) that establish administrative pathways to allow bicycle use on trails within park areas. The Revised EA meets the requirement in the Bicycle Rule to evaluate the effects of bicycle use on each shared-use trail in the Brandywine Valley unit of the Park.  

In addition to the planning and National Environmental Policy Act compliance documents (which are typically the same document), the Superintendent must prepare, and the Regional Director must approve, a written determination stating that the addition of bicycle use on the trails is consistent with the protection of the park area’s natural, scenic and aesthetic values, safety considerations and management objectives, and will not disturb wildlife or park resources. 

At the completion of the planning process, the NPS will promulgate a special regulation, through a public notice and comment rulemaking process, that will authorize the Superintendent to allow bicycles, by designation in the Superintendent’s Compendium, on all or a portion of the trails identified in the selected action. 

Q: How can I volunteer to help with trail projects? 

The National Park Service is identifying new trail projects to start working on. When projects are available, we will share updates on our social media and email volunteers who are interested. We’ll also post volunteer recruitment opportunities on volunteer.gov.

If you want to receive email notifications about volunteer opportunities, please email us to sign up.

 

 

There is nothing so American as our national parks… The fundamental idea behind the parks… is that the country belongs to the people, that it is in process of making for the enrichment of the lives of all of us.

—Franklin D. Roosevelt

Image credit: NPS Volunteer