America’s famed national parks are consistently some of the country’s top travel destinations from year to year. However, this does not mean that iconic parks aren’t without issues. Just this year, several of America’s most famous parks dealt with various headaches that have the potential to sully a trip somewhat.
Whether it’s something dramatic, like the Grand Canyon suffering significant fire damage to its North Rim, or more minor headaches like Yosemite’s heavy traffic during peak season or Yellowstone’s ongoing issue of “tourons” illegally pulling off the road to try and get closer to wildlife, even the most spectacular parks are not immune to tragedy or annoying hassles.
If you’re interested in experiencing America’s great outdoors without the irritations that can come with high-profile national parks, the country has no shortage of amazing public lands that get little to no attention in the popular consciousness.
Even outside the National Park System, federal lands all across the country preserve surprisingly scenic natural settings hiding in plain sight. Even seemingly “bland” states have their own incredible public land preserves just waiting to be explored, if you know where to look. Enter Delaware’s Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge.
In most people’s minds, Delaware is about as far from the epic landscapes of the American West as you can get. And yet, Delaware’s public lands are public for the same reason as iconic monuments like Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon — they’re both exquisitely beautiful and ecologically important.
The Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge may be the most significant stretch of land in Delaware, and perhaps the most significant in the Mid-Atlantic region as a whole. More important for travelers, however, is how beautiful the park is. With enchanting coastal marshes, forests, and plenty of wildlife, Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge is one of America’s most beautiful federally controlled preserves that you’ve never heard of.
Discover The Hidden Beauty Of An Oft-Overlooked State
For all of its historical significance and Mid-Atlantic charms, Delaware sadly does not get the attention given to other East Coast states. Yet Delaware certainly has abundant riches waiting to share with visitors and residents alike. For example, Delaware’s famed Dewey Beach is the epicenter of several excellent summer road trips. Meanwhile, Delaware has even overtaken Florida as the best state for retirement. In short, Delaware has plenty of amazing attractions if you know where to look.
Bombak Hook National Wildlife Refuge has a strong case for being the single most beautiful spot in Delaware, even rivaling other notable coastal parks and preserves up and down the East Coast. Managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bombay Hook protects eight miles of coastline along the Delaware Bay, with 16,251 acres total. Much of that land consists of scenic salt marshes, freshwater estuaries, and even upland forest ecosystems. While the park’s coastal landscape is kept pristine, visitors do have access to some helpful infrastructure, including both hiking trails and scenic driving routes.
Bombay Hook’s complex synthesis of wetlands, forests, and grassy plains creates a distinctive visual effect that stands out even among other photogenic coastal areas along the Mid-Atlantic. And while Bombay Hook does not have the towering mountains or epic canyons of national parks out west, its shimmering water systems, unique marshes, and abundant wildlife create an unforgettable kind of beauty all its own.
Experience One Of The Most Important Ecosystems On The East Coast
While Bombay Hook is undoubtedly picturesque, the park is much more than just its serene beauty. In ecological terms, Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most important preserves on the East Coast — and maybe the country as a whole! This region of the Delaware coast happens to contain one of the Mid-Atlantic’s largest remaining tidal salt marsh ecosystems. Because they blend environments from the water and the land, salt marshes are critically important for a wide range of marine and terrestrial species. However, salt marsh preserves like Bombay Hook are particularly notable for their diverse populations of birds.
The Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge was initially established as a key piece of a much larger chain of coastal preserves stretching from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, which would serve as havens for numerous species of migratory birds.
Tragically, many of the salt marshes that were once plentiful along the Atlantic coast have fallen to pollution and human development. As such, preserves like Bombay Hook provide essential nests, food, and shelter to countless bird species as they make their annual migrations north and south.
Each year, Bombay Hook welcomes hundreds of thousands of migrating birds, including songbirds, shorebirds, ducks, geese, birds of prey, and plenty more. But while our feathered friends are the stars of the show, Bombay Hook is also home to a plethora of other species of mammals, reptiles, fish, amphibians, and so on. During your visit, you have a good chance of seeing animals as diverse as foxes, deer, turtles, raccoons, beavers, snakes, and more! And that’s not even mentioning Bombay Hook’s rich gardens of plant life, including ravishing wildflowers.
Explore A Wonderland Of Wildlife And Adventure
In addition to its obvious beauty and ecological significance, Bombay Hook is also a superb spot for enjoying outdoor recreation in the heart of one of America’s most underrated public lands. Quite obviously, wildlife watching is the top activity in the park, with birdwatching being a particularly popular pastime. The park’s scenic driving routes even mean that you can watch wildlife from the comfort of your own car!
If you feel like getting out and about, Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge also has several great hiking trails for exploring this vibrant ecosystem on foot. The park’s Boardwalk Loop features a leisurely boardwalk stroll with excellent views of the Bombay Hook ecosystem. Some trails, like the Raymond Tower Trail and Shearness Tower Trail, even have observation towers that provide even more epic views of the park.
Given the park’s sublime scenery and abundant wildlife, photography is also a top activity. In certain seasons, snow goose hunting is permitted within the park (check Delaware state regulations), while fishing is permitted in the park’s Pasture Point Pond (catch and release only). Passes and all reservations can be booked online at recreation.gov.
Regardless of whether you’re looking to add more birds to your life book, try your hand at nature photography, or just take a scenic stroll in an exquisite natural setting, Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge has all the same beauty, activities, and vibes as America’s most famous national parks!
