Alapocas Run State Park

Alapocas Run State Park is a 415-acre park featuring mature woodlands, walking trails, athletic fields, and a natural rock climbing wall along Brandywine Creek. The grounds also include the historic Blue Ball Barn and remnants of a former granite quarry.

William Poole Bancroft preserved the land in the early 1900s after granite had been extracted for decades. The quarry, which operated from 1870 to 1938, supplied stone for many local buildings.

The Blue Ball Barn, built in 1914, displays the Delaware Folk Art Collection and shares stories about farming life in the region. Visitors can see how the building reflects the agricultural traditions that shaped this area.

The park has three athletic fields for team sports and marked walking trails, including over 2 miles of the Northern Delaware Greenway Trail system. Visitors should be prepared for uneven ground and wet areas near the streams.

The old quarry walls now serve as Delaware's only natural climbing location, offering top-rope and rappelling opportunities. This transformed industrial landscape creates an unexpected climbing destination within a state park setting.

Location: New Castle County

Inception: 1910

Website: https://destateparks.com/Alapocas

GPS coordinates: 39.77610,-75.54610

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:48