The Basic Out-and-Back

The most popular area for running/jogging is the Newark area is on Creek Road, which is the extension of North College Ave., leading north from the center of Newark along the National Wild & Scenic White Clay Creek. This road is paved and lightly traveled by vehicles for a little more than two miles.

Thanks to CRR Bill Rose for adding an interactive map and route info.

For Those Who Just Can’t Get Enough

Just beyond the “S-curve” (concrete overpass abutments for the old Pomeroy Railroad) on the left is the northernmost trailhead of the Pomeroy trail, a paved-surface, multi-use path leading south, east, then south again through Newark, ending at the Hall Trail.  Just past this trailhead on Creek Road there is access on the left to a trail to the Fairfield Crest development.  One can also take a left at Wedgewood Road (at about 2.3 miles) and head uphill toward Route 896 and the Carpenter Recreation Area portion of White Clay Creek State Park. Creek Road extends beyond Wedgewood Road as a gated dirt road.

There is access to a trail that parallels Creek Road on the east side of the creek between Wedgewood Road and Hopkins Road via a foot bridge near the terminus of Wedgewood Road. This makes a nice, albeit short, loop. It also intersects trails to the east that access the old Deerfield golf course, which is owned by the state and runable. Creek Road intersects Hopkins Road (use caution crossing!) at about 3.2 miles and proceeds to the Park visitors’ center. A newer bridge provides even shorter loop runs out of Newark.

At the visitors’ center parking lot, Creek Road narrows to a trail, enters another gated area, crosses Chambers Rock Road at about 3.8 miles, and continues into the White Clay Creek Preserve in Pennsylvania, ending at South Bank Road about five miles out. Directly across Creek Road from the visitors’ center is a small foot trail that continues to follow the contour of the creek north to the parking lot on Chambers Rock Road.

A short run east on Chambers Rock Road will bring one across the creek to Thompson Station Road. A left onto Thompson Station Road will afford runners access to trails at the Park Office or to a nice stretch of shaded, paved Preserve road that proceeds north for another couple miles to Corner Ketch.

Got Trails?

If you like trail running, the northwest corner of the state boasts an extensive area of parks and trails contiguous with other areas of White Clay Creek State Park (Carpenter, Possum Hill, and the Judge Morris Property) and New Castle County’s Middle Run Natural Area. Many nice new trails have recently been added to the State Park and Preserve areas, which have given trail enthusiasts more choices.

Take a Friend

Note that we encourage females to run with a companion in isolated areas. Unfortunately, there have been one or two instances of assaults on lone females along Creek Road over the past few decades. Whether male or female, it’s good to run with a partner.