UD Weekend Guide

Newark, DE and Elkton, MD · Friday Oct 23 to Sunday Oct 25, 2026 · 2 people

Home base: Elkton Lodge, Elkton MD. About 4 miles west of campus, 10 minutes to Fair Hill, 5 minutes to Milburn Orchards.
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM, check-out is at 11:00 AM. If you expect to arrive after 9:00 PM, call the front desk at (410) 398-9400 so they can better assist you.

Hiking

Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area, Elkton

10 min from the Elkton hotels · HQ at 300 Tawes Drive, Elkton MD 21921

5,600 acres and 80-plus miles of trails. The Orange Trail is a 5.8-mile loop with some climbs, about two hours. Park at any of the five day-use lots. Horses have right of way, and late October foliage here is the best in the area. Trail map (PDF)

White Clay Creek State Park, Newark

Wraps around the north side of campus · day-use fee about $5 to $10 for out-of-state plates

The Carpenter Recreation Area off Route 896 is the main trailhead, and the creek-side trails from the Chambers House lot on Creek Road are the prettiest easy walk. Park page

Turkey Point Lighthouse, Elk Neck State Park, North East

About 30 min south of Elkton · end of Route 272 · sunrise to sunset

An easy 1 to 2 mile round trip on crushed stone to an 1833 lighthouse on a bluff over the Chesapeake. The lot fills on weekends, so go before 10 a.m., or go for sunset. The lighthouse is climbable on weekends through November. Lighthouse page

Biking

Michael Castle Trail, C&D Canal

12.4 mi paved, car-free · Chesapeake City, MD to Delaware City, DE

Flat and scenic, with ships going by. Start at the Chesapeake City lot on the north side of the canal and ride as far as you like. Trail details

Middle Run Natural Area and White Clay Creek, Newark

Free lot on Possum Hollow Road near Tri-State Bird Rescue · fills quickly on a dry day

Smooth, fast, hard-packed singletrack rated mostly intermediate, with a skills area. Skip it if the trails are wet. Rider reviews

Fair Hill, Elkton

Best beginner-friendly off-road riding nearby

The Red Trail is an easy 2.5-mile loop on an old logging road, and the Blue Diamond Trail is 6.8 miles of gravel double-track that holds up after rain. Bikes yield to hikers, and everyone yields to horses.

Something else

Milburn Orchards, Elkton

1495 Appleton Road, Elkton MD · 5 min from Elkton Lodge · Sat 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., last entry one hour before close, weather permitting

This weekend, October 24 and 25, is one of their Peak Fall Festival weekends. Apple and pumpkin picking, cider donuts, corn maze, and the Big BackYard play area. Fall admission tickets

Chesapeake City, MD

15 min from Elkton · walkable historic canal town

Pair it with the canal bike ride, then eat on the water at Bayard House (11 Bohemia Ave), known for crab soup and crab cakes, or Schaefer's Canal House (208 Bank St) across the canal with a deck bar. The C&D Canal Museum with its giant 1829 water wheel is free, but check weekend hours since one listing says weekdays only. Town guide

Go Ape at Lums Pond State Park, Bear DE

About 20 min from Newark · seasonal, book online first

Zipline and treetop ropes course. Lums Pond also rents kayaks and has a flat 7-mile loop trail around the pond. Go Ape booking

Main Street, Newark

A few blocks from campus and the Hyatt Place

For the evening: Iron Hill Brewery, Deer Park Tavern, and a dozen other spots within walking distance.

A good Saturday

  1. Turkey Point Lighthouse at sunrise, before the lot fills.
  2. Milburn Orchards late morning for the fall festival.
  3. Chesapeake City for lunch on the water, then the canal bike ride.
  4. Main Street Newark for dinner.