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By Lynn R. Parks February is not the hottest month for visitation at area parks. But that does not mean that the three state parks and one Delaware Nature Society location in Kent and Sussex counties are not worth a mid-winter visit. Following is information about the four parks, and the events each has planned for February. Abbott’s Mill is one of two parks maintained by the Delaware Nature Society – the other is Ashland Nature Center in Hockessin. The park is the site of a non-operating water-powered mill, open for tours, as well as woodland trails. The center is surrounded by protected land, including a marsh preserve and a bog preserve. On Wednesday, Feb. 5, the center will host a program about groundhogs for children ages 3 to 5. Groundhogs Galore will go from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and will feature exploration of the meadow in which groundhogs live. Parent participation is required. Cost is $4 for members, $6 for non-members. On Saturday, Feb. 8, a family program about maple sugaring will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Participants will tap a tree, collect sap and boil it down. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Cost is $10 for members, $12 for non-members. Wednesday, Feb. 12, is the deadline for signing up for a weekend on Assateague Island and Chincoteague, sponsored by the Delaware Nature Society. The weekend will take place March 21 through 23 and will cost $220 for members, $240 for non-members. For additional details, call Abbott’s Mill, 422-0847. Killens Pond State Park near Felton is centered on a 66-acre millpond which features boating and fishing. The millpond was established in the late 1700s. Prior to the pond’s creation, the Murderkill River and surrounding hardwood forest were sites of several Native American homes and hunting camps. According to legend, the river’s unusual name refers to a local tribe’s massacre of a Dutch trading party at the mouth of the river in 1648. Now a peaceful oasis, Killens Pond became a state park in 1965. The pond, which is open to fishing, is home to largemouth bass, catfish, carp, perch, crappie, bluegills and pickerel. There is a boat launching ramp and canoes, rowboats, surf bikes, kayaks and pedal boats can be rented during the summer. The Murderkill River Canoe Trail provides a challenge for the more adventurous paddler. Relatively new at Killens Pond is a water park features interactive water fun and two 27-foot high, 205-foot long slides that twist and turn their way down to the water. At the tot pool and tot lot, bubblers, ground water jets, small slides, and a pool-side water play system for smaller visitors. In addition, there is a nearby concession stand. In the woodlands and grassy fields surrounding the pond, hiking trails and a cross-country running course wind through several types of habitat featuring native plants and animals. There are game courts and ball fields as well as an 18-hole disc golf course. The Life Course Trail offers a healthy challenge and the Ice Storm Trail gives hikers a chance to observe the forest's recovery from the devastating ice storms that struck the area in 1994. On Sunday, Feb. 2, the park will present a program in honor of Groundhog Day. The program, which will start at 1 p.m., will focus on the animal’s hibernation practices and what it does during the spring. At the end of the program, there will be games and groundhog activities. Cost is $3 per person. On Saturday, Feb. 8, the park will take a look at the 1994 ice storm that caused tremendous damage to the forest there. Participants will hike the Ice Storm Trail, through a section of the park most affected by the storm, and examine how the forest is rebounding. The program will start at 1 p.m. On Sunday, Feb. 9, the park will present a program on making natural Valentine’s. Participants will gather items from along the park’s trails, then use them to create natural greeting cards for the day of romance. The program, which starts at 1 p.m., costs $5 per person. It is not recommended for children under 8. Tracks and Traces, which looks at the markings animals leave behind, will be held Saturday, Feb. 15, beginning at 1 p.m. Winter Chorus, planned for Saturday, Feb. 22, will examine the feathered residents of the forest, and the songs with which they are greeting the coming of spring. Registration is required for all programs. For details, call 284-4299. Cape Henlopen State Park sits at the confluence of the Atlantic Ocean and the Delaware Bay. As such, it has two beaches, one ocean and the other calmer bay. The park is also home to an abandoned World War II military base, Ft. Miles, and makes use of several of its structures, including a tall watchtower and an old sand dune battery. The Great Dune provides a great view of Lewes and the comings and goings of ships, including the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. A picnic pavilion and the old Officer’s Club can be reserved for group events. There is also a large camping area. The Seaside Nature Center offers environmental education programs and activities year-round. On Saturday, Feb. 1, the park will host a program in honor of Groundhog Day. The program will start at 1 p.m. Volunteer Trail Day, during which volunteers clean the park’s trails, will be Saturday, Feb. 1, from 9 a.m. to noon. In Cold Blood will look at the differences between warm-blooded and cold-blooded animals. The program will be Sunday, Feb. 2, 1 p.m. On Tuesday, Feb. 4, Wendy Carey, University of Delaware Sea Grant coastal processes specialist, will begin a month-long course on the hazards of living next to a restless ocean. The four sessions will cover coastal geology, sea level rise, coastal erosion, storms and planning for whatever the sea throws toward the coast. Participation is limited to 25 people. Pre-registration is required. The park’s monthly book discussion group will meet Wednesday, Feb. 5, 7 p.m. For details on the book the group is reading, call the nature center. Lunch and Learn will be Thursday, Feb. 6, at noon. A discussion relating to the natural or cultural history of the cape will be held in the park’s auditorium. The park provides coffee and dessert. On Saturday, Feb. 8, the park will host a hike along the Gordons Pond Trail at the south end of Cape Henlopen. Participants will meet in the Gordons Pond parking lot. A tour of the old military battery will be Sunday, Feb. 9, beginning at 1 p.m. Participants will learn about the construction of Ft. Miles. Pre-registration is required. Cost is $3 per person. Cape Kids will meet Wednesday, Feb. 12, 10 a.m. in the Seaside Nature Center. The program, designed for children 3 and 4, is limited to 12 participants. Children must be accompanied by adults. Pre-registration is required. Cost is $2 per child. On Saturday, Feb. 15, Predators of the Sea will examine orcas, sharks and barracudas as well as the less fearsome predators such as jellyfish and crabs. Inspired by a full moon, the park will offer a nighttime guided walk of the park Sunday, Feb. 16. Pre-registration is required. Cost is $2 per person. The walk will start at 7 p.m. Every spring, the point of the cape is closed to allow nesting birds to breed in peace. On Saturday, Feb. 22, the park will sponsor one last walk around the cape before it is closed. The walk will start at 10 a.m. Jacob Jones, Delaware native and American naval hero, was the namesake of two ill-fated destroyers that met their ends at the hands of German U-boats during World Wars I and II. The second ship lies on the ocean floor just 50 miles off the coast of Delaware. On Sunday, Feb. 23, the park will host a program that will look at the man and the ships. The program will start at 1 p.m. For more information on any of the programs, call the Seaside Nature Center, 645-6852. Like Killens Pond, Trap Pond State Park is centered on an old millpond. The park also features the northernmost natural stand of baldcypress trees in the United States. The pond was created in the late 1700s to power a sawmill during the harvest of baldcypress trees. The federal government purchased the pond and surrounding farmland during the 1930s and the Civilian Conservation Corps began to develop the area for recreation. Trap Pond became one of Delaware's first state parks in 1951. Hiking trails surround the pond and venture into several wetland areas. Bird watching is a popular pastime at the park. Rowboats, pedal boats, surf bikes, canoes and kayaks can be rented during the summer. There is a boat launching ramp and a wilderness canoe trail that ventures into area swamp. The Baldcypress Nature Center has displays about the park. There are picnic areas, volleyball courts, horseshoe pits and a playground. Swimming in the pond is not permitted.
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