C&D Canal · Walk or bike

Michael N. Castle Trail

Wide-open canal views, a long multi-use path and a peaceful way to extend your Delaware City visit.

Along the canal

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A cyclist on the paved Michael N. Castle Trail beside the canal, with grasses, trees and a bridge in the distance — Cycling along the Michael N. Castle TrailPhoto supplied by Main Street

Paved canal-side trail approaching an arched bridge, bordered by tall grasses and trees — Canal views from the trailPhoto supplied by Main Street

Aerial view along the C&D Canal with a paved shoreline trail and bridges in the distance — The canal and trail from abovePhoto supplied by Main Street

Michael N. Castle Trail beside the canal in warm evening light, with autumn trees and a distant bridge — Autumn along the canalPhoto supplied by Main Street

A paved trail stretching between green grasses, shrubs and trees beneath a cloudy summer sky — An open stretch of trailPhoto supplied by Main Street

View beneath a tall steel truss bridge spanning the canal, with concrete piers beside the water — A steel bridge over the canalPhoto supplied by Main Street

A 12.1-mile canal trail

DNREC’s official map labels the Castle Trail at 12.1 miles, extending between the St. Georges trailhead and the Delaware City/Fort DuPont area. Walk or bike a short out-and-back, or plan a longer ride along the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.

Official DNREC trail map

Who uses the trail?

DNREC identifies the trail for pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrians. It is not a motor-vehicle route. Share the path courteously, carry water and dress for open, weather-exposed conditions.

Before you set out

Use the official map to choose an appropriate access point and parking area; it does not promise a direct trail connection from every downtown street. Sections can close temporarily for storm repairs, so check DNREC notices before you go. State wildlife-area parking may require a Conservation Access Pass—confirm requirements for the lot you plan to use.

DNREC wildlife areas & trail updates Conservation Access Pass information

A stop along the path

African Union Church Cemetery

In 1835 five trustees of the African Union Church bought a half acre of land for $80 to establish a church — now razed — and a cemetery. Through its active years the church and cemetery served the residents of Polktown, one of Delaware’s earliest free Black settlements.

Among the marked burials are five veterans of Delaware’s United States Colored Troops, identified by the government-issued headstones marking these graves. Headstones mark additional graves, but many remain unmarked, and the date of the last interment is unknown. After a period of disuse, the cemetery and its care became associated with the Mount Salem UAME Church.

The restored cemetery and its memorial plaza come at the end of roughly two decades of research and work by the Friends of the African Union Church Cemetery. The site sits along the Castle Trail in Delaware City, so it is an easy stop on foot or by bike.

Delaware Public Archives marker NC-229 Friends of the African Union Church Cemetery

This is a burial ground, not a playground: visit quietly, stay on the marked areas and follow any posted guidance.

African Union Church Cemetery in Polktown, with its interpretive sign, brick memorial plaza, black fence and grave markers — African Union Church Cemetery and its interpretive sign. Photo supplied by Main Street.

The trail from above

View the trail aerial on TrailLink