Portion of Castle Trail near Delaware City to Close Temporarily

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A section of the Michael N. Castle Trail near Delaware City, Delaware will be temporarily closed in mid-April as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducts routine maintenance dredging along the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal. The trail closure is needed to lay a pipe and erect a ramp across the trail, with the trail expected to reopen during the dredging operations before closing again for removal of the equipment.

Why it matters

The Michael N. Castle Trail is a popular recreational path along the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal, providing walking, running, and biking access for locals and visitors. The temporary closures will disrupt access to this scenic trail, though the work is necessary to maintain the canal's navigability.

The details

The trail closure will occur near the southern end of the Delaware City Branch Channel, on the north side of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal. The trail is expected to be closed for several days in mid-April while the pipe and ramp are installed, then will reopen during the dredging operations. The trail will close again for several days when the equipment is removed after dredging concludes in August.

• The trail closure is expected to occur in mid-April 2026.
• Dredging operations are scheduled to conclude in August 2026.
• The trail will close again for several days after August 2026 for removal of the pipe and ramp.

What’s next

An exact date for the initial trail closure in mid-April has not yet been announced, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will provide updates as the dredging work progresses.