Lums Pond State Park
Encyclopedia
Lums Pond State Park is a 1790-acre (7.24 km²) Delaware state park near Bear
, New Castle County
, Delaware
in the United States
. The park surrounds Lums Pond, an impoundment built by the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal
on St. Georges Creek. The C&D built the pond as a source of water to fill the locks of the canal
that connected the Chesapeake Bay
with the Delaware River
during the early 19th century. Lums Pond State Park is open for a wide variety of year-round recreation.
pond
in Delaware, covering 200 acres (0.81 km²) in central New Castle County, was built in the early 19th century as an impoundment for the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. The pond supplied water to fill the locks
of the canal and water power for a local gristmill
. The pond became a natural recreational draw for the residents of Delaware. Ownership was transferred to the state of Delaware in the mid-20th century. Lums Pond State Park was opened to the public in 1963.
and fishing
. Rowboats, sailboat
s, kayak
s, canoe
s, and pedal boats are available to rent. Lums Pond is a freshwater fishery with the common game fish being carp
, pickerel
, crappie
, catfish
, and largemouth bass
and hybrid striped bass
. The hybrid striped bass are stocked by the Fish and Wildlife Division of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. The other game fish are native species.
Many visitors to Lums Pond State Park take advantage of the wide variety of camping opportunities that are available. There 62 campsites without electric connections, 6 sites with electricity, 2 yurt
s, and 4 sites with stabling facilities for horses. The campsites are open to RVs
or tent
s. The yurts feature bunk beds and a futon, electricity, and a large outdoor deck with freshwater and a grill.
Lums Pond State Park is open to hiking
, cross-country skiing
and snowmobiling
on Lums Pond State Parks network of trails. Summit North Marina is located on the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. It has 250 private slips for boats and offers boat and fuel sales, boat storage and boat repair. Many different ballfields and game courts are spread throughout Lums Pond State Park. The fields are open to football
, soccer, baseball
, and softball
. The courts are open to basketball
, volleyball
and tennis
. Horseshoes
pits are available as is a disc golf
course. Hunting
is permitted with a hunting license from the Division of Fish and Wildlife but a special permit from the Division of Parks and Recreation is also required since the park is Parks and Recreation property. The special permit can be acquired at the park office. Any more questions about the park or anything that is offered by the park can be directed to 302-368-6989 which is the number to Lums Pond's office or by calling the Division of Parks and Recreations headquarters in Dover at 302-739-9200.
Bear, Delaware
Bear is a census-designated place in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 17,593 at the 2000 census.Originally a small crossroads in a rural area south of Wilmington, the area supported small farms growing mainly corn and cattle...
, New Castle County
New Castle County, Delaware
New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2010 its population was 538,479, an increase of 7.6% over the previous decade. The county seat is Wilmington. The center of population of Delaware is located in New Castle County, in the town of...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The park surrounds Lums Pond, an impoundment built by the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal
Chesapeake and Delaware Canal
The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal is a 14-mile long, 450-foot wide and 40-foot deep ship canal that cuts across the states of Maryland and Delaware, in the United States. It connects the waters of the Delaware River with those of the Chesapeake Bay and the Port of Baltimore...
on St. Georges Creek. The C&D built the pond as a source of water to fill the locks of the canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
that connected the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
with the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
during the early 19th century. Lums Pond State Park is open for a wide variety of year-round recreation.
History
Lums Pond, the largest freshwaterFreshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
pond
Pond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
in Delaware, covering 200 acres (0.81 km²) in central New Castle County, was built in the early 19th century as an impoundment for the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. The pond supplied water to fill the locks
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
of the canal and water power for a local gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
. The pond became a natural recreational draw for the residents of Delaware. Ownership was transferred to the state of Delaware in the mid-20th century. Lums Pond State Park was opened to the public in 1963.
Recreation
Lums Pond is the center of recreation at Lums Pond State Park. Although swimming is not permitted in the pond, it is open to boatingBoating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
. Rowboats, sailboat
Sailboat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails. The term covers a variety of boats, larger than small vessels such as sailboards and smaller than sailing ships, but distinctions in the size are not strictly defined and what constitutes a sailing ship, sailboat, or a...
s, kayak
Kayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
s, canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
s, and pedal boats are available to rent. Lums Pond is a freshwater fishery with the common game fish being carp
Carp
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
, pickerel
American pickerel
The American pickerels are two subspecies of Esox americanus, a species of freshwater fish in the pike family of order Esociformes: the redfin pickerel, E. americanus americanus Gmelin, 1789, and the grass pickerel, E. americanus vermiculatus Lesueur, 1846.Both subspecies are native to North America...
, crappie
Crappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
, catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
, and largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
and hybrid striped bass
Hybrid striped bass
A hybrid striped bass, also known as a wiper or whiterock bass, is a hybrid between the striped bass and the white bass . It can be distinguished from the striped bass by broken rather than solid horizontal stripes on the body...
. The hybrid striped bass are stocked by the Fish and Wildlife Division of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. The other game fish are native species.
Many visitors to Lums Pond State Park take advantage of the wide variety of camping opportunities that are available. There 62 campsites without electric connections, 6 sites with electricity, 2 yurt
Yurt
A yurt is a portable, bent wood-framed dwelling structure traditionally used by Turkic nomads in the steppes of Central Asia. The structure comprises a crown or compression wheel usually steam bent, supported by roof ribs which are bent down at the end where they meet the lattice wall...
s, and 4 sites with stabling facilities for horses. The campsites are open to RVs
Recreational vehicle
Recreational vehicle or RV is, in North America, the usual term for a Motor vehicle or trailer equipped with living space and amenities found in a home.-Features:...
or tent
Tent
A tent is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over or attached to a frame of poles or attached to a supporting rope. While smaller tents may be free-standing or attached to the ground, large tents are usually anchored using guy ropes tied to stakes or tent pegs...
s. The yurts feature bunk beds and a futon, electricity, and a large outdoor deck with freshwater and a grill.
Lums Pond State Park is open to hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
and snowmobiling
Snowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
on Lums Pond State Parks network of trails. Summit North Marina is located on the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. It has 250 private slips for boats and offers boat and fuel sales, boat storage and boat repair. Many different ballfields and game courts are spread throughout Lums Pond State Park. The fields are open to football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, soccer, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, and softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
. The courts are open to basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
. Horseshoes
Horseshoes
Horseshoes is an outdoor game played between two people using four horseshoes and two throwing targets set in a sandbox area. The game is played by the players alternating turns tossing horseshoes at stakes in the ground, which are traditionally placed 40 feet apart...
pits are available as is a disc golf
Disc golf
Disc golf is a disc game in which individual players throw a flying disc into a basket or at a target. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, "The object of the game is to traverse a course from beginning to end in the fewest number of throws of the disc." Of the more than 3000...
course. Hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
is permitted with a hunting license from the Division of Fish and Wildlife but a special permit from the Division of Parks and Recreation is also required since the park is Parks and Recreation property. The special permit can be acquired at the park office. Any more questions about the park or anything that is offered by the park can be directed to 302-368-6989 which is the number to Lums Pond's office or by calling the Division of Parks and Recreations headquarters in Dover at 302-739-9200.
Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48.3 km) of Lums Pond State Park:- Bellevue State ParkBellevue State Park (Delaware)Bellevue State Park is a Delaware state park in the suburbs of Wilmington in New Castle County, Delaware in the United States. The park is named for Bellevue Hall, the former mansion of William duPont, Jr. Many of the facilities at the park were built by Mr. DuPont. Bellevue State Park overlooks...
(New Castle County) - Brandywine Creek State ParkBrandywine Creek State ParkBrandywine Creek State Park is a state park, located north of Wilmington, Delaware along the Brandywine Creek. Open year-round, it is in area and, before becoming a state park in 1965, was a dairy farm owned by the Du Pont family. It contains the first two nature preserves in Delaware. These...
(New Castle County) - Elk Neck State ParkElk Neck State ParkElk Neck State Park is a park in Cecil County, Maryland. It is eight miles south of the town of North East on MD 272, and is nearest to exit 100 on I-95. The North East River, Elk River, and Chesapeake Bay form the Elk Neck Peninsula, on the southern tip of which the park rests...
(MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
) - Fort Delaware State ParkFort Delaware State ParkFort Delaware State Park is a Delaware state park on Pea Patch Island in New Castle County, Delaware, in the United States. A fortress was built on Pea Patch Island by the United States Army in 1815, near the conclusion of the War of 1812, to protect the harbors of Wilmington, Delaware and...
(New Castle County) - Fort DuPont State ParkFort DuPont State ParkFort DuPont State Park is a Delaware state park located in Delaware City, Delaware. The fort itself, named after Rear Admiral Samuel Francis duPont, was used as a military base from the Civil War through World War II, and was part of a three fort defense system, with Fort Delaware and Fort Mott...
(New Castle County) - Fort Mott State Park (New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
) - Fox Point State ParkFox Point State ParkFox Point State Park is a Delaware state park on along the Delaware River in New Castle, Delaware in the United States. The park, which opened in 1995, has been built atop a former hazardous waste site that has been rehabilitated under an adaptive reuse program that was spearheaded by S. Marston...
(New Castle County) - First State Heritage Park at DoverFirst State Heritage Park at DoverFirst State Heritage Park is Delaware's first urban "park without boundaries" linking historic and cultural sites in the city that has been the seat of state government since 1777. It is a partnership of state and city agencies under the leadership of Delaware State Parks It is located in Dover,...
(Kent CountyKent County, DelawareKent County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is coextensive with the Dover, Delaware, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population was 162,310, a 28.1% increase over the previous decade. The county seat is Dover, the state capital...
) - Parvin State ParkParvin State ParkParvin State Park, located in the southwestern part of New Jersey is a park whose history is as varied as its wildlife. Situated on the edge of the Pine Barrens, the park not only has pine forests, but also a swamp hardwood forest. The park is located near Pittsgrove Township in Salem County...
(New Jersey) - Ridley Creek State ParkRidley Creek State ParkRidley Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Edgmont, Middletown and Upper Providence Townships, Delaware County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park, about north of the county seat of Media, offers many recreational activities, such as hiking, biking, fishing, and picnicking....
(PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
) - Susquehanna State ParkSusquehanna State Park (Maryland)Susquehanna State Park is a state park on the lower Susquehanna River north of Havre de Grace, Maryland. The main park area is on the west bank of the river, but it also manages land on the river islands and east bank....
(Maryland) - Wilmington State ParksWilmington State ParksThe Wilmington State Parks are a group of four parks in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware in the United States. The four parks are Brandywine Park, including the Brandywine Zoo and Baynard Stadium, Alapocas Woods Natural Area, H. Fletcher Brown Park and Rockford Park. Admission to the parks...
(New Castle County) - White Clay Creek PreserveWhite Clay Creek PreserveWhite Clay Creek Preserve is a Pennsylvania state park along the valley of White Clay Creek in London Britain Township in Chester County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park was donated by the DuPont Company in 1984 for the purpose of "preserving the diverse and unique plant and animal...
(Pennsylvania) - White Clay Creek State ParkWhite Clay Creek State ParkWhite Clay Creek State Park is a Delaware state park along White Clay Creek on in New Castle County, Delaware in the United States. The park, often known by its initials W.C.C.S.P., is near the Mason-Dixon Line. North of the park is Pennsylvania's White Clay Creek Preserve...
(New Castle County)