DOVER — Between the shadows of the Dover Air Force Base and the historic tracks of Dover Motor Speedway, the sights of Delaware’s capital can be seen throughout the city’s system of greenway trails.

The St. Jones River Greenway Trail system spans nearly six miles, giving visitors and fellow Delawareans the opportunity to see the sights of Dover and its surrounding environment. Visitors can navigate the city through one of three paths that make up the system of trails, including the Isaac Branch Greenway Trail, the Capital City Trail and the Silver Lake Park Trail.

Each of the trails that make up the St. Jones River Greenway system allow for cycling and commuting, as well as giving residents a scenic path toward some of Dover’s most noteworthy sites.

Beginning at the Isaac Branch segment of the system, visitors are greeted by a park notice board featuring a variety of information, ranging from the rules of the city’s greenway trails to the decline of local commerce on the St. Jones River.

The board acknowledges the storied history of the river and its surrounding areas, as it was once home to Native American tribes including the Lenape and Nanticoke. Visitors can also read about the nearby environment and wildlife found in the area, such as bald eagles, osprey, additional waterfowl species and small mammals.

From there, visitors can traverse the paved, asphalt trails and occasional wooden bridges, which connect the paths throughout the marshy environment, though they may encounter the influx of dragonflies stemming from the humid summer climate. The trail allows room to bike, run, or walk, and along its path, the construction of the new $41.2 million aircraft hangar at the Dover Air Force Base can be seen just over the surrounding trees and nearby roadway.

The Capital City trail serves as the connecting portion of the trail, which switches from asphalt to brick as it approaches First State Heritage Park. This presents the opportunity to visit various sites in the park, including Legislative Hall, the Biggs Museum of American Art, the Delaware Public Archives and more.

The trail leads into Silver Lake Park, whose park grounds feature playgrounds, a fitness course, boat ramps and licensed fishing areas. On park grounds, the Silver Lake Park Trail rounds out the system with a path spanning less than a mile, though it provides a look at the lake itself, where the St. Jones River is dammed.

Visitors at Silver Lake Park can access the park’s trail through the grounds, where vehicle parking is available, and can access the Capital City Trail just outside of park grounds. There is no parking at the southern entrance of the Isaac Branch Greenway Trail, though the trail can be accessed just off of Del. 10 to the left of the Microtel Inn & Suites on East Lebanon Road.

An additional pair of trails can be found not far from the St. Jones River Greenway Trail system. On the western side of Delaware’s capital city, cyclists and visitors can take the Hazlettville/North Shared-Use Path to head downtown.

The trail, which spans almost two miles, intersects at a junction with the POW/MIA Parkway Shared-Use Path, a 3.3-mile trail along the parkway that heads east into the city. The conjoined pathways are typically used for functionality, however, as the trail runs adjacent to the parkway into Brecknock County Park in Camden.

For more information about Delaware’s trails and state parks, visit here.