Middle Run: an Aptly Named Bit of Park

Last week, we explored the portion of White Clay Creek State Park that sits closest to the house where I grew up.  The Judge Morris Estate, however, is but a small part of the park at large, which actually includes some important historical sites.  We’ll visit those in a later article; for now, we’re checking out the portion of the park right next to the Tri-State Bird Rescue.

The first thing I wish to tell you about The Middle Run portion of White Clay Creek State Park is that it’s much harder to find than Judge Morris.  Rather than sitting just off a main road, one must drive down a two-way street narrower than will be comfortable for all vehicles.  After passing several private residences set back among the trees, and a Korean Presbyterian Church, you’ll see a gravel road with a sign that says “No unauthorized vehicles.”  If you’re like me, you’ll ignore it and drive right into the Tri-State Bird Rescue’s parking lot, behind which is a dead end.  Closer inspection revealed that the sign also says “on fields” below the text I’ve already mentioned. This is the way to the parking lot.

At the lot, there isn’t much of a trailhead.  There is a labelled post showing a trail that connects Judge Morris and the rest of White Clay Creek State Park, but a proper Middle Run trail seems to be lacking.  There is a loop, but it’s labelled all as spurs and cutoffs, and they’re far more confusing than the trails from last week.  It does feel a bit further from society than Judge Morris, but that could also be a symptom of the drive in.

In all, this doesn’t seem like a better place to do your outdoor things than other parts of the park.  The main driveway is pretty, but the trails are confusing, and the lot is hard to find.  Middle Run is aptly named, as it seems to be in between other, more interesting, portions of the park.  There are a number of trails that run several miles across the park, and two of those go right past the Middle Run parking lot, so I’m not sure exactly what it’s for.  Convenience, certainly, for the people who live nearby, but aside from that, it seems like other parking areas are better suited for more touristy needs.

That being said, if you’re going for a longer hike, this is as good a spot to start as any, particularly if you live nearby.  White Clay Creek State Park is an excellent place, but for tourists, I’d say that other parking areas are better suited to your needs.  Judge Morris is one such spot, but I’ll bet the ones I’ll be visiting over the coming weeks will be even better.  Stay tuned!