Gordons Pond Beach
Year-round dog-friendly ocean beach with a pond-loop trail behind it
About this park
Gordons Pond Beach is the southern crossing of Cape Henlopen State Park, with a wide ocean beach that allows dogs year-round and a flat trail looping inland around the pond behind it. A fee applies in beach season; the lot is large but fills on summer weekends. The stretch of sand between this crossing and Herring Point is dog-friendly the whole way.
Amenities
Gordons Pond Beach reviews
What visitors consistently sayThe year-round dog access is what sets Gordons Pond apart from the town beaches, and the pond trail behind the dunes gives a quieter option when the surf side is packed. Reviews mention the WW2 spotting towers standing in the sand, and one describes dolphins passing close to shore.
A mix of beachgoers, cyclists, and trail walkers. The entrance area is the busy part; one reviewer's advice is to keep walking north up the sand until the crowd thins out.
Best for
Before you go
There is a seasonal entrance fee and only port-a-potties on site, so plan a real bathroom stop before you arrive. To avoid summer crowds, walk in from the Herring Point crossing along the beach instead of driving directly to the south lot.
Frequently asked
- Are dogs allowed on Gordons Pond Beach in the summer?
- Yes. Reviewers describe it as dog-friendly all year, which is unusual on this stretch of coast, and the beach walk north to the Herring Point crossing is dog-friendly the whole distance.
- Is there a fee to get in?
- Yes, during beach season. Reviews describe a small entrance fee at the gate with easy parking once inside. None of them names a figure, and state park rates change year to year.
- Can dogs swim here?
- Yes, in the ocean. Reviewers mention strong waves on good days and jellyfish on at least one visit, so the pond trail behind the dunes is the calmer alternative.
- Are there restrooms?
- Only port-a-potties, which reviewers complain about more than anything else here. There is no refreshment stand either, so water and snacks have to come along.
- Can the lot be reached from the north entrance of the state park?
- No. The Gordon Pond crossing has its own entrance road and cannot be reached by driving in from the north entrance. Parking at Herring Point and walking or biking down the beach or the trail is the workaround.
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