New Castle County, Delaware
Metal Detecting at Brandywine Valley — First State NHP in Wilmington, Delaware
36 CFR §2.1 prohibits recreational possession/use of metal detectors and protected-resource disturbance on NPS-administered park areas.
Answer first
Can you metal detect at Brandywine Valley — First State NHP?
Prohibited — recreational metal detector possession/use is barred on NPS-administered park areas. 36 CFR §2.1 prohibits recreational possession/use of metal detectors and protected-resource disturbance on NPS-administered park areas.
Permit/authorization: No ordinary recreational detector permit; only narrow authorized scientific/mining/administrative exceptions apply — Verify the exact controlling manager, current posted rules/orders, intended detector use, recovery method, protected-resource constraints and any required written authorization before field use.
Evidence freshness: verified , Grade A, confidence 100/100. Recheck the official source before travel.
Current verified decision
What the current evidence actually allows
Evidence: Grade A · 100/100 · verified 2026-08-29 · freshness Current · revalidation due 2026-12-27 · source conflict none identified.
Map and public access reference
This record has a safe map query. Resolve it on demand to display a temporary provider search match without altering the verified dataset.
The map always renders with state/local context. Use Resolve this place on map to place a temporary provider search match on the map, or use the provider buttons directly. The temporary match is not written into the verified-coordinate dataset.
Sensitive-site protection: navigation deliberately uses a broader managing-agency/locality reference rather than publishing an archaeological, artifact, historic-resource, or detecting-target locator.
Legal status and controlling rule
36 CFR §2.1 prohibits recreational possession/use of metal detectors and protected-resource disturbance on NPS-administered park areas.
Restricted or prohibited areas
NPS-administered park area except narrow regulatory non-recreational exceptions
Permit and digging rules
Permit: No ordinary recreational detector permit; only narrow authorized scientific/mining/administrative exceptions apply
Verify the exact controlling manager, current posted rules/orders, intended detector use, recovery method, protected-resource constraints and any required written authorization before field use.
Digging: Do not excavate, damage turf/vegetation/facilities, disturb archaeological or historic resources, graves, utilities or protected natural features. Follow exact tool, hole-depth and restoration rules.
Water and artifact rules
Water detecting: Shoreline, beach, wetland and submerged-land ownership can differ from adjacent recreation access. Do not infer detector/recovery permission from swimming, fishing, boating or public access.
Historic/artifact rule: Do not disturb or remove archaeological, historic, burial or culturally protected resources. Delaware cultural-resource law and applicable federal protections remain controlling.
Verification record
This page is published only after its legal and access evidence passes the project verification checks. Its current legal/access record is Grade A with a confidence score of 100/100 and was last checked on .
Map policy: every record has an in-page map plus external map-provider navigation. Verified pins remain canonical; query-only records can create a temporary provider search marker on demand, which is never promoted to verified geometry automatically. No map mode proves permission.
Official legal and place sources
Brandywine Valley — First State NHP metal detecting FAQ
Can you metal detect at Brandywine Valley — First State NHP?
36 CFR §2.1 prohibits recreational possession/use of metal detectors and protected-resource disturbance on NPS-administered park areas.
Is a permit or authorization required at Brandywine Valley — First State NHP?
No ordinary recreational detector permit; only narrow authorized scientific/mining/administrative exceptions apply Verify the exact controlling manager, current posted rules/orders, intended detector use, recovery method, protected-resource constraints and any required written authorization before field use.
Does the map show where detecting is legally allowed?
Yes. The page provides map context and a deliberately broader agency/locality navigation target while withholding an exact sensitive-site locator. This does not change the written legal status.
How current is this Brandywine Valley — First State NHP record?
The legal/access record was last verified on 2026-08-29 with verification grade A and confidence score 100/100. Recheck the cited official source before travel because rules and closures can change.
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