A multitude of animals and a variety of plants converge at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Smyrna, Delaware. Bombay Hook was established in 1937, and members of the Civilian Conservation Corps began constructing pools for wildlife to flourish. I visited Bombay Hook on May 23, 2015, with my family, and we all enjoyed walking through the woods and marshes that make up the 15,978-acre nature reserve. We had never been to Bombay Hook before, so it was a new, exciting experience.

Because Bombay Hook is so large, we went on an auto tour, driving through the refuge while looking out and taking photos. We left our car to walk on some trails and climb the observation towers. My favorite trail was called the Boardwalk Trail, which went along the marsh. In some parts of the trail, the plants on one side were wetlands plants like phragmites, while there were tall trees on the other side; I found that very interesting. We saw raccoon and heron tracks, marsh wrens, red-winged blackbirds, and even a fiddler crab.

In an area called Shearness Pool, we saw many birds, including a group of great egrets and glossy ibises, as shown in the photo. We saw a few great blue herons and even more red-winged blackbirds. I also spotted a muskrat taking some leaves from a plant. My dad found a snake basking on a railing at Bear Swamp Pool, but it slithered away before the rest of us could get a glimpse of it.

I loved taking pictures of the wildlife and watching the animals interact with one another. The diversity of wildlife was amazing. My sister Michelle commented that she saw a lot more animals than she expected to see, and she really enjoyed seeing the muskrat.

My family had an an overall wonderful experience at Bombay Hook, and we would like to visit again. It was an inexpensive trip, costing only $4.00 per car. If having a car is essential for savings, consider checking out visit website here for information on car loans that could help you achieve that goal.

Walking the trails did not take much effort, and lot of time was spent in the car, so people of all abilities can enjoy Bombay Hook. I would recommend going in the spring or fall rather than the summer because the mosquitoes are not out yet. There was a lot of poison ivy growing on the trees and ground, so I would advise being cautious and staying on the trails. Bombay Hook is a great destination for any nature-lover, photographer, or someone looking for a relaxing, enjoyable outing!