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Cape Cod Hiking Trails

Upper Cape - Mid Cape - Lower Cape

Though most people tend to associate Cape Cod with its spectacular beaches, many visitors do not realize the Cape is also graced with inland beauty from Bourne to Provincetown. We encourage you to explore the uplands and byways of Cape Cod and discover areas that locals consider some of its most beautiful hideaways.

There’s a good reason why Cape Cod is paradise for people who love the outdoors, and that reason is the miles of maintained hiking and biking trails which meander throughout our meadows, uplands and through Cape Cod’s many public parks.

One of the most impressive trails is the Cape Cod Rail Trail, 21 miles of paved surface running parallel to U.S. Rt. 6 beginning just south of Patriot Square Mall in Dennis on Mass Rt. 134, through Nickerson State Park, and ending in Wellfleet behind the South Wellfleet General Store. The rail trail, the former route of the Cape Cod railroad, is a smooth and mostly flat surface providing bicyclists with a private universe where they can roll along merrily at whatever speed they choose.

Hiking through Cape Cod’s conservation and park lands is still the best way to see some of the Cape’s most spectacular sights, such as a pristine kettle pond or perhaps a great blue heron perched by the shoreline. The many walking trails of Cape Cod reward the outdoor enthusiast with a wealth of scenery and the blessing of solitude. These trails lead nature lovers and the casual stroller to every corner of the Cape, through woodlands, over cedar swamps, into open salt marsh, and onto ocean shorelines. In this chapter you’ll find information on 48 of these trails.

Falcon Publishing prints The Best Easy Day Hikes Cape Cod, which is another resource you can use for information on trails. And if you want to discover what it’s like to walk the whole Cape from end to end, try Elliot Carr’s Walking Cape Cod; it’s a good source and a good read. The Cape Cod National Seashore also offers invaluable trail information. There you can find maps, updates on trail status and condition, and find out which of the trails in the National Seashore are best suited to your particular interests and experience.

On the trail, you’ll want extra water, a good pair of shoes, and most importantly, common sense. Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back. Now, grab your camera, and if you travel quietly enough, maybe you’ll see an otter swimming in the salt marsh, seals basking on the seashore, or a deer feeding under a crabapple tree, and you will be able to catch on film a wonderful memory of your Cape Cod adventure.

Four Ponds Park and Town Forest

Barlow’s Landing Rd., Bourne
(508) 759-0623

Trails around Freeman Pond, Upper Pond, the Basin and Shop Pond, and then through the Town Forest comprise this roughly 300-acre conservation area maintained by the Bourne Conservation Dept. Laced with marked hiking trails, the area also has marked points for pickerel and trout fishing. Although no prominent structure remains, the area used to be part of the Pocasset Iron Works. You can park in the lot on the right of Barlow’s Landing Road about a mile from MacArthur Boulevard. This is a nice area for bird watching, and you might see deer, too.

Nivling-Alexander Reserve

Shore Rd. and Thaxter Rd., Bourne
(508) 563-2884

Also known as the Red Brook Pond Conservation Area, the Nivling-Alexander trail is a half-mile circular wooded trail through pitch pine and hardwoods (vibrant in the fall), passing through 40 acres of land along Red Brook Pond and working cranberry bogs. There are birds a plenty and you may see animal tracks along the trail. The entrance is at Shore Road and Thaxter Road.

DeNormandie Woods Conservation Area and Broyer and Robinson Conservation Area

Red Brook Rd., Bourne
(508) 563-2884

The DeNormandie Woods Conservation Area comprises 9 acres of wooded upland with a connecting two-thirds of a mile trail to the 30-acre Broyer and Robinson Conservation Area. This is one of our favorite walks because you rarely see anyone here. Watch out for ladyslipper orchids and rhododendrons, which bloom spectacularly in the late spring and early summer. Enter either by Shore Road between Red Brook Harbor Road and County Road or along Red Brook Road between Scraggy Neck Road and Parker’s Boat Yard.

Boyden Farm Conservation Lands

Cotuit Rd., Sandwich
(508) 888-4200

Boyden Farm is a 48-acre conservation area that fronts Peter’s Pond and features walking trails and a wildlife management area. Bring your binoculars to the wildlife field where you may spot deer, eagles, and wild turkeys, which have been successfully released through the management program of the Sandwich Conservation Commission. Parking is west of Cotuit Road and just south of Farmersville Road.

Maple Swamp Conservation Area

Service Rd., Sandwich
(508) 888-4200

Maple Swamp Conservation Area is a network of dirt roads and paths spreading out over 500-acres along a service road parallel to U.S. Rt. 6 between exits 3 and 4. It is closed to vehicles and has numerous trails and roads for walking (no biking). Parking is limited along the road. Here you can find all types of wildlife, including white-tailed deer. The kettle-hole ponds and irregular terrain are typical of the topography that glaciers created thousands of years ago. The elevation at Maple Swamp ranges from 40 feet above sea level to 250 feet at one of the highest points of land on the Cape.

Ryder Conservation Area

Cotuit and South Sandwich Rds. Sandwich
(508) 888-4200

The lovely 243-acre Ryder Conservation Area is accessible from Cotuit and South Sandwich Roads and offers about 5 miles of walking trails. Wakeby Lake has fishing areas and a boat ramp and is an excellent area for canoeing and swimming. Nature lovers will appreciate the large holly trees (some over 100 years old), the beech/pine tree groves, and the old abandoned cranberry bogs. Lifeguards are on-site during the summer months (Ryder Conservation Area is open May to October). A local beach sticker is required during the summer months between 9 AM and 4 PM and may be purchased for $20 at the Sandwich Town Hall, (508) 888-4910. There are several parking areas and entrances off the west side of Cotuit Road between Harlow Road and Boardly Road.

Spring Hill Conservation Area

Salt Marsh Rd., Sandwich
(508) 888-4200

At the Spring Hill Conservation Area at the end of Salt Marsh Road off Foster Road, you’ll discover a little-known but lovely spot. An open barrier beach community with piping plover and least terns, this area is accessible for saltwater fishing in Cape Cod Bay and a perfect way to spend a day on what may seem like your own private beach.

Scusset Beach State Reservation

Scusset Beach Rd., Sandwich
(508) 888-0859

Scusset Beach Reservation, on the north side of the canal (see our Campgrounds chapter) is a large state-run park that is mostly used for camping, but hiking and fishing are permitted. A 1-mile trail through Scusset leads to Sagamore Hill, which offers a panoramic overlook of Cape Cod Bay. . Take Meetinghouse Road east off the Sagamore Rotary to Scusset Beach Road to the trail entrance opposite the pier.

Shawme-Crowell State Forest

Mass. Rt. 130, Sandwich
(508) 888-0351

This large 742-acre state-run park is used mostly for camping and offers an abundance of wildlife, flora, and fauna. This quiet campground at the beginning of Cape Cod has 285 campsites and toilets and hot water are available for a nightly fee of $10 (see our Campgrounds and State Parks chapter). The park also has 15 miles of roads and trails which provides excellent hiking and biking access to the pitch pine and scrub oak forests. A hike to Mt. Perry, within the park, is well worth the trip—you can view all of Cape Cod Bay from the summit. A camping permit allows campers to use Scusset Beach.

Talbot’s Point Conservation Lands

Old County Rd., Sandwich
(508) 888-4200

Talbot’s Point Conservation Lands on Old County Road has a relatively level trail system through a red pine forest planted for soil control by the Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. Its 112 acres abut a saltwater and freshwater marsh, and walkers may see shore and upland game birds as well as osprey. The area features a freshwater bubbling spring. Park on the wide sandy road north from Old County Road, about 1mile east of Hoxie Pond.

The Briar Patch

Mass. Rt. 6A, East Sandwich
(508) 888-6870

The Briar Patch is a 57-acre conservation area off Mass. Rt. 6A in East Sandwich. This pleasant area of white pine, black locust trees, and meandering trails was a source of inspiration to Thornton W. Burgess, who wrote Old Mother West Wind and many other popular children’s books in the early 20th century. Two trails loop through abandoned pastures and groves of black locust and white pine. Enter the trailheads on Discovery Hill Road off Mass. Rt. 6A behind the Green Briar Nature Center.

Murkwood Conservation Area

Mass. 6A, East Sandwich
(508) 888-4200

To explore the 79-acre Murkwood Conservation Area, park at the East Sandwich Fire Station on Mass. 6A and walk across the street. A peninsula, this former farmland abuts Scorton Creek, and you might be fortunate enough to see eagles, osprey, shorebirds, and white-tailed deer. The area’s several miles of trails pass through swampy areas and pinewoods and the view of Scorton Marsh, especially at sunset, is breathtaking.

Ashumet Holly Wildlife Sanctuary

Currier Rd. and Ashumet Rd., Hatchville (Falmouth)
(508) 362-1426

Owned by the Massachusetts Audubon Society, the Ashumet Holly Reservation and Wildlife Sanctuary, off Mass. Rt. 151 (signs are posted) on Currier Road and Ashumet Road, is a popular 45-acre preserve that is open from sunrise to sunset all year. Along the trails you can see flowering magnolias, dogwood, rhododendron, and rare wildflowers such as the Plymouth gentian. The grounds include 65 varieties of holly trees, as well as Franklinia trees, which are actually a type of tea plant named in honor of Benjamin Franklin. In the spring, swallows nest in the Ashumet barn. The sanctuary offers workshops, bird walks, and field trips throughout the year. Trips to the Elizabeth Islands near Falmouth (see our Tours and Excurions chapter ) are also available Sundays, June through October, and cost $45 for adults, $40 for seniors, and $35 for youth 16 and under. Admission to the Ashumet Holly Reserve is $3 for adults and $2 for seniors and those 16 and under. Maps are available at the visitor center at the Sanctuary.

Frances A. Crane Wildlife Management Area

Ashumet Rd., Falmouth
(508) 759-3406

The Frances A. Crane Wildlife Management Area is a 1,700-acre reserve regulated by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Game. The land is an extensive sand plain with mostly pitch pine and little deciduous growth. It is stocked with game during the fall hunting season and should not be considered safe for recreational activities at that time. At other times of the year, it is a popular place for walking and horseback riding. Hobbyists take note: The area has a model airplane flying strip.

Beebe Woods

Off Depot Ave., Falmouth
(508) 457-2536

Beebe Woods was a generous gift to the town of Falmouth from benefactor Josiah K. Lilly in 1976. Located past Highfield Theater at the end of Depot Avenue, the wooded grounds of the 334-acre estate have extensive trails and are open to the public for walking, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, and bird watching. Four large kettle ponds dot the woodlands, as do glacier boulders and wetlands. If you are looking for a serene outing, a 1.6-mile walk to Ice House Pond at the end of the trail is as peaceful as it gets on Cape Cod.

Goodwill Park

Palmer Ave., Falmouth
(508) 457-2543

The 85-acre Goodwill Park is a spacious wooded area with a lovely pond. The park is open daily from 8 AM to 4 PM for hiking, swimming, Frisbee-playing, and canoeing. With a lovely freshwater beach, restrooms, barbecue grills, and play equipment, this is a good place for families and picnickers. To bring a large group, call the parks department at the above number to reserve the pavilion area.

Bourne Farm

West Falmouth Hwy. (Mass. Rte. 28A) or Palmer Ave., Falmouth
(508) 548-8484

The 49-acre Bourne Farm is owned and operated by Salt Pond Area Bird Sanctuary, Inc. In July and August you can take an afternoon tour (by appointment—call the number above) of the 1775 farmhouse and a barn with an old cattle tunnel. This former working farm has hiking paths and a parking area. A free nature program is given every Tuesday evening during July and August at 6PM.. The trails are open year-round, though a donation is requested at the trailhead.

Washburn Island

Waquoit Bay, East Falmouth
(508) 457-0495

Washburn Island is a 334-acre wooded island in Waquoit Bay managed by the state Division of Forests and Parks within the Department of Environmental Management. It is only accessible by boat and has no fresh water. If you wish to camp on the island you must purchase a permit (see our Campgrounds and State Parks chapter). Call the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve at the number above for more information.

Lowell Holly Reservation

South Sandwich Rd., Mashpee
(508) 539-1400

At the Lowell Holly Reservation, marked by a small sign on Sandwich Road (the entrance is opposite a sign that says “Carpe Diem”), you’ll find a delightful 1½-mile trail among American beech, huge holly, white pine trees, and rhododendron. There’s a perfect little swimming beach with a picnic table on the Cape’s largest (and arguably most beautiful) lake. Birders have spotted eagles, ospreys, and hawks here. Once owned by James Lowell, former president of Harvard University, this 135-acre property is maintained by the Trustees of Reservations. The parking fee on summer weekends is $6; on weekdays parking is free.

John’s Pond Park

Hooppole Rd., Mashpee
(508) 563-1400

John’s Pond Park is a 258-acre park with a trail system and a 1,200-foot sandy beach. Nature lovers can watch herring swim up the Quashnet River in the spring and fall and explore an extensive area of cranberry bogs. As you head toward North Falmouth, you’ll find the park off Mass. Rt.151 past the Barnstable County Fairgrounds; turn right onto Currier Road, then right on Hooppole Road and right again onto Back Road. John’s Pond Park is just beyond the trailer park.

Mashpee River Woodlands

Quinaquisset Rd., Mashpee
508) 563-1400

The 400-acre Mashpee River Woodlands has 8 miles of hiking trails along the Mashpee River, a protected waterway that is perfect for canoeing, birdwatching, and walking. This location is a good place to see the natural transition between freshwater and saltwater habitats. Coming from the Mashpee Rotary, follow Mass. Rt. 28 toward Hyannis to the first right, Quinaquisset Road.

South Cape Beach

Great Neck Rd., Mashpee
(508) 457-0459

At the end of Great Neck Road is South Cape Beach, where the state maintains a public beach, parking lot, and conservation land with 3 miles of sandy roadways suitable for hiking. Here you can explore both freshwater and saltwater wetlands. There is a fee for parking. For more information about South Cape, contact the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve at the above number.

Pine Barrens

Great Neck Rd. South, Mashpee
(508) 539-1400

The Pine Barrens is a 300-acre reserve that has about 4miles of marked walking trails. For more information about this and other smaller conservation areas and guided walking tours, contact conservation agent Bob Sherman at the number above.

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Crocker Neck Conservation Area

Santuit Rd., Cotuit
(508) 790-6272

The 52-acre Crocker Neck Conservation Area in Cotuit is a peninsula created by Shoestring Bay, Popponesset Bay, and Pinquickset Cove. It is wooded and has an interpretive trail with permanent numbered markers and an observation deck overlooking tidal pools. The area also has saltwater marshes. You can park in a lot off Santuit Road.

Long Pond Conservation Area

Santuit-Newtown Rd., Cotuit
(508) 790-6272

A community garden with two observation decks overlooking the 37-acre Long Pond are features of Long Pond Conservation Area. An interpretive network of trails totaling two miles passes through fields and woodlands. A parking entrance on Newtown Road is about two and a half miles from Mass. Rt. 28.

Burgess Park

Mass. Rt. 149, Marstons Mills
(508) 790-6345

Burgess Park is a 17-acre park with a 18 “hole” Frisbee golf course, walking trails, a playground, volleyball court, croquet area, horseshoe pits, and barbecue grills. The park overlooks Hamblin Pond, and it’s an easy walk to the pond’s beach.

Bridge Creek Watershed

Mass. Rt. 149, West Barnstable
(508) 790-6272

To reach Bridge Creek Watershed you can park at either the fire station on Mass. Rt.149 or at Church Street (which can be found off Parker Road off Mass. Rt. 6A). This large 246-acre conservation area has 2½ miles well-cleared trails for you to explore. Maps are available at the trailhead.

Sandy Neck Recreation Area

Off Mass. Rt. 6A, West Barnstable
(508) 790-6272

The Sandy Neck Recreation Area has about 5 miles of sandy trails bordered by wildflowers and cranberries. It’s a nice place to canoe and fish. You can plan your hike from a trail map at the beach guard station. Parking is available.

West Barnstable Conservation Area

Mass. Rt. 149, West Barnstable
(508) 790-6272

West Barnstable Conservation Area is an extensive 1,114-acre area with 15 miles of trails. A good number of the trails are geared toward mountain biking. You’ll find limited parking at the intersection of Popple Bottom Road and Mass. Rt. 149, or off the service road.

Hathaway Pond Recreation Area

Old Phinney’s Ln., Barnstable
(508) 790-6272

The Hathaway Pond Recreation Area in Barnstable has oak and pine forests, two ponds, an interpretive trail, and a picnic area within its 94 acres. The entrance is on Phinney’s Lane near Mass. Rt. 132.

Horse Pond Conservation Area

Higgins Crowell Rd., West Yarmouth
(508) 398-2231

Located near the Mattacheese School, this 5,073-foot hilly trail is marked by pitch pines, white oaks, sassafras, and blueberry and huckleberry bushes. Though the trail is joined by side trails that lead off toward longer journeys, the main trail keeps Horse Pond within sight.

Meadowbrook Road Conservation Area

Meadowbrook Rd., West Yarmouth
(508) 398-2231

Meadowbrook Road Conservation Area is a pretty walking area with a 310-foot-long boardwalk over a freshwater marsh that leads to a scenic overlook of Swan Pond. Benches provide a good place for a reflective moment or to examine the beautiful salt marsh vegetation that grows so abundantly here.

Raymond J. Syrjala Conservation Area

Winslow Gray Rd., West Yarmouth
(508) 398-2231

The Raymond J. Syrjala Conservation Area is about a half-mile from Mass. Rt. 28. The 3,540-foot trail encircles a kettle-hole pond that serves as a great frog pond. The trail itself is spongy because it’s made up of decaying leaves and pine needles. Many species of vegetation, such as red maple, pitch pine, and blueberries are marked.

Crab Creek Conservation Area

North Dennis Rd., Yarmouthport
(508) 398-2231

Blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) are abundant here, and their presence gave this conservation area its name. A 500-foot trail follows a creek that joins Follins Pond with Mill Creek; it is a prime fishing spot and features a dock just for that purpose. Besides the creek and the crabs, there is also an old bog and plenty of red maple, cranberry, pitch pine, blueberry, and poison ivy.

Callery-Darling Conservation Area

Center St., Yarmouthport
(508) 398-2231

The Callery-Darling Conservation Area is a great place to spot woodland and water birds, such as the great blue heron, the largest heron in North America, which fishes in both fresh and salt water. There is a trail system here comprising some 2.4 miles wandering through lands where foxes, rabbits, and deer make their home.

Botanical Trails

Mass. Rt. 6A, Yarmouthport
(508) 398-2231

The Botanical Trails behind the Yarmouthport Post Office on Mass. Rt. 6A are owned by the town. The area has a little herb garden and a 150-year-old weeping beech tree. There is a gatehouse at the beginning of the trail where you can pick up a trail map and where a donation is requested (50 cents for adults, 25 cents for children). The main trail is approximately 1 mile long, and the pond trail around Millers Pond adds another half-mile to the trek.

Dennis Pond Conservation Area

Willow St., Yarmouthport
(508) 398-2231

As its name suggests, this conservation area is adjacent to Dennis Pond and features a 3,285-foot trail that leads through woodlands of red maple, white pine, and sweet pepperbush. Your walk will take you through many faces of Cape Cod woodlands, including an old bog, pine forests, and a small swamp. Moss is plentiful in some spots, fallen pine needles in others. There’s a small parking area out on Willow Street where you begin your journey.

Bass Hole (Gray’s Beach)

Centre St., Yarmouthport
(508) 398-2231

Bass Hole, also called Gray’s Beach, at the end of Centre Street, is the place to stroll along the boardwalk, put your toes in the water and enjoy the beach, playground, and barbecue facilities. Many consider this the best place to watch a sunset on Cape Cod.

Simpkins Neck Romig-Jacquinet Conservation Area

New Boston Rd., Dennis
(508) 760-6123

Simpkins Neck and the Romig-Jacquinet Conservation Area are two connected parcels of land that are largely surrounded by marshlands. Once you find the entrance (off New Boston Road, two houses past Berrien Studios on your left) you can follow the trail to the edge of the marsh. You’ll have to work your way through some underbrush, but once you do, you can actually walk out to the marsh. Bird watchers will be in heaven, as will wildlife lovers, since Simpkins Neck is also refuge to raccoons and deer.

Crowe’s Pasture

South St., East Dennis
(508) 760-6123

Nature lovers will relish Crowe’s Pasture, a bayfront site of more than 50 acres off South Street at the end of Quivet Cemetery. Follow the dirt road (about 2½ miles round trip) and revel in an oasis barrier beach , marsh hawks, and wild apple and cherry groves.

Fresh Pond Conservation Area

Mass. Rt. 134, South Dennis
(508) 760-6123

Fresh Pond Conservation Area, right on Mass. Rt. 134, is 90 unspoiled acres of blueberries and wild cranberries. You can occasionally spot ducks and red tailed hawks here while you walk one of four informal trails (ranging from a 15-minute loop to a leisurely 45-minute walk.

Indian Lands Conservation Area

Main St., South Dennis
(508) 760-6123

Some of the Cape’s most awesome flora and fauna abound at Indian Lands Conservation Area, a 2-mile walk that hugs the banks of Bass River. Birders can easily spot kingfishers and blue herons in the winter. You know summer is around the corner when the lady’s slipper orchids start sprouting in May. We know of a hiking aficionado who found, on three separate occasions, Indian artifacts of the Native Americans who lived here in centuries past.

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Nickerson State Park

Mass.Rt. 6A, Brewster
(508) 896-3491

This 1,779-acre wonderland has 8 miles of bike trails that link with the Cape Cod Rail Trail as well as miles of hiking trails that meander through the woods. Some wind past the park’s two main attractions, Flax Pond and Cliff Pond. The trails are also great for cross-country skiing in winter, if the Cape is blessed with a real snowfall (yes, it does happen!). Hike out to Higgins Pond, a major migration stop for endangered birds such as ospreys and peregrine falcons. You’ll also see cormorants, wrens, hawks, owls, warblers, thrushes, great blue herons, Canada geese, and the common loon—it’s a birder’s heaven. Nickerson also has bayfront land on the north side of Mass. Rt. 6A (an easy walk from the park’s entrance on the south side of the road) and offers ranger-guided interpretive programs and informative walks explaining plant and wildlife in a variety of habitats. Call for program schedules, or check the big board in the main parking lot.

Punkhorn Parklands

Run Hill Rd., Brewster
(508) 896-3701

Here you’ll find a maze of 45 scenic trails throughout more than 800 acres of rugged parkland made up of marshes and meadows, quarries and woodland, pine and oak—a tranquil paradise interrupted only by warbling birds, howling coyotes, and the occasional mountain bike. Along the paths you’ll spot old pumps once used by cranberry growers to flood these former bogs.

Spruce Hill Conservation Area

3341 Mass. Rt. 6A, Brewster
(508) 896-3701

This 25-acre parcel, hidden behind the Brewster Historical Society Museum on the eastern end of town, features a half-mile-long former carriage road leading to Cape Cod Bay and an expansive beach. Rumor has it that the trail was once used by bootleggers during the time of Prohibition. Fragile plant life is abundant here, so please, as always, stay on the official path.

Bell’s Neck Road Conservation Area

Off Bell’s Neck Rd., Harwich
(508) 430-7506

One of the finest birdwatching spots on the Lower Cape, this magnificent 245-acre utopia of marshlands, herring runs, reservoirs, and tidal creeks is a favorite stop for the Cape Cod Bird Club, (508) 432-2528, which frequently leads walks here.

Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge

Monomoy Island, Chatham
(508) 945-0594

Accessible from Chatham only by boat in good weather conditions, Monomoy is a 2,750-acre, two-island wilderness area, one of only four remaining between Maine and New Jersey. Acquired by the federal government in 1944 and now under the administration of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Monomoy has no electricity, no human residents, no vehicles, no paved roads—and more than 285 species of birds inhabiting saltwater and tidal flats, bayberry and beach plum thickets, freshwater ponds, and a 9-mile-long barrier beach. There is also a non-working lighthouse (built in 1823, restored in 1988). Beach areas are closed from April to mid-August so that the nesting areas of piping plovers and terns won’t be disturbed.
Quiet is the best word to describe Monomoy. In the winter, thousands of seals take harbor here. Monomoy is an important stop along the North Atlantic Flyway, and in May and late July migrating waterfowl and shorebirds stop here for a rest. Monomoy was once attached to the mainland; a 1958 storm severed the relationship. Twenty years later, another storm divided the island into two.
The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, (508) 896-3867, and the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, (508) 349-2615, offer regular guided tours; see our Tours and Excursions chapter.
Morris Island, a 40-acre island accessible by car and foot, is home to migrating warblers, and tidal flats provide food for oyster-shucking birds. Check your tide chart before visiting—the interpretive walking trail closes during high tide.

The Cape Cod National Seashore
Salt Pond Visitor Center

U.S. Rt. 6, Eastham
(508) 255-3421

Province Lands Visitor Center

Race Point Rd., Provincetown
(508) 487-1256

Park Headquarters, Marconi Station

off U.S. Rt. 6, Eastham
(508) 349-3785
www.nps.gov/caco

With some 27,700 acres of federally-protected undeveloped uplands, bogs, pitch pine forests, sand dunes, and ponds in six towns (Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown), the Seashore takes up almost half of the town of Wellfleet and about 70 percent of Truro. In addition to six glorious ocean beaches, comprising nearly 40 miles of the finest seashore on the Atlantic coast (see our Beaches chapter), the Cape Cod National Seashore boasts nine hiking trails that meander through varied terrain. You can get free hike and bike maps at the Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham which is open all year (daily except January and February, when it’s open on weekends only), and shows free interpretive videos in addition to hosting a variety of interpretive programs.

Right behind the Salt Pond Visitor Center are several trails, including the quarter-mile Buttonbush Trail, which has a guide rope and Braille map interpretations along the way—good not only for the sight impaired, but for people who want to experience what life is like without the sense that most of us take for granted. Close your eyes and try it. Another nearby trail takes a wooded route out to the 1.2 miles Salt Pond trail which passes by the Salt Pond, along Nauset Marsh and circles back to the Visitor Center; you can also walk or bike on the 2 mile bike trail that leads out to Coast Guard Beach, past Doane Rock—a good place to stop and picnic (see our Cape Cod National Seashore chapter for more information regarding trails).

One of our favorite walking spots is the National Seashore’s Fort Hill in Eastham, where one and a half miles of trails meander through fields with stunning water and marsh views, through woods and a cedar swamp. You’re likely to spot rabbits, birds, and other wildlife, but watch out for monster poison ivy plants on the edge of the trail! We’re also partial to the Seashore’s longest and most difficult trail, Great Island in Wellfleet. Accessible by driving out past the harbor to the parking area, the trail is a hilly 8 miles (round trip) through soft sand, pitch pines, and marshes that offers breathtaking views of Wellfleet Bay. Look for fiddler crabs, fast-moving, harmless little black creatures so named because the males have one oversized claw that’s reminiscent of someone playing a fiddle. Be sure to check the tides, since much of the trail is flooded at high tide.

In Provincetown, check out the one-mile long Beech Forest Trail, where you’ll circle a freshwater pond as you walk among American beech trees, sheep laurel, yellow and gray birch, and swamp azalea.

Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary

U.S. Rt. 6, Wellfleet
(508) 349-2615 www.wellfleetbay.org

The Massachusetts Audubon Society operates this 1,000-acre-plus tract of saltmarsh, woodland, beach, tidal flats, and moorland. What was once a turnip and asparagus farm is now a haven of self-guided nature trails and superb birdwatching, along with a natural history day camp for children and weeklong field trips for older folk. Guided walks, canoe cruises through Nauset Marsh, Monomoy cruises and seal and whale-watching trips are regularly sponsored. The excursions are extremely popular and book up fast.

The one-and-a-half-mile Goose Pond Trail, part of the 5 miles of trails, offers a look at a diversity of habitats and leads to the shore. It’s an excellent place for viewing shore birds, hawks, and herons. If you’re still getting to know Mother Nature, borrow or purchase a copy of the 32-page Goose Pond Trail plant identification booklet at the visitor center. It costs $3, but if you go in and ask to borrow the booklet, they will lend it to you for your walk.

In keeping with the theme of preservation, the $1.6 million visitor center, built six years ago, uses passive solar heating and composting toilets. It’s open year-round. A donation is requested: $3 from adults and $2 from seniors and children under 16. Of course, if you a member of the Massachusetts Audubon Society, the donation is waived.

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