Nantucket Natural Areas

Nantucket's unique natural resources can be shared by all. The Nantucket Conservation Foundation owns many properties that can be used by the public for recreation such as hiking. Other properties are owned by the Nantucket Land Bank or other conservation organizations.
The Conservation Foundation owns and manages more than 8,452 acres, about 40 percent of all the land on Nantucket. We've listed a few of our favorite properties; for others, look for their maroon concrete posts decorated with the Foundation's gull and waves logo.
For a complete map of all Foundation properties and regulations, visit the Foundation office at 118 Cliff Road or call (508) 228-2884.
Remember: vehicles on these properties are strictly regulated or prohibited.

The Sanford Farm, Ram Pasture, and The Woods

These properties total 767 acres of wetlands, grasslands, and forests in the southwest portion of the island. With more than 6.6 miles of roadways and trails to explore, the area includes a panoramic view of Nantucket's south shore from the barn in Ram Pasture. Ambitious hikers can follow a 6-mile round-trip trail that leads to the ocean and travels alongside Hummock Pond. You'll find a variety of wildflowers and may spot such wildlife as ring-necked pheasant, ospreys, red-tailed hawks, rabbits and deer. The land is accessible from a parking area off Madaket Road, near the intersection of Cliff Road.

Long Pond

Owned by the Nantucket Land Bank, this 64-acre property is especially good for bird watching. It features a 1-mile walking path that runs along the pond, past meadows and a natural cranberry bog. To reach the area, take Madaket Road and look for a dirt road on the left across from the sign to Hither Creek, near Madaket. Cross the bridge to reach a parking area and the entrance to the trail.

Eel Point

A spit of sand on the western end of the island, just north of and bordering Madaket Harbor, Eel Point is a Nantucket Conservation Foundation property that attracts great numbers of birds. The 100-plus acre property abounds in goldenrod, roses, wild grapes, bayberries, and other vegetation. To get there, take Eel Point Road off Cliff Road and park on the dirt road. If you're biking, take a right off the Madaket bike path onto Eel Point Road.

Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge

This barrier beach that stretches across Nantucket Harbor is actually several protected areas in one: Coatue Wildlife Refuge and The Haulover, 476 acres owned by the Nantucket Conservation Foundation; Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge, 792 acres owned by the Trustees of Reservations; and Nantucket National Wildlife Refuge at Great Point, owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Great Point, which is home to the lighthouse of the same name that's a replica of the one lost in a severe storm in 1994, is the island's northernmost point, slicing up between Nantucket Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. Remote and wild, the barrier beach offers breathtaking views and the opportunity to observe nature firsthand. In spring, it's a nesting place for piping plovers, least terns, northern harriers, and other shorebirds.
The area as a whole includes not just beaches and sand dunes, but salt marshes and wind-sheared oak and cedar forests. Vehicles are strictly controlled here; a pass is required for four-wheel-drive vehicles, and officials advise inexperienced beach drivers not to drive in the very soft sand. This is a place for serious nature lovers who don't care about frills or modern amenities. There are no lifeguards, and some of the beaches are particularly dangerous for swimming. There are no restrooms, concessions, or public buildings within the refuge; come here only if you want to be one with nature and are willing to respect her.

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