Recreation Ashore
Biking in the Province Lands
Red Maple Swamp Trail
Recreational opportunities abound on land as well as on or in the water. The National Seashore offers a number of short trails, a major biking trail, bridle paths, and birds, birds, birds.
Biking
The 26-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail follows an old railroad bed from Dennis to South Wellfleet. This trail connects the National Seashore with Nickerson State Park’s camping facilities in Brewster.
Three bike trails are located within the National Seashore. The Nauset Trail, 1.6 miles long, starts at the Salt Pond Visitor Center and runs to Coast Guard Beach.
The Head of the Meadow Trail is 2 miles long and runs between High Head Road and Head of the Meadow Beach parking area in Truro. The trail commemorates the Pilgrims’ first discovery of fresh drinking water in 1620.
The most difficult of the 3 trails is a 5¼-mile loop through the dunes of the Province Lands area. A 1-mile spur from the loop leads to Herring Cove Beach on Cape Cod Bay. A half-mile spur leads to Race Point Beach.
Bikers may also take a roundtrip along the Cape Cod Canal.
Bicycles may be rented in Orleans, Eastham, and Provincetown.
Safety Tips Check your brakes, gears, and steering before starting out, especially if you are using an unfamiliar bicycle. Wear a helmet.
All trails are two-way, so keep to the right.
Be alert for hikers and watch out for sand on the trails.
Use front and rear brakes together, or you may be thrown over the handlebars.
Do not speed.
Hiking
Walking the self-guiding trails located throughout the National Seashore is an excellent way to get away from the hurly-burly pace of the tourist areas and to get a sense of the Cape’s natural and human history. Most of the trails are not arduous.
The Nauset Marsh Trail in Eastham is a 1-mile loop that starts at Salt Pond, a glacial kettle pond that is fed twice daily by the ocean. From the trail you can get a close look at the life of Nauset Marsh, which was a bay when Champlain explored the area in 1605.
The Beech Forest Trail on Race Point Road near the Province Lands Visitor Center consists of 2 loops totaling 1 mile and tells the story of dune ponds and the elimination of early forests of beech, oak, pine, and cedar on the Lower Cape.
The Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail of 1.2 miles starts at the Marconi Station Site in Wellfleet, descends inland through a landscape in which the trees gradually grow taller as the effects of the sea lessen. The trail ends at a white cedar swamp in a glacial kettle, and returns to the parking area on the Old Wireless Road.
For information on other trails, see [pages 100-105]. While hiking on the Cape, be on the watch for ticks (see Lyme disease precautions on [page 108]).
Horseback Riding
Because of the fragility of the plants and soil, horseback riding is restricted to three bridle paths located in the Provincetown area and on designated dirt roads. Horses are not permitted on nature trails.
The Sunset Trail starts near Race Point Road and leads through dunes to the ocean. The West Trail starts at the same point but passes through shady pitch pine and black oak forests and by freshwater ponds and cranberry bogs. The Herring Cove Trail traverses a narrow barrier beach along Cape Cod Bay.
Allow 2 hours for a round trip on each of the bridle paths. Ask for more information about these trails at the visitor centers.