When you first began planning your Cape Cod vacation, the odds are that you imagined yourself spending minutes, hours, even entire days at the beaches that have made us famous, and while we know that will not change, we hope that after reading about hiking on Cape Cod you will also begin to imagine a beautiful hike on a glorious day.
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Just being outside on our island home is an adventure in wow, but as you stroll along trails where the wildflowers bloom, hike to ponds and waterways that offer a quieter serenity than the roar of the ocean, and saunter through preserves and conservation areas where you will share the experience with a variety of wildlife, the flirtation you began with Cape Cod many years ago will bloom into a full fledged love affair.
And, as if there isn’t enough to fall in love with on this beautiful and historic patch of real estate and nature, coming home to Pretty Picky Properties will add an extra layer of O.M.G. to your vacation experience and this guide will help you make sure you don’t miss a single moment of adventure and fun.
What to Pack for Your Hiking Adventure
If you are planning nothing more than a walk around the neighborhood your Pretty Picky Properties Cape Cod escape is located in, you won’t really need to pack anything special, just wear what you would while walking around your own block back home.
A hike through the wilderness, however, is another matter entirely, and yes, you should dress appropriately. Comfortable walking shoes or hiking boots are the first order of business, and if you go for the boots, know that you are doing so for the purpose of supporting your ankles, because even though there are 10 different varieties of snakes that you may come across during your hike, none are venomous.
Moisture wicking shirts and socks are important as are light pants, and because you want to reflect the sun away from your body, make sure that your clothing is light colored. Wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses will help guard against the brightness of the sun, and just as you would at the beach, be sure to generously slather your exposed skin with sunscreen.
The Rules of the Cape Cod Hiking Trails
Now we know you are taking a walk on the wild side, but civilized hikers will always follow the rules of the trail on Cape Cod, ensuring safety for the hiker and continued beauty for the countryside your hiking journey will be exploring.
Rule Number 1: Always let someone know your hiking plans.
Cape Cod isn’t that large, but you could still get lost, or if you twist an ankle or something, having someone know your plans can ensure that the alarm will be sent up when you don’t return on schedule.
Rule Number 2: Carry Plenty of Water
Thankfully, this isn’t the desert, or you wouldn’t even be considering a summer hike, but staying hydrated is important no matter what part of the world you are exploring. We have found that hydration packs, often known as Camelbaks, are the easiest way to carry enough water for your hike.
Rule Number 3: Stay on Marked Paths
Staying on marked trails isn’t just important for your safety, it is vital for the protection of the land, especially when wandering along dunes or swamp areas.
Rule Number 4: Do Not Interact with the Wildlife
Most of the wildlife you will come across will be harmless, and some will be cute and fuzzy, but they need to stay wild for their safety, and that will not happen if you feed them. We encourage you to take as many pictures as you want, but from a distance, and without any food being exchanged for poses.
And Now it is Time for the No’s
We try to stay positive on Cape Cod, but there are some things that are forbidden and that list includes no public nudity, no open fires, and no glass containers while exploring the Cape Cod National Seashore.
Now For the Fun Stuff
Now that you are dressed correctly, understand how to stay safe, and know the rules of the trails, let’s get to it. The first trails we want to talk about are the shorter, easier ones, designed more for a stroll through the beauty of the Cape Cod countryside than for exercise or adventure.
Fort Hill in Eastham
Short and sweet, the 1-mile Fort Hill Loop in Eastham offers a parking area across from the Captain Penniman House, located at 70 Fort Hill Road. Reminiscent of a hike through the English countryside, this trail will take you through open fields, connecting with another trail we want to talk about, the Red Maple Swamp Trail. Offering stunning views of some of our favorite natural wonders including the Nauset Marsh Area, this trail is good for hikers of all skill levels and shouldn’t take more than half an hour to finish if you hike straight through, but we suggest scheduling in time to do a little birdwatching or taking advantage of the many photo opportunities that will come along the way.
The Red Maple Swamp Trail
Accessed by the Fort Hill Trail, the Red Maple Swamp Trail shines brightest during the fall when the leaves change, but it is a fun walk no matter what time of year you take it. Not even a mile in length, the trail offers a boardwalk that ambles through the Red Maple Swamp and offers seasonal restrooms near Hemenway Landing, a popular spot for kayakers that you may want to come back and explore with a kayak you’ve rented from Paddle Cape Cod MA, 4730 State Highway Building B, also in Eastham.
The Perfect Places to Relax in Eastham
Even though neither of these Eastham trails is particularly difficult, you may still be relieved to realize that our Pretty Picky Properties sanctuaries are especially close. Offering water views and luxury amenities, these spaces are the perfect ones for getting off your feet and getting to the very important business of relaxing! Providing wine refrigerators, blenders, and coffee makers (or Keurigs), your hydration needs will all be met as well!
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Let’s Explore the Conservation Areas
The natural landscape of Cape Cod is worthy of preserving, and there are many conservation areas found throughout, each offering its own trail that will help you examine what’s being protected in an up-close and personal way.
The Long Pond Conservation Area Trail
The Long Pond Conservation Area is a protected area that revolves around another local treasure, Long Pond in Barnstable, more specifically in the Marston Mills village. The 1.4-mile loop trail that wanders through the conservation area is a relatively easy one, taking hikers through meadows filled with wildflowers, cool green forests, and along the banks of Long Pond. Serene, quiet, and not as well-traveled as some of our other trails, this loop may be the one that pushes you over that edge of emotion, the one that will make you fall deeply and irrevocably in love with Cape Cod. Leashed dogs are allowed on this trail, and interpretive signs are placed all along the path, helping hikers understand the flora and fauna they are seeing.
At Home in Marston Mills
As you might expect, the village of Marston Mills is also the location of some of our Pretty Picky Properties. We mentioned that the Long Pond Conservation Area Trail is dog-friendly, not just because you may run across other hikers with puppies you can pet, but because we also offer some pet-friendly homes in Marston Mills, and we encourage you to bring the entire family along on this Massachusetts trip of a lifetime. And if you are feeling especially warm at hike’s end, we also offer some properties with pools in this Barnstable Village, so why not take a swim and quickly cool down?
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Spruce Hill Conservation Area Loop
We’re heading to Brewster for our next conservation area trail, taking some time to explore all that the Spruce Hill Conservation Area Loop has to offer. Named for the grove of mature Norway Spruce trees that provide cool shade and a hushed ambience, the loop comes in at just under a mile at .8 and its parking area can be found off Route 6A, just .3 miles away from the end of what used to be the Cape Cod Sea Camp’s entrance. Featuring mature oaks in addition to its namesake pines, the trail leads hikers to a quiet beach, one that doesn’t offer a lifeguard, but will make a wonderful photo opportunity.
Brewster Beauties
We offer a large number of properties in Brewster, ranging in size from cozy 2-bedroom cottages to grand 10-bedroom estates, with most offering beach or pond views. Don’t ask us which view is more preferable, we just love a water view no matter how big or how small, but we will admit that properties that sit on ponds tend to feel a little more secluded, a little more private, and even the largest homes will feel a little more cozy! Often tucked into a wooded area and featuring gardens filled with colorful flowers, there is a different mood that can be felt in a home by a pond, but it will still be serene and quiet.
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Worth the Extra Effort
The trails we have listed so far will take you through some of the most stunning land and seascapes on Cape Cod, but none of them have offered much of a challenge, so next up on our tour of Cape Cod trails are some more difficult hikes. These hikes will be worth the extra effort and will bring you many, many, many exciting examples of what makes Cape Cod one of America’s favorite travel destinations.
Great Island Trail
Great Island is neither an island nor a village, but is what the peninsula area of Wellfleet is known as, which is also the location of one of Cape Cod’s longest trails. The Great Island Trail ranges between 3.9 miles (if you take the loop) and 8.8 miles in length. The trail begins at the corner of Griffin Island and Chequessett Neck Road with a parking area located on Chequessett Road, and a picnic area can be found nearby, so be sure to pack a cooler in your rental car to enjoy at the end of your hike. This trail takes hikers along sandy beaches, up log steps, and some areas may be underwater at high tide, making it a tad more difficult than packed dirt, pavement, or the boardwalks of other trails, and because the elevation is higher than on other spots on Cape Cod, the views you experience will be stunning. Some parts of the trail lead to what was once a colonial-era tavern site, which although it is no longer there, still offers echoes and whispers of the past.
The Wonders of our Wellfleet Escapes
After the long hike along the Great Island Trail, you will be more than ready to get off your feet and into the bubbling waters of a hot tub, and yes, you guessed it, some of our Wellfleet escapes offer that luxury amenity. Wellfleet is a mariner’s town, known for its pristine beaches, oyster production, and its annual Oyster Fest, so of course, most of our properties in Wellfleet will be located on or near the water. Relaxing, luxurious, and designed to make guests feel happily at home even as they are miles away from their own, these Wellfleet sanctuaries will offer joy around every corner.
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A Love Affair That Never Ends
When you fall in love with Cape Cod, be prepared for a love affair that never ends, enticing you to visit time and time again, staying in our Pretty Picky Properties Massachusetts retreats. Reserve your favorite escape today and discover how all trails lead home to luxury, style, and all the comforts of home!
