Cape Cod National Seashore Bike Paths

Go to the Cape Cod National Seashore web site for general information about the National Seashore. On the home page, click on "Activities" and then on the Activities page click on "Biking" for general information about the Seashore Paths and other Cape Cod Paths. On the biking page click on the link marked "three bicycle trails" for maps or go directly to the maps page. The maps can be printed or else can be picked up at the Province Land and the Salt Pond Visitors' Centers.

There are three separated biking areas; Province Land Trails, Head of Meadow Trail, and Nauset Trail. We bicycled on the three Cape Cod National Seashore Bike Paths in early May on a cold and very windy day. Heavy rains a few days before caused flooding on two sections of lthe Province Lands paths. The Province Land Trails consist of a 5.5 mile loop and short spurs to the Herring Cove Beach and Race Point Beach. These trails are most spectacular near the ocean. These trails are quite hilly, narrow and bumpy. They have many curves, unlike most bike paths. The scenery makes up for all this.

The Head of the Meadow Beach Trail is the least interesting. It is flat and bumpy; it almost looks like nature is taking over with grass growing in from the edges and in cracks. The best scenery is at the beach where the trail starts.

The Nauset Trail, which starts at the Salt Pond Visitor Center is very scenic especially at the eastern end where it crosses a salt marsh and ends at Coast Guard Beach. This trail can be combined with riding on the Cape Cod Rail Trail which is only a half mile from the Visitor Center.

For someone wanting a longer ride, these trails could be connected by using the Claire Saltonstall Bikeway, a marked bike route along roads. Here are some pictures of a ride along these trails.

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