recommendations on hikes in outer Cape Cod (eastham/wellfleet/truro)

I'm looking for some recommendations for hikes in Cape Cod National Seashore for late March or early April.

either a specific recommendation or a reference to a good book would be helpful...

A number of hikes are shown on this Cape Cod National Seashore link.

Hardings Beach to Stage Harbor Light in Chatham is a nice walk as is Great Island (#8 on the map) in Wellfleet.

I agree with Stan Great Island is a good place to start.
Here is a pretty extensive list of other hikes on the Cape.
http://www.cctrails.org/
Charlie

This past fall the southway channel between South Beach and South Monomoy Island closed permitting a hike from Chatham Light all the way to South Monomoy Light
It's about 11 miles each way
The Monomoy Islands are a national treasure

http://www.fws.gov/northeast/monomoy/

Since parking isn't an issue until mid-May, might I suggest walking/hiking the National Seashore. Park at Coast Guard Beach in Eastham (not Orleans) and hike north to Nauset Light Beach. You can either hike back by beach or there is a road which is not very busy at this time of the year with some very nice views.

Alternatively, you can park at Nauset Light and reverse the trip to Coast Guard or hike north to Marconi Beach. There isn't a road back, so round-trip on the sand will be about 4.5 miles. Also, you can make the whole trek from Coast Guard to Marconi at about 6.5 miles r/t.

These three beaches are on the National Seashore (Atlantic side) below the cliffs.

When your done, stop by the Land Ho on Rte 6A & Main St. in Orleans for kale soup and a beer.

Are you willing to make it all the way out to Provincetown?

There's a dike that crosses over Provincetown Harbor. It's pretty long, and it brings you over to a secluded peninsula, which has a lighthouse. It typically doesn't show up in any guidebooks or on listings of typical cape cod hikes, but it's one of my favorite things to do on the Cape.

picture

- Greg

I would also recommend Great Island as well as the Atlantic Cedar Swamp boardwalk in Wellfleet. Lots to see down there. Have fun.

gaiagirl said:

I would also recommend Great Island as well as the Atlantic Cedar Swamp boardwalk in Wellfleet. Lots to see down there. Have fun.

Click to expand...

Isn't that in Eastham in the Fort Hill area? Unless there's two of them.

Wellfleet of course has the Audubon Center which has lot's of nice walking.

dudley said:

This past fall the southway channel between South Beach and South Monomoy Island closed permitting a hike from Chatham Light all the way to South Monomoy Light
It's about 11 miles each way
The Monomoy Islands are a national treasure

http://www.fws.gov/northeast/monomoy/

Click to expand...

That's interesting news. Local fishermen (in small boats) will be unhappy. It will add 25 miles of rough water to trips to/from the fishing dock in Stage Harbor.

I remember well when the break in Nauset Beach right off Chatham happened one winter (?) 20 years ago - that's another break, not the one they're talking about. That changed the whole profile of Chatham's beaches and eventually took out some homes. Time and Tides are relentless - as is the human tendency to build on those lands.

I believe it was 1987 when the Chatham Cut opened PB.
Monomoy was formed by south flowing current washing sand down from the north. Every year the area is extended.
The local seal colony was once at the tip of south beach and they would feed on the bait fish moving through the channel. No more.
The majority have moved to North Beach (Nauset), north of Chatham Cut
The playful seals will follow you in pods as you walk down the beach, surfing and people watching
Fun companions

the beach in Eastham is quite nice for walking - it is a pure, pristine beach -not an amusement park!

thanks all!
I checked w/ the Nat Park Service & through some of their recommendations & googling I found these which are a good start (a decent map does wonders)...

http://www.nps.gov/caco/planyourvisit/upload/CACOmapweb.pdf
http://www.nps.gov/caco/planyourvisit/upload/Self-gui1-2.pdf