Great fall hike on Cape Cod: Bog, meadow and mystery in Brewster

Eric Williams, Cape Cod Times
·3 min read
1

BREWSTER — Just when you think you know Cape Cod, and are ready to join the Wicked Smart Beyond Belief club, something new comes up and you are thrust back into the hot tub of blissful ignorance. Come on in, the water's fine!

That's what happened to me the other day, after I planted a fig tree. I was sitting on the front porch, congratulating myself on the bold and fruity experiment, when I picked up my "Brewster Hiking Trails" pamphlet. The handy (and glossy) booklet is provided by the Brewster Conservation Trust and the Brewster Department of Natural Resources, and it's a corker!

There it was on the last page: an entry on the "Mothers Bog Aquifer Protection Area." Sure, it sounded a little clunky, but as I dived into the description, I realized it was located in a part of Brewster I had never explored. And it was big: an eight acre cranberry bog, last harvested in the fall of 2005, sitting at the northern end of a 153-acre aquifer protection area.

The Mothers Bog Aquifer Protection Area in Brewster includes this retired cranberry bog. It was last harvested in 2005.
The Mothers Bog Aquifer Protection Area in Brewster includes this retired cranberry bog. It was last harvested in 2005.

The map indicated there were nearly two miles of trails and hinted that there might be more. Plus it seemed possible to dip into Dennis and Harwich along the way, making it a rare three-town hike.

I dropped everything immediately, and with the speed and trajectory of a popped champagne cork, I soared toward Brewster in the Ravishing RAV4. I just knew this was going to be good.

It's a little tricky to find, because the dirt road entrance off Slough Road (about .8 of a mile south of Satucket Road) is unmarked. But once you pull in, there's a dandy parking area and a helpful Brewster Conservation Trust kiosk with a big map.

A small pond at the Mothers Bog Aquifer Protection Area in Brewster.
A small pond at the Mothers Bog Aquifer Protection Area in Brewster.

The star of the show? Mothers Bog, a wide-open landscape, glowing green/yellow in the late September sun. What was once the realm of cranberry production is transforming into something else. The place almost hums with change — other plants seem to have realized that the cranberry days are over and are making their move.

And there's some delicious history attached to the bog. According to info from Mark Robinson, executive director of The Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts, the mother of "Mothers Bog" was the legendary Louisa Maria Crowell of East Dennis (1852-1951).

Who was Louisa Maria Crowell?

Crowell had an amazing life. An 1856 entry in the Yarmouth Register reports her adoption by Captain Joshua Sears, a prominent East Dennis sea captain, and his wife, Minerva. According to a 1951 obituary of Louisa Crowell, published in the Yarmouth Register: "She had seen clipper ships launched from Sesuit Creek in East Dennis and circumnavigated the globe in one of them. She greeted Abraham Lincoln in Boston and vividly recalled the celebration after the Civil War and the mourning at his death."

Trail scene at the Mothers Bog Aquifer Protection Area in Brewster.
Trail scene at the Mothers Bog Aquifer Protection Area in Brewster.

I was so full of bog history and beauty that I neglected to pay close attention to the trail map. This proved to be a bit of a mistake, because the large, woodsy part of the area has a lot of mysterious side trails. But getting lost is sort of a luxury, and the woods were so quiet and pleasant that I didn't care.

Eventually, I got back on the marked trail and passed through an incredibly pleasant meadow. Chris Miller, director of the Brewster natural resources department, said that some of the "clam trees" that line the approach to Rock Harbor in Orleans are harvested near the meadow, which is a dang cool bit of insider Cape Cod knowledge.

A pleasant meadow at the Mothers Bog Aquifer Protection Area in Brewster.
A pleasant meadow at the Mothers Bog Aquifer Protection Area in Brewster.

The whole morning added up to some of the biggest fun I've had in a while. A new place to explore, lots to think about, and a tasty appetizer to the autumn hiking season on Cape Cod, the best time to get out there and discover stuff. And if you need extra motivation, the bog is located near Luke's giant beer store on Route 6A — cheers to fall!

Eric Williams, when not solving Curious Cape Cod mysteries, writes about a variety of ways to enjoy the Cape, the weather, wildlife and other subjects. Contact him at ewilliams@capecodonline.com. Follow him on Twitter: @capecast.

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Beautiful fall hike on Cape Cod: Brewster trail winds through old bog