Top 5 shady hiking spots on Cape Cod: Stay out of the sun and still have fun

The beastly July heat wave on Cape Cod made folks think twice about doing stuff outdoors. Unless I was swimming, I was cowering indoors in front of a fan, worrying about my parched tomato plot. As a huge fan of hiking, turning into a lethargic lump started to bug me.

Thankfully, I stumbled upon intriguing info from the Massachusetts Audubon Society that suggested "wandering through woodlands amid leafed-out oaks and beeches, and conifers with their thick boughs of needles, you may find yourself blissfully cloaked under a cool and shady canopy thanks to a forest-created microclimate."

This made me think about hiking Cape Cod in a new way. During the cooler times of the year, I often try to work a stretch of sunny beach into a walk for the scenic bliss. But a hike that is "made in the shade" makes a lot of sense in the summer, especially when the heat makes you want to wave a surrender flag. So here is our cool top-five list of shady hiking spots on Cape Cod.

Bridge Creek Conservation Area, West Barnstable

If you like deciduous trees and giant ferns, the Bridge Creek Conservation Area in West Barnstable might have the lush forest hike you've been looking for. Here's the intriguing trail description from the town of Barnstable website:

"The Bridge Creek Conservation Area is notable for its remarkably diverse and accessible wetland habitats. It encompasses 246 acres overall. The area hosts an array of interesting features such as stone walls, abandoned cranberry bogs, tidal and freshwater streams, open marsh, hardwood swamp and upland." It makes a nice pairing with the adjacent Jenkins Wildlife Sanctuary.

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The 2.5-mile trail system is V-shaped and of the out-and-back variety. Parking at the Jenkins spot (Church Street, West Barnstable) allows you to divide the hike into two out-and-back walks, so you can return to your car at "halftime," or shorten the hike, while the parking spot behind the West Barnstable Fire Department (2160 Meetinghouse Way) starts you off on a 5-mile out and back journey, with most of the walk in the cooling shade of giant trees.

Cliff Pond Trail, Nickerson State Park (Brewster)

If you like mixing hiking through the woods with a swimming option, the Cliff Pond Trail at Nickerson State Park will make you happy. It's a beautiful 3.2-mile loop hike around a 204-acre kettle pond with almost continuous water views and plenty of spots to take a refreshing dip. Parking is at the end of Flax Pond Road.

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First, the semi-bad news: there's a daily parking fee at Nickerson State Park from Memorial Day through Oct. 30. Massachusetts residents pay $8 and non-residents pay $30. Residency status is determined by vehicle license plate. I would say this is money well-spent on a fantastic experience. The park is also along the Cape Cod Rail Trail.

The Cliff Pond Trail is just plain eye-candy from the get-go, and part of the trail runs right at the edge of the clean, clear pond. Allow about 90 minutes to complete the hike, which is a tad hilly in sections, but generally pretty flat and easy. Once you're in the park, you might want to also swim at nearby Flax Pond, which has a lovely beach and restrooms.

Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail, South Wellfleet

The Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail is a short and unique loop hike that even kids might like. That's because the big attraction is a very cool boardwalk that winds through what the National Park Service calls "an isolated remnant of an ecosystem created after the last ice age, and normally found in mid-Canada or further north."

The 1.2 mile trail descends from the Marconi Station Area, a place worth checking out as well, because of the spectacular vistas of the Atlantic Ocean and rolling dunes. The good-sized parking lot at 195 Marconi Station Road offers access to both areas and has seasonal restrooms. Allow about an hour for the hike.

In Yarmouth: There are 300 acres of trails at the the Bud Carter Conservation Area

You'll start by walking down a hill through a shady pine and oak forest. The recently refurbished boardwalk runs 2,500 feet through the cedar swamp, twisting and turning through towering trees that create a canopy. On a hot summer day, the shade brings a welcome coolness.

Mashpee River Woodlands

This hiking adventure combines the adjoining Mashpee River Reservation, a Trustees of Reservations property and the Mashpee River Woodlands, a conservation area owned by the town. They wrap around the river south of Route 28, with a parking lot off Quinaquisset Avenue.

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The combined areas offer miles of hiking trails through the forest and along the beautiful Mashpee River. It is kind of astounding to find this much open land in such a busy and populated part of Cape Cod. One of the trails runs by the biggest pine tree I have ever seen on the Cape.

There's a lot of natural beauty to take in as you hike along, but perhaps the most intriguing thing along the trail is a man-made object known as the Great Bridge and a section of old road that used to be part of Route 28.

Maple Swamp Conservation Area, Sandwich

The Maple Swamp Conservation Area trail system is a challenging web of paths, weaving through the forest over a big chunk of terrain. And while Cape Cod tends to be a flat place, the area is hilly and you'll be in for a climb to get to the highest spot. But the payoff is a terrific vista, complete with a delightful viewing platform.

According to the town of Sandwich: "The Maple Swamp conservation lands consist of 500 acres of upland property that are composed of 25 different parcels. Located on the Service Road between exits 3 and 4, (the) property also has some of the most diverse topography on Cape Cod. (Ranging) from 40 feet above sea level to 250 feet above sea level, Maple Swamp has spectacular views north across Cape Cod Bay to Provincetown and south to Vineyard Sound."

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The trails curve back and forth beautifully through the forest, gaining altitude without a ton of steepness. The big payoff is the observation deck atop Sam Nye's Mountain. The main parking lot for the Maple Swamp Conservation Area is at about 160-174 Service Road, Sandwich, if you're using a mapping app. This part of the service road runs along Route 6 between Exits 61 and 59 (formerly exits 4 and 3).

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Cape Cod's top 5 shady hiking spots for the summer