Want to hike in Truro? Try these great trails
Editor's note: This is part of our Best Hikes on Cape Cod series, which will highlight trails across Cape Cod all summer. Read our recommendations for hikes in Harwich, Barnstable, Wellfleet, Chatham, Provincetown, Orleans, Yarmouth and Brewster, and check back each week for more.
Truro may be a small town, but it scores big in the hiking trail department. A good-sized chunk of the town falls within the Cape Cod National Seashore, so there are lots of wild places to explore. The Truro Conservation Trust has information about open space in the town and also has a handy map of protected lands.
As you start planning your Truro adventures, make sure to take ticks into consideration. You may want to look into treating your clothing with permethrin, an insecticide that keeps ticks from clinging to your apparel. The spray form is available at many Cape hardware stores. Several clothing companies (including Insect Shield and L.L. Bean) sell clothing that is pre-treated with permethrin — the protection lasts for about 70 washes. As always, sunscreen and water should be part of your tool kit.
So lace up the hiking shoes and let's take a look at some of the top trails in Truro:
Pamet Area Trail System
I spend a lot of time rambling around the Pamet Area Trail System, because it offers fantastic views and you can shape a long or short hike, depending on your mood and abilities. Parking is available in a small lot to the right of HI Truro Hostel at 111 North Pamet Road in Truro. The trailhead is right across the street.
You can start with the short but slightly steep trail that takes you to the top of Bearberry Hill. Bring your camera, because the view of Ballston Beach and the Atlantic Ocean is superb. A side trail winds to another vista of the Pamet Valley. This section of trail is about a half-mile long.
If you're in the mood to continue, head north and one part of the trail heads out to the beach. Another trail, takes you to the Bog House, a relic of former cranberry farming in the area. You'll be adding about a mile to the walk. Part of the trail system continues north and you can add extra mileage and views to the trip. This is one of my all-time favorite places on Cape Cod.
Woods Walk
Some folks might not be familiar with the North Truro Air Force Station, a Cold War radar facility that operated from 1951 to 1985. Now known as the Highlands Center at Cape Cod National Seashore, it is undergoing a slow transformation into an arts, science and education area. Some of the buildings from the base still exist on the property.
More: Curious Cape Cod: Epic loop hike in Truro
The Woods Walk skirts the base area and provides a good opportunity to reflect on the days when Air Force personnel lived and worked in Truro. There are also some great views of the Atlantic Ocean. The walk runs about a mile and it's a nice change of pace for hiking aficionados.
Pilgrim Heights area trails
There are two short trails at the Pilgrim Heights area, located off Route 6, about a mile north of Head of the Meadow Road. Both of the trails intersect with the two-mile long Head of the Meadow Bike Trail, so it's easy to lengthen hikes in the area. Both trails also feature excellent vistas of the sandy Province Lands and the Atlantic Ocean. As a bonus, there are seasonal restrooms in the large parking area. Here are descriptions of the trails:
More: Curious Cape Cod: Ghost roads of the Province Lands in North Truro
Pilgrim Spring Trail: A short jaunt through pine and oak forest to a site that symbolically represents the area where Pilgrims found their first spring in the New World. It's a quiet and easy walk that intersects the Head of the Meadow Bike Trail.
Small’s Swamp Trail: About a half-mile loop with a spur to a great vista of dunes and the Atlantic, this trail passes through abandoned farmland that is returning to forest. There's also a recently refurbished boardwalk over a marshy area. The trail also intersects with the Head of the Meadow Bike Trail.
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Hiking in Truro on Cape Cod: Great trails to try
