Winning winter: 7 great offseason hikes on Cape Cod
Winter is no time to hunker down on Cape Cod. No, my friends, the chilly season presents a perfect opportunity to lace up the hiking shoes, don the fleece or merino wool of your choice and explore the epic natural beauty of our fabulous peninsula.
There will be no crowds to irk you. And with the leaves conveniently gone from the trees, you'll be able to see things that the summer foliage obscures. There are still mysteries in the deep woods of Cape Cod, and maybe you'll discover a giant boulder or become one with a flock of wild turkeys.
Best of all, you'll get a good workout and raise your spirits. A dose of exercise and a dash of beauty is the perfect recipe for winning winter on the Cape. So limber up and enjoy our list of 7 Great Winter Hikes on Cape Cod. Get out there!
Bell’s Neck Conservation Lands, Harwich
Bell's Neck in Harwich is a contender for best natural area on Cape Cod. The 259-acre area has it all: 2.75 miles of trails, spots to launch kayaks and canoes, great marsh and water views with wildlife sightings always in play. The trail that circumnavigates West Reservoir offers varied terrain and water views. There are several parking areas; the easiest to find is on Bell's Neck Road about a quarter mile south of Great Western Road.
Bourne Farm, North Falmouth
A hike at Bourne Farm in North Falmouth is a trip back in time. It feels like old New England, with a farmhouse and fields leading to trails. There's a wicked cool cattle tunnel under a former railroad bed (now the Shining Sea Bikeway) and access to a herring run. It's a great place to bring the kids because the trails aren't super long. But if you want to add distance to the hike, you can add in a stroll on the bikeway. Located at 6 North Falmouth Hwy., North Falmouth.
Bridge Creek Conservation Area, West Barnstable
The Bridge Creek Conservation Area in West Barnstable is one of my all-time favorite spots on Cape Cod. It's home to one of the Cape's biggest uprooted trees, a slumped-over monster with a root ball twice my height! Wide trails (2.5 miles worth) traverse woods, marshes and old bogs. You can do a five-mile out and back walk from the parking area next to the West Barnstable Fire Department at 2160 Meetinghouse Way, West Barnstable.
Cliff Pond Loop, Brewster
You'll be loopy with joy along the Cliff Pond Loop trail at Nickerson State Park in Brewster. It's an epic and challenging 3.1 mile leg-stretcher with great kettle pond views and quiet woodland passages. A good chunk of the walk runs right along sparkling Cliff Pond, a 204-acre natural wonder. Parking is at the end of Flax Pond Road, and there is no entrance fee for Nickerson in the offseason.
Dead Neck Trail, Mashpee
A walk on the Dead Neck Trail in Mashpee makes a trip to South Cape Beach a special occasion. The trail winds through a sandy peninsula with pond and ocean views, then out to a scenic breakwater at the entrance to Waquoit Bay. You can walk back along the beach, creating a nice loop outing that approaches three miles in total distance. Parking is located at South Cape Beach at the end of Great Oak Road.
Morris Island Trail, Chatham
The toll of erosion is front and center at the Morris Island Trail, part of the Monomoy Island Wildlife Refuge in Chatham. The trail has been reconfigured in recent years as chunks of land were reclaimed by the sea. It now winds through a neighborhood, then descends along a wooded path to an amazing ocean view. The trail continues along a sandy peninsula out to Harding Beach Point, and the whole trip covers a bit less than three miles. Parking is located at the end of Wikis Way in Chatham.
More:Four miles of picturesque hiking: Over the bridge to an awesome Audubon sanctuary
Pamet Area Trail System, Truro
The raw beauty of the wild Atlantic side of Cape Cod is in full view along the Pamet Area Trail System in Truro. Climb Bearberry Hill, which looks over the Pamet Valley, the dynamic Ballston Beach area and the ocean beyond. A section of the trail runs past a cool old bog house, a reminder of the cranberry farming days of yore. You can create a loop by walking out to the beach or continuing north for miles along a single-track trail. Parking is located along the end of North Pamet Road or in a lot next to the HI Truro Hostel (a former Coast Guard station) at 111 North Pamet Road.
More:Curious Cape Cod: Ghost roads of the Province Lands
Contact Eric Williams at ewilliams@capecodonline.com. Follow him on Twitter: @CapeCast.
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: 7 great winter hikes on Cape Cod offer exercise, beautiful views
