Given that summer car traffic makes the narrow roads of the Cape problematic for the bicyclist, the solution is to ride the Rail Trails and the paths of the woods and forests! The Cape's Rail Trails and Bicycle Lanes along the Canal are beautiful and easy travel routes to see the Cape.

In addition, there is biking off-road and along the footpaths shared with the hikers of town forests, sanctuaries, Seashore and Parks.

The "Cape Cod Rail Trail" follows the path of the old railway lines on Cape Cod from Wellfleet to Dennis. This wide, paved, nearly level route winds through woods, salt marshes and fields. Only hoofers, bikers and rollerbladers allowed. You can get on and off for short outings of just a mile or so, round trip to any length or try to cover the whole 24.5 miles!!! It does cross roads in places and so caution at these crosswalks is required. Its a great way to explore.

While we're talkin' bikin', the National Seashore has bicycle trails too. You can check their web site when it comes up soon (?). For a preview, they have the:

• Nauset Trail, 1.6 miles of woods and salt marsh from the Visitor Center to the Lighthouse in Eastham
• Head of the Meadow Trail, 2 miles along a saltmarsh in Truro (nice)
• The Provincetown Lands Trail, (longest loop up to 5.25 miles) from Race Point ot Herring Cove over dunes and around ponds.
• Check it out!

There are still other places to bike away from summer traffic:

• Nickerson State Park in Brewster has roads and paths around ponds and through the woods.
• Crane Wildlife Sanctuary in Falmouth has many unpaved roads through the wildlife habitat.
• The Cape Cod Canal bike paths offer the chance to sightsee, exercise or search for the fishing action while carrying your tackle by bike.

There are a lot of Bike shops and places to rent in every town.

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Check out the"websources" for more information on the location and nature of trails and paths for the biker as they come online.
Check back here as I get more information online: maps, pics and local advice.

Hiking
Hikers have a million miles of shoreline to stroll along or jog on down. Ancient law says that the zone below the high tide mark is available for navigation, fishing and hunting. So navigate yourself around the whole of Cape Cod by shoreline if you want to. Wear shoes for the occasional rocky places and a suit to swim the few tidal rivers and you could circumnavigate the Cape on foot. Think about it! As the crow flies, it is about 25 miles from the Canal to Orleans, another twenty to P'town and then back around the East and south sides to the Canal again in say a hundred miles total. Of course, not being a crow you will double that easily. For the tiny snail who must follow every contour and negotiate every pebble, a million miles might be an optimistic estimate.

Then there are the forests. Town forests with hundreds of acres in each town set aside for your exploration. Most of these that I've been in have been criss-crossed with hiking trails and deer paths making travel easier through the low brush. Hidden swales and ponds, clearings, birds and other wildlife await the woods walker. The Cape Cod National Seashore in Eastham and Truro also has miles of roads and paths without vehicular traffic that are perfect for easy walking through the Pine Barrens ecology. Places like Crane Wildlife Area in Falmouth are big and have miles of interconnecting roads and fields from which to spot wildlife as diverse as deer, hawks and turkey, quail and coyote. Get a map by writing or calling Mass. Div. of Fisheries and Wildlife, 195 Bournedale Rd., Buzzard Bay, 02532; (508)759-3406

There are sanctuaries like Monomoy Island and Wellfleet Bay to check out for the birds and mammals. And don't forget the paved lanes on both sides of the Cape Cod Canal. Easy walkin' with plenty of places to access from the roads on both sides (but more on the East) and room for the kids to watch the big boats go through. Or the family can stop for a picnic and make a few casts.

(200K, 60 sec. download, but worth it!)
Finally, there is the waterfront. There is something special about the docks at night. The sound of unseen waves and boats rockin'. The smell of salt and the lights upon the water, welcoming, reassuring the traveler of the safety of port. Walk in these places quietly, recognizing that we are not so far from our past. Never so far from the sea.

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This page was created by Michael Eichenseer.

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