Hiking Cape Cod 2025 - In My Footsteps

With summer comes the increased desire to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather. Living on Cape Cod, there is no shortage of places to see and explore. Hiking is a fantastic way to get out into nature, get some exercise, and explore the great outdoors. However, hiking can also be dangerous if you're not prepared or don't take the necessary precautions.

What I am going to do here is share some amazing places to explore on Cape Cod and also provide some tips on how to enjoy hiking outdoors safely.




1. Plan your route: Before you start your hike, it's essential to plan your route. Luckily, Cape Cod is a peninsula, and the odds of getting lost somewhere truly inhospitable are small. However, it is important to have a general sense of where you are and where you are going. Doing a little research won’t hurt. Select a trail that suits your fitness level and experience. For the most part, Cape Cod is a series of beginner to moderate hiking trails.

2. Bring the right gear: This is a given. Make sure you have appropriate footwear that provides good support and traction. Wear comfortable clothing that is appropriate for the weather conditions. If the hike is long enough, bring a backpack with essential items such as water, snacks, sunscreen, a hat, and maybe a first aid kit. There are plenty of short hikes on Cape Cod, but there are also some that can be up to ten miles or longer.

3. Check the weather forecast: This is true for any time of year. Hiking is fun, but hiking in the pouring rain, wind, or snow is not. That’s not to say that some inclement weather can’t make for a fun adventure. The main point is to think ahead. A little drizzle or hot temperatures might not ruin a hike, but a downpour can change the complexion of a trail, turning packed dirt to slippery muck.

4. Hike with a buddy: It's always a good idea to hike with a buddy or a group of people. Not only is it more fun to hike with others, but it's also safer. If you get lost or injured, you'll have someone there to help you.

5. Stay on the trail: When hiking, always stay on the trail. Don't wander off the path, as you can damage the environment and get lost. There is also a prevalence of ticks that can cause Lyme Disease. Most trails are crafted to make sure you get the best experience, so diverting from them shouldn’t be necessary.

6. Pace yourself: Hiking can be physically demanding. Don't push yourself too hard and listen to your body. If you feel tired or lightheaded, take a break and have a snack or drink some water. It also gives you ample time to take in the scenery and even snag a couple of amazing photos.

7. Respect wildlife: Remember when hiking, you’re in nature’s house. Keep your distance from animals and don't disturb their natural habitat. Don't feed animals or leave food out, as this can attract wildlife and create dangerous situations.

8. Leave no trace: This is most important. Leave no trace behind, and avoid damaging the environment by carving your name into trees or rocks. Take out what you take in. We only have one environment, and it is important to leave its beauty for future generations.



That’s a pretty comprehensive list, but it’s all common-sense stuff. Be smart, be respectful, and be prepared. Now that you know how to properly enjoy a good hike on Cape Cod, it’s time to share a few places to implement the tips. They will also be designated as easy, moderate, or difficult so that all experience levels can find somewhere incredible to visit.


Great Island Trail: Wellfleet – Moderate: This trail can be easy or moderate, depending on the path you take. It is anywhere from 3.9 – 8.8 miles in total length. There are spectacular views of Cape Cod Bay and Jeremy Point. The uplands take you past the 17th-century Samuel Smith Tavern Site.


Wing Island Trail: Rt. 6A, Brewster – Easy: It is important to check the tide before you go, as it is possible for the water to come in and make Wind Island, well, an island. The trail is roughly 1.5 miles in total. It leads to spectacular views of Cape Cod Bay and the famed Brewster Flats.


Dead Neck Trail: Mashpee – Easy: This trail extends west from the parking lot of South Cape Beach. It is mostly over sand, so it can be more challenging in different areas. In total, it is about 2.5 miles out and back. The end of the trail brings you to the mouth of Waquoit Bay, which can be a highway for boats in the summer and feel like the middle of nowhere in the winter.


West Barnstable Conservation Loop: Crooked Cartway, West Barnstable – Moderate: This is a long and somewhat hilly trail extending as much as nearly 7 miles if you do the entirety of it. The challenge of the hills is well worth it for the spectacular view from the Walker Point Deck, one of the highest locations on Cape Cod.


Province Lands Bike Trail: Province Lands Rd, Provincetown – Easy/Moderate: Despite being a paved trail, this 6.7-mile loop traverses up and down the rolling sand dunes of Provincetown. The views are incredible, and there are several parking areas along the trail. This means that you can choose to hike a shorter distance if desired.


Harding’s Beach Trail: Harding’s Beach Rd., Chatham – Moderate: Although it only clocks in at about 2 miles, this trail is moderately challenging due to it being mostly over soft sand. To the north, you’ll see Oyster Pond River, to the south the ocean, and in front of you, Stage Harbor Lighthouse. It feels like the middle of nowhere, even as the boats pass by in and out and Stage Harbor.

Of course, there are hundreds of other incredible trails to be explored on Cape Cod. These are only a few examples. Wherever you choose to walk, be sure to be safe and have fun. Enjoy the rest of summer!

In My Footsteps: Hiking Cape Cod

With spring and summer comes the increased desire to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather. Living on Cape Cod there is no shortage of places to see and explore. Hiking is a fantastic way to get out into nature, get some exercise, and explore the great outdoors. However, hiking can also be dangerous if you're not prepared or don't take the necessary precautions.

What I am going to do here is share some amazing places to go exploring on Cape Cod and also give some tips on how to enjoy hiking outdoors safely.

1. Plan your route: Before you start your hike, it's essential to plan your route. Luckily Cape Cod is a peninsula and the odds of getting lost in somewhere truly inhospitable are small. However, it is important to have a general sense of where you are and where you are going. Doing a little research won’t hurt. Choose a trail that is suitable for your fitness level and experience. For the most part, Cape Cod is a series of beginner to moderate hiking trails.

2. Bring the right gear: This is a given. Make sure you have appropriate footwear that provides good support and traction. Wear comfortable clothing that is appropriate for the weather conditions. If the hike is long enough bring a backpack with essential items such as water, snacks, sunscreen, a hat, and maybe a first aid kit. There are plenty of short hikes on Cape Cod, but there are also some that can be up to ten miles or longer.

3. Check the weather forecast: This is true for any time of year. Hiking is fun, but hiking in the pouring rain, wind, or snow is not. That’s not to say that some inclement weather can’t make for a fun adventure. The main point is to think ahead. A little drizzle or hot temperatures might not ruin a hike, but a downpour can change the complexion of a trail turning packed dirt to slippery muck.

4. Hike with a buddy: It's always a good idea to hike with a buddy or a group of people. Not only is it more fun to hike with others, but it's also safer. If you get lost or injured, you'll have someone there to help you.

5. Stay on the trail: When hiking, always stay on the trail. Don't wander off the path, as you can damage the environment and get lost. There is also a prevalence of ticks that can cause Lyme Disease. Most trails are crafted to make sure you get the best experience so diverting from it shouldn’t be necessary.

6. Pace yourself: Hiking can be physically demanding. Don't push yourself too hard and listen to your body. If you feel tired or lightheaded, take a break and have a snack or drink some water. It also gives you ample time to take in the scenery and even snag a couple amazing photos.

7. Respect wildlife: Remember when hiking, you’re in nature’s house. Keep your distance from animals and don't disturb their natural habitat. Don't feed animals or leave food out, as this can attract wildlife and create dangerous situations.

8. Leave no trace: This is most important. Don't leave anything behind, and don't damage the environment by carving your name into trees or rocks. Take out what you take in. We only have one environment and it is important to leave its beauty for future generations.

     That’s a pretty comprehensive list, but it’s all common sense stuff. Be smart, be respectful, and be prepared. Now that you know how to properly enjoy a good hike on Cape Cod it’s time to share a few places to implement the tips. They will also be designated as easy, moderate, or difficult so that all experience levels can find somewhere incredible to visit.

1. Great Island Trail: Wellfleet – Moderate: This trail can be easy or moderate depending on the path you take. It is anywhere from 3.9 – 8.8 miles in total length. There are spectacular views of Cape Cod Bay and Jeremy Point. The uplands take you past the 17^th Century Samuel Smith Tavern Site.

Great Island Trail

2. Nauset Marsh Trail: Eastham – Easy/Moderate: This trail can be easy or moderate as well. There is a marsh loop trail that is 1.2 total miles but for more of a challenge you can add in the Nauset Bike Trail to bump the total distance up to 4.1 miles. You circle Salt Pond and can venture out to Salt Pond Bay. The bike trail leads you all the way out to the iconic Coast Guard Beach as well.

Nauset Marsh Trail

3. Long Point Lighthouse Trail: Provincetown – Moderate: One of the most visible yet least traversed trails on Cape Cod. The approximately 5.9 total mile hike begins with a somewhat challenging walk across Provincetown’s West End Breakwater. It continues with a sandy stroll out onto Long Point to the eponymously named lighthouse. The views of Provincetown’s waterfront along with the boats that dock on Long Point make this a wonderful way to spend a day.

Long Point Lighthouse

4. Waquoit Bay Trail: Mashpee – Easy: A beautiful out-and-back walk along South Cape Beach leads you from the parking area to the shores of Waquoit Bay. At a little over 2 miles, it is a relatively easy hike although some soft sand can slow your progress down at times.

South Cape Beach State Park

Wing Island Trail: Brewster – Easy: Be sure to keep an eye on the tides before you go. Once the timing is right though this is an easy hike with a panoramic view of Cape Cod Bay at the end. It can be anywhere from 1.5 miles to slightly longer depending on how much of the beach you choose to explore.

Wing Island Trail

    These are but a few of the incredible hikes on Cape Cod. There are so many hidden gems, not to mention more than one hundred miles of paved bike trails. Whether you choose to explore one of the mentioned trails, or you choose your own adventure, be sure to have fun and be safe!

In Their Footsteps: New England History - Cape Cod's First Air Disaster

    In the 2020s air travel is the safest form of transportation on the planet. Millions of people climb aboard a plane and make it to their destination without issue. It has become so commonplace that it might seem unbelievable to think it wasn’t always that way.
    In the 1920s air travel was new and relatively untested, especially in the civilian market. Airfields were slowly being constructed throughout the United States as more and more everyday people desired to soar into the clouds for a time.
    On Cape Cod, the very first airfield had a spectacular beginning, a brief run, and a tragic end. All happening within the same month this is the story of Cape Cod’s first airfield.
The world’s first airline opened on January 1, 1914. Located in St. Petersburg, Florida it was known as the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line. The very first passenger flight was flown by pilot Tony Jannus. During World War I airplanes began to become more common as ways of fighting battles. Soon after the war ended the race was on to create airfields for passenger flights all across the country.
    Massachusetts began licensing aircraft and pilots in May 1920. It was not very long until the search was on for ideal locations for potential airfields. In the weeks after licensing began a new air travel company was created. Aero Service Company was founded by Charles J. Manuel with its home base being Framingham, Massachusetts.
Manuel planned to begin scheduling passenger flights as well as instruction, aerial photo opportunities, and advertising. He had his airfield in Framingham and Manuel soon found his crew and aircraft.
    Two men were hired as pilots and mechanics. They were George Linwood Hall, 22 years old from Mansfield, Massachusetts, and Carley Gould Weld, 30 years old and originally from Chatham, Massachusetts but now residing in Framingham. A single-engine passenger plane of Canadian make was then purchased by Manuel and Weld together.
    With Cape Cod’s blossoming tourism industry in the early 20th century, it only made sense to develop an airfield on the peninsula. A perfect location was found on South Sea Avenue in West Yarmouth. The new airfield, christened Aero Service Aviation Field, was located on Great Island in the days before it was a private gated community. The first airfield on Cape Cod was created in the final days of June 1920, just as the summer season was kicking off.

    Located just down the road from the legendary Aberdeen Hall on Great Island, and within walking distance of the luxurious Hotel Englewood, the new airfield overlooked Lewis Bay and was seen as being of ample size with an excellent surface and long runway. The Aero Service Company itself was praised upon its opening as having a highly competent crew with substantial experience in the field of aeronautics. This was especially true of the pilot Hall who was an Air Force Lieutenant after training with Canadian Royal Air Force. Weld was equally qualified as he was a mechanical engineer who had received numerous patents in the field of engine improvements.

The legendary Aberdeen Hall on Great Island(Historical Society of Old Yarmouth)

    Opening day for both Aero Service Company, as well as their airfield on Great Island, was July 5, 1920. Hall piloted the airplane with Weld as the mechanic in tow as the craft took off from Framingham and landed in West Yarmouth in 61 minutes. It was headline news at the time and seen as an impressively fast speed. For comparison the highly popular Ford Model T in 1920 had a reported top speed of 28 mph, meaning a drive from Framingham to West Yarmouth in absolutely ideal conditions would take roughly 3 ½ hours.

1920 Article in the Yarmouth Register about the Framingham-West Yarmouth flight.

    Hall, Weld, and their aircraft became instant celebrities on Cape Cod. The pair took up residence at the Hotel Englewood and began immediately taking passengers up into the sky above the Cape several times daily for the cool price of $10($148 in 2023). People lined up to get their chance to climb aboard the airplane, or to just gaze in amazement at the new mode of transportation. At the Great Island airfield, the trips generally consisted of traveling in a square covering much ground from Mashpee to Harwich.
    After their passenger trips were finished daily Hall and Weld would entertain spectators by taking one final flight themselves and performing stunts such as loop-the-loops before calling it a day. Within only a matter of a few weeks, passenger air travel has stormed Cape Cod with numerous reports of the impressive pilots and adoring crowds. The potential dangers never crossed anyone’s mind.
    On the afternoon of July 21, 1920, Mrs. L.F. Jukes of Arlington Heights, Massachusetts took a ride up in the Aero Service plane. She later admitted that she was terrified in the sky. To her, the plane ride felt rocky but she also said she figured that was just the way air travel was and that nothing was likely wrong with the plane. Mrs. Jukes’ was the final successful flight.

A rare photo of the actual Aero Service plane at the field in West Yarmouth in July 1920(Historical Society of Old Yarmouth)

    Around 6 pm with Weld piloting and Hall as the second, a reversal of the typical routine, the men began their typical end-of-the-day demonstration. The plane circled the Great Island runway at a height of roughly 2,000 feet preparing to land as people all around watched. A pair of loop-the-loops were completed and then something went wrong.
    The plane hurdled to the ground with spectators losing sight of it. Some people saw it and headed off to find the crew while others were told about it and joined the search party. The plane went down in a muddy bog near Horse Pond in West Yarmouth. Deep in the woods, it took more than half an hour for the first help to arrive in the form of Romeo Hallett from Hyannis and Eric Sturck from Centerville.
    According to Hallett, the plane turned over ‘nine or ten times, flopping around like a piece of paper.’ Hallett and Sturck found the wreck and waded into the water but the plane was stuck in anywhere from 3-6 feet of water and muck. Weld and Hall, still strapped into their seats, did not survive the crash. Although no immediate cause of the crash was established both wings were broken off and the plane had crashed tail first, likely because the engine had fallen back into the fuselage.

George Hall's death announcement in the Boston Globe

    Lifting the 800-pound aircraft to free the men proved impossible for the growing group of helpers arriving. After midnight as July 21st became the 22nd New England Telephone & Telegraph sent a crew with a truck, ladder, and ropes out to the woods behind Horse Pond. A crowd of over two hundred watched as the bodies of Hall and Weld were carefully removed from the downed plane. The aircraft itself was then hauled from the mud onto solid ground.
    It was a sad and tragic event with no clear-cut answer as to what had happened. Charles Manuel stated that he had personally examined the plane before takeoff with nothing appearing to be wrong. He did however reiterate the fact that Weld had been the pilot rather than Hall who was the registered pilot of the plane. Romeo Hallet theorized that Weld could have believed the bog near Horse Pond to be a clearing and tried to land there not knowing it was soft mud.
    By the mid-morning hours of July 22nd, anything that was not nailed down was being removed from the wreckage. Described in the local newspapers as ‘souvenier hunters’ a guard perimeter had to be established to keep people from stealing parts of the plane. It is unknown to this day whether something that was taken could have better explained those last fateful moments of Weld and Hall.
    For the Aero Service Company, the crash effectively put them out of business. The airplane that crashed was the only one owned by the company. The summer runway at Great Island lasted all of 16 days. It did not dampen the arrival of passenger air travel on Cape Cod though. In March 1921 the Chatham Aviation Field was opened.
    The funerals for both of the lost pilots took place on July 24, 1920. George Hall’s service took place at his parents' home in Mansfield while Carley Weld’s service was at the Forest Hills Cemetery Chapel in Jamaica Plain. It is unknown what happened to Charles Manuel after the crash and subsequent dissolution of his Aero Service Company.
    As for the former Aero Service Aviation Field in West Yarmouth, it, and Great Island as a whole changed dramatically in the following years. The field was absorbed into property owned by Gertrude Behr. She in turn sold it to Nathaniel Springer in January 1924. The summer of 1924 saw the beloved Aberdeen Hall on Great Island destroyed by fire. Soon after Great Island as a whole became the gated private community it remains to this day.
    The Aero Service Company of Framingham and its summer runway in West Yarmouth were both barely a blip in history. Sadly its dizzying highs at the start were tainted by the tragedy that ended the business after only a few short weeks.

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Previous Blog Posts:

Lady of the Dunes Documentary Producer Frank Durant Interview Part 2

Lady of the Dunes Documentary Producer Frank Durant Interview Part 1

In My Footsteps Podcast Episode 11: Wear Your Wish Interview; Visiting Cape Cod's Most Secure Location; Playing Manhunt; This Week In History, and more

 

In My Footsteps: 4K Cape Cod - Great Island, Wellfleet

In My Footsteps: Trip 46: Wellfleet, Mass. - Part Two

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In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 46: Wellfleet, Mass. – Part Two

April 28, 2010

            My second journey through Wellfleet had just as much to do with what was there as with what used to be there.  Wellfleet is the setting of two of the most fascinating Cape Cod legends.  Neither the Chequesset Inn nor Billingsgate Island still exist but their presence is still felt all over this town.  

 

-->           Billingsgate Island, now known as Billingsgate Shoal, is an article in and of itself.  I first became acquainted with this Cape Cod legend while at 4 C’s.  In my research for an article on erosion I came across this one-time small island community located a mile south of Jeremy Point.  At its peak in the 17^th century Billingsgate Island was approximately sixty acres in size.  At one point in the mid-1800’s the island had thirty homes, a schoolhouse, a lighthouse(left), and even a baseball team.  The lighthouse was originally built in 1822 and was rebuilt twice before finally being destroyed due to erosion in 1915.

          

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           The erosion of the island was exacerbated by the fact that the inhabitants removed the trees holding the land together and allowed their livestock to graze on the land removing much of the beach grass.  After the island was virtually deserted around the time of World War I due to the extensive erosion many of the structures were floated off the island and reestablished in Wellfleet, Brewster, and West Barnstable.  Today all that remains of Billingsgate Island is a large sandbar at low tide with pieces of the lighthouse foundation and a scattering of bricks still to be found. 

 

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Billingsgate’s remains are accessible at low tide and the area is large enough for shellfishing and picnicking, but that’s about it.  The legend of this once thriving island community still lives throughout Wellfleet as many of the island’s homes ended up here.  It is said that Holbrook Avenue near Wellfleet Harbor is one hotspot for finding former Billingsgate homes.  Although in my research I found out that many of the homes on Holbrook are from Bound Brook Island near Wellfleet as well.  The guessing is half the fun.  The only spot that I know for certain once resided on Billingsgate Island now exists as part of the Wicked Oyster restaurant at 50 Main Street in Wellfleet as it is mentioned in its history.  

 

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The Chequesset Inn(right, above) has a history as rich as Billingsgate.  It was an incredible luxury resort built in 1902 on the 400-foot Mercantile Wharf that was comprised of sixty-two rooms.  The resort helped make Wellfleet a huge tourist destination but the rough waters of the harbor ended up claiming the Chequesset Inn in 1934.  A cold winter filled the harbor with ice and these chunks ravaged the pier’s pilings until the Mercantile Wharf collapsed during one particular winter storm.  The Inn was taken down shortly thereafter as was the pier.  There is a marker on the curve of Kendrick Avenue designating where the Mercantile Wharf jutted out into the harbor.  To the east is Mayo Beach and to the west of the marker are the Wellfleeter Condos, it is a very awe-inspiring feeling to stand at the edge of the water knowing what used to be there seventy-five years ago(right, below).  At low tide it is still possible to see the tops of what remains of the pilings that once made up Mercantile Wharf.

 

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            Mayo Beach, located next to Wellfleet Harbor, is a great beach with several great views.  To the east is the harbor while the Wellfleet Breakwater Beach is to the southeast and Jeremy Point and Great Island stretch out to the southwest; it is easy to become mesmerized by this unique area of Cape Cod.  There is another great spot to check out along Mayo Beach when you look inward away from the water. 

The parking lot is a sort of semi-circle of asphalt and in the middle is a grassy area containing a very old oyster shack(left).  The eight by ten cedar shack, built in 1935, once belonged to a man named Earle Rich and was moved to Mayo Beach in November.  It had originated along Duck Creek’s railroad bridge since back then oysters were sent to Boston and New York by train.  It is a great piece of Cape Cod history that is very accessible; these shacks once covered the shores along most of the Cape as little as sixty years ago.

 

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The Wellfleet Town Pier is a great spot to have lunch and just watch the fishermen and average boaters come in and out of the harbor.  Holbrook Avenue, the supposed resting place of many Billingsgate Island homes sits only a few hundred yards north for some perspective.  It is incredible for me to imagine how the actual lay of the land along the harbor has remained basically the same over the past hundred years and yet how much it has changed.

            Only a hundred years ago there was a huge resort stretching out into the water and Billingsgate Island still existed, although it was only inhabited by a lighthouse keeper and a few brave souls that spent days at a time alone shellfishing.  What happened to the Chequesset Inn and Billingsgate is a prime example of the fury of the sea.  It is possible that thousands of years from now people will be speaking of Cape Cod in the same way I am speaking of Billingsgate now; a once thriving community that the ocean reclaimed.

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The histories of these two Cape legends can be found at the Wellfleet Historical Society, the Nickerson Room at Cape Cod Community College, along with the Wellfleet book in the Images of America series.  These stories are fascinating, and not that well known with all of the hundreds of other more famous stories in Cape Cod history.  I highly recommend visiting Wellfleet and taking a look at where the Chequesset Inn once stood.  Or, if you are truly adventurous you could sail out to Billingsgate Shoal and stand where a once thriving community once stood.  That is definitely on my agenda at some point in the future.  Have fun and happy traveling!

     My first book, In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide, is now available at SchifferBooks.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and Amazon.com, soon to be in stores everywhere!  Follow me on Twitter!

Directions: Mayo Beach: From Rt. 6 heading north turn left onto Main Street.  Turn left at E. Commercial Street, continue onto Commercial Street, continue onto Kendrick Avenue.  Mayo Beach is on the left.  The marker for Chequesset Inn is on the curve next to Wellfleeter Condos.

References:  Wellfleet Historical Society

            A Story of Billingsgate Island

            History of Billingsgate Lighthouse

            The Wicked Oyster Restaurant

Billingsgate Light photo found here: Smithsonian National Museum of American History

Chequesset Inn photo found here:  Google Books: Wellfleet: A Cape Cod Village

South Wellfleet on Dwellable

In My Footsteps: Cape Cod's Lighthouses

In My Footsteps – Cape Cod’s Lighthouses

Christopher Setterlund

            Lighthouses.  Their defined purpose is that of steering ships from the treacherous coasts that they inhabit.  These guardian angel structures do their job and yet have also gained stature as historic landmarks wherever they stand.  For me, any of my trips that have included coastlines have to include at least one lighthouse; they make the trip.  Luckily for me there are many of these amazing beacons located such a short drive away all over Cape Cod. 

            Incredibly the first lighthouse was not built in America, nor was it even built in the last thousand years.  No, the first example of a structure built to aid in navigation for sailors was the Lighthouse of Alexandria.  Built between 280 and 247 B.C. on the island of Pharos at Alexandria, Egypt the lighthouse was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  It used fire and reflective mirrors to produce a visible light and was said to be visible from up to twenty-nine miles away due to its incredible height of between 393-450 feet.  Two earthquakes in 1303 and 1323 damaged the lighthouse so much that it was rendered useless; its remains are able to be seen during diving expeditions.

            Cape Cod’s lighthouses can be divided into three categories: easy access, difficult access, and inaccessible.  Obviously the easily accessible lighthouses are the most popular as well. 

Easy Access:  First on this list is Nobska Light(left) in Falmouth.  Located right on the point of Nobska Road and Church Street the current tower was built in 1876 and overlooks a tremendous view of Vineyard Sound, Martha’s Vineyard, and the Elizabethan Islands.  It is available to be toured on specific dates set by the Coast Guard from June to August.

            Also falling into the easily accessible lighthouses is Chatham Light.  Located right across the street from North Beach and run by the Coast Guard, this lighthouse is still an active aid for sea travelers.  Built in 1877 Chatham Light was originally one of two towers on the same location; ironically the second tower is next on the list of easily accessible lights. 

            Nauset Light in Eastham(right) once resided along the shores of Chatham before being moved further north in 1923.  This tower stands out with its red and white body and hovers over Nauset Beach from its perch on a hill.  You can walk right up to the tower here and place your hands on a piece of history.  It is probably this reason that makes it my personal favorite of the lights listed here.  

            Difficult Access:  The second category of lighthouses, the difficult to access lights, deals with ones that you can get to but it takes a bit of leg work.  All of these are highly recommended and the walks are very much worth it.  One such lighthouse is Stage Harbor Light in Chatham.  Located at the mouth of Stage Harbor it does not have its lantern top anymore and is a mile walk down Harding’s Beach.  The walk is surprisingly easy as the dirt path taken doubles as the road for vehicles going to the lighthouse.  The immediate area around the lighthouse is private but you get very close and the beach which faces the Monomoy Wildlife Refuge is very secluded due to its distance from the parking lot.

            Cape Cod Light, also known as Highland Light, in Truro is not as long of a walk but it is still enough of a drive off of the beaten path that I decided to include it here.  This light is unique due to how much it was affected by erosion from the Atlantic Ocean.  Built in 1857 this tower was originally five hundred feet from the coast, by 1990 it was only a hundred feet away, and another forty feet of land was lost during 1990 alone.  In 1996 Highland Light was jacked up and moved to a spot 570-feet from the menacing sea.  The grounds are open year round and the lighthouse itself opens for tours in mid-May including the unique ‘full moon tours’ when appropriate.

            Finally in the list of difficult to access lighthouses on the Cape is Race Point Light in Provincetown(left).  It is accessible from two spots, both are long ways.  First if you have the ability you may drive out to the lighthouse from Race Point Beach, a nearly two-mile drive.  Second is the way I went which is to walk the Province Lands bike trail which begins at the end of the Herring Cove Beach parking lot.  From there you may take a dirt road which connects with the four-wheeling dirt road that leads to the lighthouse, about a mile and a half total.  It sounds like a lot of walking, and it is, but the feeling I got standing next to the lighthouse was one of total peace.  On my trip there the only sounds were the ocean waves and the sea birds.  As with the other lighthouses listed it is well worth the trip.

Inaccessible:  I won’t spend too much time with the inaccessible lighthouses as they are only able to be viewed from a distance, but they are huge parts of Cape Cod history.  Out on the private Great Island in West Yarmouth is Point Gammon Light which is best viewed from the ferry or Centerville’s beaches.  It can be seen from two-miles away but can only be visited with permission from a resident of the island.

            Monomoy Point Lighthouse is located out on South Monomoy Island off the coast of Chatham.  Only accessible by boat it is located a mile from shore and is possibly the least visited lighthouse on the Cape due to its remoteness.  There are excursions to the island which include a visit to the lighthouse; it is the only evidence of any human presence on the island.

            On the west coast of the Cape is Wings Neck Light in Pocasset(right) which is at the end of a private road and is probably better off being viewed from the water.  While on the water in that area there is also Cleveland Ledge Light, a lesser known lighthouse named for President Grover Cleveland.  Located eight miles southwest of the mouth of the Cape Cod Canal this lighthouse was the last commissioned to be built in New England in 1943.  It is visible from Old Silver Beach in Falmouth, or by boat.

            No need to worry about those lighthouses that you cannot reach; there are so many that can be visited that seeing them all will take several days.  Nobska, Chatham, and Nauset Lights are right on main roads you can reach out and touch them.  While Stage Harbor, Highland, and Race Point Lights are a bit of a hike they are great for excursions on a sunny day.  The history of the lighthouse goes back more than 2000 years and even though the Cape Cod lighthouses don’t go back that far they all are their own slice of history individually.  I highly recommend each and every one of them, even the ones that are harder to get to if you so desire.  Have fun and happy traveling!

Directions: Nobska Light, Falmouth: From Rt. 28 heading west take left onto Shore St.  Continue onto Surf Dr., continue onto Beach Rd.  Continue onto Oyster Pond Rd., take left onto Fay Rd, bear left onto Nobska Rd.  Lighthouse will be on the right.

            Chatham Light:  From Rt. 28 heading east, take 3^rd exit at rotary for Main St.  Turn right to stay on Main St., lighthouse is on the right, parking across the street.

            Nauset Light, Eastham:  From Rt. 6 heading north turn right onto Nauset Rd., continue onto Doane Rd.  Turn left onto Ocean View Dr., follow it to Nauset Light Beach on right, lighthouse is across the street.

References:  Lighthouse of Alexandria - Wikipedia

            Jeremy D'Entremont's Guide to New England Lighthouses

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