Cape Cod Rail Trail
Encyclopedia
The Cape Cod Rail Trail is a 22 miles (35.4 km) paved rail trail
located on Cape Cod
in Massachusetts
.
Operated by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, it occupies an abandoned Old Colony Railroad
corridor and extends from Route 134 in South Dennis
to LeCount Hollow Road in South Wellfleet
.
Its route also passes through the towns of Dennis
, Harwich
, Brewster
, Orleans
, Eastham
, and Wellfleet
. It connects to several other bike trails, including the 6-plus mile (10 km) Old Colony Rail Trail
leading to Chatham
, 8 miles (13 km) of rolling trails within Nickerson State Park
, and the Nauset Bike Trail leading to Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod National Seashore
. Short side trips on roads lead to several other National Seashore beaches.
The official trail map shows parking areas and rest rooms along the trail. There are also many restaurants, ice cream shops, and bike rental shops.
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
located on Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
Operated by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, it occupies an abandoned Old Colony Railroad
Old Colony Railroad
The Old Colony Railroad was a major railroad system, mainly covering southeastern Massachusetts and parts of Rhode Island. It operated from 1845 to 1893. Old Colony trains ran from Boston to points such as Plymouth, Fall River, New Bedford, Newport, Providence, Fitchburg, Lowell and Cape Cod...
corridor and extends from Route 134 in South Dennis
South Dennis, Massachusetts
South Dennis is a census-designated place in the town of Dennis in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,679 at the 2000 census.-Geography:South Dennis is located at ....
to LeCount Hollow Road in South Wellfleet
Wellfleet, Massachusetts
Wellfleet is a New England town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. Located halfway between the "tip" and "elbow" of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the town had a population of 2,749 at the 2000 census, which swells nearly sixfold during the summer...
.
Its route also passes through the towns of Dennis
Dennis, Massachusetts
Dennis is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States; located near the center of Cape Cod. The population was 14,207 at the 2010 census.The town encompasses five distinct villages, each of which has its own post office...
, Harwich
Harwich, Massachusetts
Harwich is a New England town on Cape Cod, in Barnstable County in the state of Massachusetts in the United States. Barnstable County is coextensive with Cape Cod. The town is a popular vacation spot, located near the Cape Cod National Seashore. Harwich's beaches are on "the Sound side" of Cape...
, Brewster
Brewster, Massachusetts
Brewster is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, Barnstable County being coextensive with Cape Cod. The population of Brewster was 9,820 at the 2010 census.Brewster is twinned with the town of Budleigh Salterton in the United Kingdom....
, Orleans
Orleans, Massachusetts
Orleans is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. Barnstable County is coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 5,890 at the 2010 census....
, Eastham
Eastham, Massachusetts
Eastham is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, Barnstable County being coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 5,453 at the 2000 census....
, and Wellfleet
Wellfleet, Massachusetts
Wellfleet is a New England town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. Located halfway between the "tip" and "elbow" of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the town had a population of 2,749 at the 2000 census, which swells nearly sixfold during the summer...
. It connects to several other bike trails, including the 6-plus mile (10 km) Old Colony Rail Trail
Old Colony Rail Trail
The Old Colony Rail Trail is a paved rail trail located in Harwich, and Chatham Massachusetts. It occupies the Old Colony Railroad's abandoned Chatham Branch corridor. Most of the trail follows roughly the path of the old railbed except where it goes around the Chatham Municipal Airport.-External...
leading to Chatham
Chatham, Massachusetts
Chatham is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, Barnstable County being coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 6,625 at the 2000 census...
, 8 miles (13 km) of rolling trails within Nickerson State Park
Nickerson State Park
Nickerson State Park is a park located on Cape Cod near Brewster, Massachusetts. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation .-Description:...
, and the Nauset Bike Trail leading to Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod National Seashore
Cape Cod National Seashore
The Cape Cod National Seashore , created on August 7, 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, encompasses on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It includes ponds, woods and beachfront of the Atlantic coastal pine barrens ecoregion...
. Short side trips on roads lead to several other National Seashore beaches.
The official trail map shows parking areas and rest rooms along the trail. There are also many restaurants, ice cream shops, and bike rental shops.
External links
- Massachusetts DCR page, with link to trail map
- On Google map
- Video of entire trail