Scusset Beach State Reservation
Encyclopedia
Scusset Beach State Reservation is a Massachusetts
state park
located in Sandwich
in Barnstable County
at the east end of the Cape Cod Canal
. Unlike most of Sandwich, this section is on the mainland side of the Cape Cod Canal. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation
.
and includes access to a seven-mile, paved service road along the north side of the Cape Cod Canal
used for bicycling, walking, skating or ship and wildlife watching. The service road also provides access to fishing along the canal. A long stone jetty
extends from the end of the service road into Cape Cod Bay, separating the canal from Scusset Beach.
Fishing is possible at dusk along the beach and anytime in the canal depending on tide. A fishing pier also extends out from the side of the canal. Interpretive programs are also held by park rangers. A listing can be found at the DCR events website.
A .7 mile trail to the left of the first parking area at the fishing pier goes to Sagamore Hill. Sagamore Hill provides access to an area that was once a Native American Indian meeting ground and later the site of a World War II Coastal Fortification
.
The top of Sagamore Hill commands a view of the Canal's east entrance and Cape Cod Bay.
Campers at Shawme-Crowell State Forest
also have free access to the Scusset Beach State Reservation.
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...
state park
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
located in Sandwich
Sandwich, Massachusetts
Sandwich is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 20,675 at the 2010 census. The Town Hall is located right next to the Dexter Grist Mill, in the historic district of town....
in Barnstable County
Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Barnstable County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, consisting of Cape Cod and associated islands. As of the 2010 census, the population was 216,902...
at the east end of the Cape Cod Canal
Cape Cod Canal
The Cape Cod Canal is an artificial waterway traversing the narrow neck of land that joins Cape Cod to mainland Massachusetts.Part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, the canal is roughly 17.4 miles long and connects Cape Cod Bay in the north to Buzzards Bay in the south...
. Unlike most of Sandwich, this section is on the mainland side of the Cape Cod Canal. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation
Department of Conservation and Recreation (Massachusetts)
The Department of Conservation and Recreation is a state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, situated in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. It is best known for its parks and parkways. As of May 24, 2011 the Commissioner of the DCR is Edward M. Lambert, Jr...
.
Description
The park fronts the sandy beach and dunes of Scusset Beach along Cape Cod BayCape Cod Bay
Cape Cod Bay is a large bay of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Measuring below a line drawn from Brant Rock in Marshfield to Race Point in Provincetown, Massachusetts, it is enclosed by Cape Cod to the south and east, and Plymouth County, Massachusetts, to the west....
and includes access to a seven-mile, paved service road along the north side of the Cape Cod Canal
Cape Cod Canal
The Cape Cod Canal is an artificial waterway traversing the narrow neck of land that joins Cape Cod to mainland Massachusetts.Part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, the canal is roughly 17.4 miles long and connects Cape Cod Bay in the north to Buzzards Bay in the south...
used for bicycling, walking, skating or ship and wildlife watching. The service road also provides access to fishing along the canal. A long stone jetty
Jetty
A jetty is any of a variety of structures used in river, dock, and maritime works that are generally carried out in pairs from river banks, or in continuation of river channels at their outlets into deep water; or out into docks, and outside their entrances; or for forming basins along the...
extends from the end of the service road into Cape Cod Bay, separating the canal from Scusset Beach.
Leisure use
The beach area is served by wheelchair-accessible restrooms and showers about 50 yards from the beach, and snack bars and lifeguards are available in season. Pets are not permitted on the beach.Fishing is possible at dusk along the beach and anytime in the canal depending on tide. A fishing pier also extends out from the side of the canal. Interpretive programs are also held by park rangers. A listing can be found at the DCR events website.
A .7 mile trail to the left of the first parking area at the fishing pier goes to Sagamore Hill. Sagamore Hill provides access to an area that was once a Native American Indian meeting ground and later the site of a World War II Coastal Fortification
Sagamore Hill Military Reservation
Sagamore Hill Military Reservation was a coastal defense site located in Sagamore, Massachusetts.-History:The Sagamore Hill Military Reservation was built on state land. Its mission was to protect the Cape Cod Canal from possible air and naval attack...
.
The top of Sagamore Hill commands a view of the Canal's east entrance and Cape Cod Bay.
Camping
A campsite offers 98 camping pitches, with a campground office and RV dump station available during the main season between mid-April and mid-November. Out of season camping is permitted on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, but facilities are not available. A grassy, unshaded primitive camping area is also available for tents.Campers at Shawme-Crowell State Forest
Shawme-Crowell State Forest
Shawme-Crowell State Forest is a Massachusetts state park located in Sandwich in Barnstable County. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. Originally the forest was much larger but the creation of Camp Edwards made the forest the small size that it is today...
also have free access to the Scusset Beach State Reservation.
