Take a captivating trip through Cape Cod National Seashore with miles of white sandy beaches, trails and hikes to take your breath away, and majestic dunes. Just keep reading and you can visit all those places right now.The Cape Cod National Seashore is a 4,308-acre park set aside by an act of congress in 1961 to preserve and protect a unique geological area and wild life habitat of New England. Cape Cod is about 60 miles south of Boston, Massachusetts. It was formed when last glaciers to visit region melted about 12,000-years ago leaving a large lake. Because of special features and material surrounding glacial lake, water drained out exposing sediment and deposits left by glaciers from earlier times. With rising sea level and protection from battering ocean provided by Georges Bank gone, nature started to reshape whole of Cape Cod -- especially Atlantic facing National Seashore area. The relentless shaping of Cape continues even today. But this is place to come to escape. This is place to come to experience nature.
So let’s take a brief Cape Cod vacations trip together. Are you ready?
Nauset Beach…
The first stop on your trip is Nauset Beach in town of Orleans.
The entrance to Nauset beach is located in East Orleans at end of Beach Road, where there’s a large parking lot. The lot is about 2 miles from Routes 6/6A. During summer months you’ll pay to use lot. Protection is name of game at Nauset not just for dunes, but birds nesting in spring. Always pay close attention to beach erosion and bird nesting protection signs anywhere during your Cape Cod vacations. Heeding signs means area could still be here next time you visit.
At entrance to beach you can turn left and walk North, or take South walk by turning right. Both walks offer spectacular views and hidden areas of Cape even many residents haven’t discovered. Time your walks to be at low tide so you’ll be walking on exposed sand bars on North walk, or have a dry crossing to Pochet Island on South walk. In summer Nauset beach is very popular with vacationers, but there always seems to be room even at busiest times. Swimming is good -- but stay close to shore. It’s Atlantic Ocean so it’ll be a little cooler than on Cape Cod Bay side or Nantucket Sound beaches. National Seashore Eastham Visitors Center…
The Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham is your next Cape Cod vacations stop. It'll orientate you to park, and provides short films, a museum, and free maps for hiking and biking trails. Note: The Salt Pond Visitor Center building has been closed for renovations since 2003. It’s due to reopen in 2005 – in fact right about now!
Starting from visitor center is short and easy 1-mile loop Nauset Marsh Trail that follows a path around salt pond and Nauset Marsh before returning to visitor center. It’s a varied terrain of salt marsh grasses, juniper and bayberry bushes, and a great place for bird watching due to proximity of marsh. The salt pond itself is a glacial kettle pond that was once freshwater but ocean has seeped through. The Lighthouse Beaches…
Two wonderful beaches to visit in Eastham area are Coast Guard Beach and Nauset Light Beach. Coast Guard Beach can be reached by bike from bike trail from Salt Pond Visitor Center, or by car from Nauset Road off Route 6 directly after Visitor Center -- just follow signs to lot on Doane Road. This beach is a favorite walk of mine at low tide, and was area where Henry Beston wrote "The Outermost House." Sadly blizzard of 1978 washed cottage where he lived while writing book -- out to sea. Yet another example of awesome forces continually sculpturing Cape Cod National Seashore. But here's another gem of a beach for you... Nauset Light Beach can be reached from Brackett Road also off Route 6, and then Cable Road and Ocean View Drive. The parking lot is small and fills up quickly in summer. Close by beach is Nauset Lighthouse. Originally built in Chatham in late 19th century, it was moved here shortly after, and moved again in 1996 when erosion of cliff threatened to collapse lighthouse. The beach is popular for imposing and towering cliffs and clean white-sand, and walks that create memorable Cape Cod vacations.