Cape Cod Rail Trail:
Massachusetts
Trail Map
  • Get Personalized Driving Directions!
  • Find Trail Side Shops with Google Search!
  • See Users’ Geocoded Photos!
  • Get a Print-Friendly Map and Get Outdoors!
Description:
This 22-mile rail-trail serves up a genuine Cape Cod experience, stretching through quaint villages and along sandy beaches past a diverse landscape of salt marshes, pine forests, and cranberry bogs. The trail is paved, with few inclines, and trailheads sprinkled along the route offer restrooms, food, water, and swimming areas. You'll also find trailside shops where bicycle-and even handcycle-rentals are a breeze.
The trail follows the former Old Colony Railroad right-of-way from South Dennis to South Wellfleet, via Harwich, Brewster, Orleans, and Eastham. The railroad laid the tracks linking Boston and Sandwich in 1848, and by 1873, it had pushed all the way to Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod. As the cape gained popularity with vacationers, more railroad connections were made to New York, Connecticut, and other parts of Massachusetts. Passenger service ceased in 1937; transport freight hung on until the mid-1960s. By 1978, the trail was in place, and vacationers once again hit the corridor-this time on foot, inline skates, and bicycles.
Near its western trailhead in South Dennis, the trail is at its busiest. The first 4 miles offer ample opportunities to picnic, indulge in ice cream, or detour to other trails and towns. From a large, unique bicycle rotary in Harwich, the Old Colony Rail Trail continues through Harwich and the Hacker Wildlife Sanctuary and ends in Chatham. The beautifully landscaped rotary doubles as a gateway to the rest of the Cape Cod Rail Trail, providing a picnic area and trail information kiosks.
Heading north from the rotary, you'll soon be sailing along busy US Route 6 past glacial ponds. Along the way, you can pop into a quaint general store for a refreshment or take a break at a trailside picnic table.
At the trail midpoint near mile 11, you'll reach Nickerson State Park, which offers swimming pools, picnic areas, walking and biking trails, and restrooms. The forested trail here makes for a shady, cool ride.
Past Nickerson, the trail breaks and continues along the road for about a half mile and crosses a bridge before rejoining the corridor into the delightful town of Orleans. Boasting a range of restaurants and specialty stores, Orleans is a good place to stop for lunch. Also watch for the trailside water fountain and bike rental shop.
As you approach mile 16 along the Cape Cod National Seashore, be on the lookout for the Salt Pond Visitor Center, which houses a bicycle repair shop. The remaining miles of the corridor are lightly forested in trees and shrubs that have adapted to drier, sandier conditions. This stretch offers public camping facilities and coastal overlooks.
At trail's end, the Wellfleet trailhead provides a parking area and basic restroom. The town itself occupies a narrow strip of the cape, flanked by the Atlantic Ocean and Cape Cod Bay. It's well worth continuing another mile on Long Pond Road to Maguire's Landing, where you can look for shells on the lovely beach, take a dip in the Atlantic, or simply enjoy the rewarding ocean view.
... Click to read more
Parking & Trail Access:
The Cape Cod Rail Trail is in the mid-cape area in southeastern Massachusetts. Free parking is available at several locations, including the trailhead on Route 134 in South Dennis and the trailhead on LeCount Hollow Road in South Wellfleet.
To reach the South Dennis trailhead, take US Hwy. 6 to Exit 9 and head south on State Route 134 past Patriots Square Plaza and Cumberland Farms. The trailhead parking area is on the left, about a half mile south of the exit.
... Click to read more
... Click to read more
Reviews: [1 trail ratings]
[View all reviews for this trail]
[register/login to Submit a Review of this Trail]
A wonderful place!
By sherid on July 03, 2010
My husband and I were looking for something to do with our children ages 6 and 10 and I have to agree with the last review! Which is also the reason we decided to travel 4 1/2 hours to the Cape ;) - This rail trail was great! It has shops along the way, plenty of places to stop and pee if needed, even places to swim, very family friendly!! Only once did we come to a cross way where a car did not stop. Otherwise we found that the car were very patient as we crossed the street even when at times having to walk across. We spent 3 days staying at a hotel in Dennis (if you are looking for a place to sleep with a pool that will not break the bank, I recommend the Travel Lodge on Main St! It's family owned, quiet, and clean. The owners are very friendly and you can tell they love the kids - having special rooms for them too (decore geared towards the kids)). It's also not too far away from the trail, cute shops, and good food. We really had a great time!! They even have a bike rental place if you do not want to bring your own bikes right off the parking area for the trail, which makes it easy for renting. I really recommend this trail!! It's nicely paved so if you roller blade you'll enjoy it too! Happy Trails!!!
Ride the CCRT
By Iceberg1955 on October 01, 2009
While the trail is listed as 22 miles, if you add the Chattam spur it is closer to 26 (one way). My wife wanted to do 50 miles for her 50th birthday this month. We didn't have our own bikes because we didn't drive from our home in NY, we flew from New Mexico where I am on a temporary assignment. We rented some comfort/cruiser bikes from Barbara's Bike Shop on route 134, just south of the trail head parking lot. Jamis Boss models in excellent condition and they were great (may have to abandon the old mountain bike for one of these, but that is another story).

The trail is in better condition than ever, we have ridden it in the past. Several sections have been freshly resurfaced. In September, after "the season", some of the trail side services are closed, but there are still plenty of eat, drink, stretch, & pee places. You can't get lost or "off trail". You will see everything from quiet woods, to cranberry bogs, to quaint New England towns.

I disagree with one of the other reveiwers. YES you should always be cautious at road crossings, but my wife and I both thought that they must strictly enforce the "Stop for bicyclist" rule because EVERYONE stops to let you cross.

As we were leaving Barb's with our rented bikes, a Dad was waiting to rent his bikes and he was asking if the trail would be OK for his 7 year old. They had never ridden the CCRT before and I told him he was in for a treat. I gave him a few pointers. They did 20 miles (including a swim and long lunch) in the same time my wife & I did 50. He was loading up when we returned, remembered me and thanked me my for my input. They said they had the best time ever and would be returning often.

If you ride a bike and are anywhere near Cape Cod, DO NOT MISS THIS TRAIL!

Our favorite rail trail ever!
Very Nice Ride
By mjerabek on August 14, 2009
It is well worth the effort to ride the Cape Cod Trail. It is a smooth ride and the trail is in excellent shape. We rode the trail on Aug. 4 and it was very busy with a number of families. We parked at the West Dennis trailhead off Rt 134. This trailhead is one of the best marked trailheads we have experienced and was very easy to find. The one negative is that this trail crosses numerous streets and you must be very careful because some of the cars do not stop for cyclists.
Browse Trails by Activity: