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The Cape Cod rail trail is 22 miles in length and starts at Route 134 in South Dennis and ends at LeCount Hollow Road in South Wellfleet. But just so you know... There's a ton of wonderful detours and stops inbetween. Let's take a closer look at the Cape Cod rail trail together and follow along with this map...
Plenty of free parking is available at the Cape Cod rail trail heads in Dennis or Wellfleet depending on which end of the bike path you want to start at. I nearly always begin at Dennis when it’s a day trip for the family, because we love to stop at Laurino's restaurant in Brewster for lunch. We just love the atmosphere there... and the pizza!
The bike trail between South Dennis and Nickerson State Park will take you through many well-marked auto crossings. Nickerson State Park in Brewster is the mid-way point in the ride. The section through the park is quiet and far from traffic. At times you'll feel like you're traveling through people’s back yards. But the section is a joy if you’re riding with family.
The next section of the Cape Cod rail trail will take you through the scenic town of Orleans – now did I mention I lived here once? Well I did and it’s worth a stop for a snack and some browsing... plenty of speciality shops to pick up something different as a momento of the Cape. And I don't mean lobster floats or plastic sea captains...
After Orleans, this Cape Cod bike trail takes you through marshlands and kettle ponds towards the Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham. Now for a side trip try the Nauset Marsh trail (see below), which will take you out to National Seashore beaches. Whether you take the Nauset trail or not, detour and visit the Salt Pond Center (due to reopen in 2005). Here you'll learn a lot about how the Cape was formed, and the history of the area.
If you stay on the Cape Cod rail trail then you’ll follow the path out to the Marconi area. Here you can view the remains of the famous Italian inventor’s Wellfleet station, and gaze out over the bluff towards Europe. The storms have claimed some of the buildings. But standing in the area you'll see why Marconi chose this location, with a high and direct view of Europe, for some of his transatlantic wireless experiments. Complete the Cape Cod rail trail by biking the short hop to LeCount Hollow road. The return trip will make a tour of about 44 miles. If you do the whole round trip!
But that’s the great thing about the Cape Cod rail trail... you don’t have to do the whole thing in one day. You can start it at any of the free parking spots identified on the map, and make it a 10-mile or 20-mile or 30-mile loop. But whatever you decide to do, I guarantee it’ll be fun and something you’ll remember for a long time, and want to do again, and again.
In addition to the Cape Cod rail trail, the Cape has many other splendid bike paths just waiting for you to kit-up, and get peddling.
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