Map of the Cape Cod Rail Trail

Cape Cod Rail Trail & Old Colony Rail Trail

The Cape Cod Rail Trail is a 22-mile long paved pathway that follows an abandoned railroad right-of-way along Cape Cod in Southeast Massachusetts. The route includes a number of parks and access to beaches. There are views out to the Atlantic and to Cape Cod Bay from different sections of the trail.

The Old Colony Rail Trail is a 5.3-mile long paved pathway that extends form the intersection of the two trails in Harwich to George Ryder Road in Chatham, across from the airfield.

An extension to the Cape Cod Rail Trail that extends through the community of Yarmouth is completed in several sections. The extension does not connect to the main Cape Cod Rail Trail at this time.

The trail offers miles of travel through the forested areas of Cape Cod, past residential neighborhoods, a chance to see the quaint villages along the way, views of the wetlands and the coves and abundant wildlife. The route is away from roads and passes a number of parks and open spaces.

Conditions

The Cape Cod Rail Trail and the Old Colony Rail Trail are paved the entire route. Some sections have a wide unpaved shoulder for horses and runners. The trail is open for non-motorized use such as bike riding, walking and running. The trail is relatively flat and appropriate for families. The trail can get crowded in summer and has a wide variety of users. There are fees for using the associated parking lots. There is one short gap in the Cape Code Rail Trail in Orleans where trail users need to travel along West Road to get to the next section.

Communities

The Cape Cod Rail Trail goes past the following communities: Wellfleet, Eastham, Orleans, Namskaket, Brewster, Pleasant Lake, Harwich, and South Dennis.

The Old Colony Rail Trail goes past the following communities: Harwich and Chatham.

Points of Interest

The Cape Cod Rail Trail goes past the following points of interest:

Cape Cod National Seashore

Mass Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary

Great Pont & Depot Pond

Eastham Town Library

Nickerson State Park

Stoney Brook Elementary School

Brewster State Forest

Seymour, Hinkley and Long Pond

Cape Cod Regional Technical High School

Nearby Trails

The Cape Cod Rail Trail intersects the Old Colony Rail Trail to the east of Main Street in Harwich.

End Points

The north end of the Cape Cod Rail Trail is located to the south of Lecount Hollow Road and east of State Highway 6 in South Wellfleet.

The south end of the trail is located along East-West Dennis Road, 0.5-miles south of the interchange with the Mid-Cape Highway in South Dennis.

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Resources

Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about the Cape Cod Rail Trail, Massachusetts.