Bikers on the Province Lands Trail at Cape Cod National Seashore

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See the Biking web page for an interactive location map.

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TRAIL OVERVIEW

A system of paved trails available to pedestrians, bikers, and skaters circles the Provincetown section of Cape Cod National Seashore. If you have a bike, you can get to just about every destination in the area, and you can even bike into Provincetown to enjoy the restaurants, shops, and bars. About the only points of interest that you cannot get to on the trail are the lighthouses: Race Point, Wood End, and Long Point. These can only be reached on foot.

Free parking is available at the Province Lands Visitor Center (approximately 100 spaces) and the trailhead for the Beech Forest Trail (approximately 80 spaces). Parking is also available at Race Point and Herring Cove beaches, but fees apply during the tourist season. I suggest the Visitor Center if you can find a spot.

Jogger on the Province Lands Trail at Cape Cod National Seashore

TRAILS

Main Loop Trail (5.5 miles)

The crux of the Province Lands Trail is the main loop trail. While it does pass a few points of interest itself, such as the Beech Forest Trail, it’s main purposes are to provide an outlet for exercise and to transport users to one of the three side trails that lead to specific destinations: Race Point Beach, Herring Cove Beach, and Bennett Pond. I don’t know what the statistics are, but I’d bet that most people on the trail are biking the loop for exercise and pleasure.

The entire Province Lands area is extremely hilly, so when you find yourself enjoying a prolonged downhill ride, just remember that there is an uphill component that you must deal with later. There was one hill that I had to push my bike up, and plenty of others that I had to stand up and peddle just to get some oomph into it. It might just be my imagination, but biking in the clockwise direction seemed to have less, or at least less strenuous, uphill climbs.

Much of the west side of the trail is out in the open, so coupled with being on black asphalt, it can get mighty hot during the summer. Whatever the temperature is outside, add 20°F just for being on the asphalt.

West side of the Province Lands Trail at Cape Cod National Seashore

Race Point Beach spur (.5 mile, one way)

If you want to save money on beach access fees and you don’t have much equipment to carry, park at the Province Lands Visitor Center and bike or walk to Race Point Beach. At the time of this writing, pedestrians and bikers only pay $15, versus $25 for a car.

The ride from the Visitor Center to the beach is uphill all the way. I’d rate the climb as moderate, with the grade hovering around 6% (15% is the start of strenuous hiking/biking).

Bennett Pond spur (.25 mile, one way)

Bennett Pond is located at the bottom of a very steep hill. It’s fun going down, but not so much coming back up. What makes the ride even worse, however, is the fact that there are so many trees around the pond that you can’t see a thing. Unless you are training for a bike race, skip this detour. If you want a better look at a pond covered in water lilies, stop at Blackwater Pond at the Beech Forest parking lot.

About as good a view of Bennett Pond at Cape Cod National Seashore as you will get

Herring Cove Beach spur (1.1 mile, one way)

The Herring Cove Beach spur is mainly used by bikers. Unlike the spur to Race Point Beach, which is a short walk from the Province Lands Visitor Center, the Herring Cove spur is far from the nearest free parking lot, so there probably won’t be many pedestrians using the trail. The trail does have one very steep hill with grades between 10-15%, and I saw many people pushing their bikes. This may be the steepest hill in the Province Lands trail system.

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