Beech Forest Trail Map (click to enlarge)

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See the Hiking Trails web page for an interactive location map.

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Length: 1-mile loop
Time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate with one very strenuous hill

The Beech Forest Trail at Cape Cod National Seashore is located off of Race Point Road near Provincetown. It has its own parking lot that can hold approximately 80 vehicles. This is a loop-type parking lot with spaces on both sides of the loop. There is no charge to park here.

You can also reach the trail on foot or bike via the Province Lands Trail, a paved multi-use path open to pedestrians, bikers, and skaters. I biked to the trailhead from the Province Lands Visitor Center; the ride is 1.5 miles. However, there is no bike rack at the Beech Forest parking lot—and you can’t bike on the trail—so you must chain your bike to a tree or post.

Most of the trails at Cape Cod National Seashore have a brochure box at the trailhead where you can pick up a trail guide, but I did not see one here. Perhaps it was broken and may be replaced in the future. You can also get a guide at the Province Lands Visitor Center. If you do, be sure to read it before starting the hike. The guide gives an overview of the ecology of the area and describes the human impact on the land. It does not have descriptions that correspond to stops along the trail as do many other guides.

The Beech Forest Trail circles around two ponds, Blackwater Pond and Beech Forest Pond. Being near water, expect to encounter mosquitoes during the warmer months. Ticks, biting flies, and poison ivy are also common at Cape Cod National Seashore, so I highly recommend wearing long pants on any trail in the park. In regard to the Beech Forest Trail, I hate applying insect repellent and only do so as a last resort, but after a half mile I gave in (I hiked the trail in late July). I did not pick up any ticks and had no problem with flies.

The Beech Forest Trail has two trailheads located at the far end of the parking lot, one on either side of the loop. I parked on the east side, so I started at the eastern trailhead, which set me off hiking in the counterclockwise direction along a boardwalk.

East-side trailhead for the Beech Forest Trail at Cape Cod National Seashore

The trail begins along Blackwater Pond, and you get a good glimpse of it at the start of the hike. After that, however, there are a lot of trees between the water and the trail, so views become scarcer and scarcer. The pond is gradually filling in and was nearly covered with lily pads. In fact, most ponds in the area are on their last leg; standard depths are only 2-3 feet.

Blackwater Pond on the Beech Forest Trail at Cape Cod National Seashore

The boardwalk ends quickly and the trail surface changes to hard packed sand, though there are spots with deep beach sand that will slow you down.

Hard-packed sandy surface of the Beech Forest Trail at Cape Cod National Seashore

Deep sand on the Beech Forest Trail at Cape Cod National Seashore

Deep sand on the Beech Forest Trail at Cape Cod National Seashore

A tenth of a mile into the hike are two intersections about 150 yards apart that lead to the right. Both are unmarked and do not appear on the trail map. Though I didn’t hike them to see where they lead, Race Point Road is less than 100 yards away, so they obviously take you to the road. In both instances, stay straight / left to continue the hike.

Second of two intersections on the Beech Forest Trail with trails that lead to Race Point Road at Cape Cod National Seashore

The Beech Forest Trail forms a double loop (Figure-8 configuration). At .4 mile into the hike is the center of the two loops where a shortcut leads over to the west side of the trail, allowing hikers to avoid the second loop and return to the parking lot. A sign marks the intersection. While both loops combined are only 1 mile, a distance barely worth calling a hike, there is an extremely steep hill on the second loop—so steep that the National Park Service built a staircase to the top. If that sounds like it might give you trouble, take the shortcut, otherwise stay straight to continue the hike. Keep in mind that even the shortcut leads up and over a small hill.

Shortcut to the west side of the loop on the Beech Forest Trail at Cape Cod National Seashore

The start of the second loop proceeds through a fairly deep gully between what are essentially two tree-covered sand dunes.

Cape Cod National Seashore’s Beech Forest Trail passes between two large sand dunes

At the half-mile point is the far end of the loop, and the trail now curves west before heading back towards the parking lot. The only problem is the large sand dune that has been on your left for the last tenth of a mile—you gotta climb over it. It’s a short climb, but it’s steep, both up and down to the other side.

Stairs to the top of the sand dune at the far end of the Beech Forest Trail at Cape Cod National Seashore

You will still find yourself on mildly hilly terrain once you get to the other side of the sand dune. The small, rolling hills continue all the way back to the shortcut at the middle of the two loops.

Hilly terrain on the west side of the second loop on the Beech Forest Trail at Cape Cod National Seashore

You’ll be back at the shortcut in less than a quarter mile. The main trail does not keep straight, but comes in at an angle so that you must actually make a soft right turn. A left takes you back over to the east side of the trail.

West side intersection on the Beech Forest Trail with the shortcut trail, Cape Cod National Seashore

The terrain levels out once you get back to the ponds, and you’ll find much better views on this side of the trail.

Blackwater Pond as seen from the Beech Forest Trail at Cape Cod National Seashore

A quarter mile past the shortcut is a detour that leads over to a dock on a pond west of Blackwater Pond. If you want photos of water lilies, this is the place to be. People must ice skate here in the winter because there is a rope tied to a tree and a sign that reads, Ice Skating Safety Rope. Please Do Not Take.

Dock on a pond west of Blackwater Pond at Cape Cod National Seashore

Water lilies on Blackwater Pond in Cape Cod National Seashore

Water lilies on Blackwater Pond in Cape Cod National Seashore

The west-side parking lot is just a minute from the dock. I had to continue around the pond to get back to the east parking lot, and on the way I noticed that there is a cleared path to Blackwater Pond. If all you want is a few good photos, you don’t even need to hike the trail; just walk over to the shore from the parking lot.

Path from the parking lot to Blackwater Pond in Cape Cod National Seashore

Blackwater Pond in Cape Cod National Seashore

I enjoyed the hike on Beech Forest Trail, though most of the best scenery is within a minute’s walk of the parking lot, and hiking the trail is not required to see it. Other than the steep hill, it is an easy hike. It’s not the best trail at Cape Cod National Seashore, but it’s definitely far from the worst. If you are biking the Province Lands Trail and pass by, it’s not a bad way to spend 45 minutes.

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