Cape Cod Rail Trail – 22 Miles of Gorgeous New England Forest Views
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Mike and I have been checking out a lot of great bike trails since moving to Massachusetts. This area really is a dream for anyone who loves cycling. The Cape Cod Rail Trail is a beautiful 22 mile path that travels through several Cape Cod towns including Dennis, Harwich, Brewster, Orleans, Eastham, and Wellfleet. The path follows a former railroad and its’ paved surface makes it an ideal place for easy road biking.
Along the path, we saw just about every fitness buff possible including walkers, runners, skateboarders, and incline skaters. Cape Cod is such a gorgeous summer destination; I love getting out there and exercising while the trees are fresh and green.
While we chose to bike, the path is also a great distance for half and full marathon training. As a half marathon runner myself, I wouldn’t mind getting in my miles on this beautiful woodsy path. The scenery is so beautiful that it would definitely motivate me to increase my distance each week.
The path is clean, scenic, and quite a workout due to the lengthy distance. Thankfully, it is not open to motor vehicles, although there are a few side streets you will have to pass at certain points along the way. However, the path is very quiet, incredibly scenic, and most definitely one of my favorite bike paths I’ve come across in recent years.
A 44 mile workout!
Mike and I completed the entire path with mountain bikes, however, I highly recommend a road bike for this trail. It took us around 6 and a half hours to complete 55 miles. The entire path is actually 44 miles out and back, however, we accidentally took a wrong turn at the rotary (yes a rotary on a bike path!) and ended up going 8 miles out of our way on the Chatham County Rail Trail.
There are no major hills (although there are a few slight inclines at times). That being said, I would not recommend beginning cyclists to complete the entire path. Portions of the trail feel like a steady steep incline, which sometimes is harder than an actual hill. In fact, we are still sore today after our ride! On the bright side, we got to skip a boring workout at the gym.
Because of the many hills and how much of a sweat you will work up, I recommend saving this one for the spring or fall months. While not nearly as hot as the Southeast, New England can still get pretty humid during the summer season. I prefer to do harder workouts in the spring and fall where temps are just about as perfect as they can be.
Before vs after our ride – as you can tell this intense ride totally annihilated us. Those hills were tough even for regular cyclists, runners, and hikers like us.
The most beautiful recreational path in Massachusetts
Along the way, you pass all sorts of gorgeous landscapes including ponds, state parks, marshes, forests, and cranberry bogs. It’s New England at it’s best and by far my top recommended activity for fitness buffs and nature lovers visiting Cape Cod. The path was not crowded at all and the weather was beautiful, making for perfect riding conditions.
What I love most about this trail are the dense forests you travel though. I have never seen so many trees on a bike path. It really is uninterrupted nature at its’ best. I’ve been many bike paths where there are so many major road crossings that it takes away from the “being in nature” vibe.
Mike biking pass one of the cranberry bogs. There are over 11,500 acres of cranberry bogs throughout Southeast Massachusetts. The state is one of the top places where cranberries are harvested which is pretty cool. Harvesting season is usually from September through November. We have seen many on various hikes and bike rides since moving here.
A closer look at one of the cranberry bogs. Typically, they will be at their most colorful during the fall season. We were a bit too early to see the bright red color.
We also got to enjoy a bit of lake scenery along the route which was nice. The trail passes by Nickerson State Park which is home to a beach, hiking trails, and an 8 mile bike path which connects to the CCRT.
Dining along the trail
There are plenty of stops along the way for relaxing and dining. We stopped at a top rated seafood stand called Cobie’s. We actually saw this clam shack spotlighted on the news one day and figured we would try it out since it is conveniently located right on the route. This is a great place to refuel since you do not need to go out of your way at all. They serve sandwiches, baked potatoes, fried fish, smoothies, and more.
They also have a nice covered outdoor seating area. Cobie’s was an excellent break, being that it was located almost exactly at the halfway point (around the 10 mile mark). While Mike loves seafood, I am not a big fan, however, I did find a few tasty sides and enjoyed the breezy summer setting.
Hot Chocolate Sparrow is another great stop located directly along the route. They serve coffee, ice cream, and desserts. We both enjoyed an ice cream cone (I always order cookie dough). I would love to come back and enjoy a cup of joe and dessert. They offer so many tempting pastries and even individual cake slices.
We saw everything from Boston Cream Cake, to Carrot Cake, to Godiva Chocolate cheesecake on the lineup. I probably would drive here if ordering one of the treats as a hefty slice of cake would probably drag me down for the rest of the ride. They do offer lighter morning pastries like croissants and muffins if you need a bit of fuel for the ride.
A detour worth taking
Tip: at the end of the trail if you keep going in the same direction for about .6 miles on the road, you will arrive at an ocean lookout. Wellfleet Beach is very scenic, clean, and uncrowded and provides a wonderful break after completing such a long and hard ride. In my opinion, biking a mere 0.6 additional miles for the stunning ocean views is well worth the few extra minutes!
Ocean Lookout
At the end of the trail, there is a nice overlook of Wellfleet beach. If you time your visit just right, you may even see a whale. Summer is usually the best time to catch a glimpse of these magnificent sea creatures in action. Unfortunately, we did not see any, but we did enjoy a scenic walk. It felt good to take a break after an entire day of biking.
Parking info
There are several parking lots depending on where you choose to start the trail. We parked in South Dennis (the starting point for the trail), located on Rt. 134. Free parking is available in South Dennis, Rt. 137 in Brewster, and at Headwaters Drive in Harwich. South Dennis is where you will want to park if you plan on completing the entire trail. If you do not have a bike, there is a rental shop called Barbara’s Bike Shop right next to the bike shop.
Dining after your ride
Also, if you are looking for a great dinner after your bike ride, I highly recommend Morrell’s located right next door to the bike shop. Morrell’s features excellent food, a cozy atmosphere, and the convenience of being walkable distance from the parking lot. Update: Sadly Morrells is now closed. Check out Jason’s Tavern or Red Cottage restaurant, both casual restaurants serving general American fare.
Tips for a great ride
*Use a restroom prior to your ride. There are no bathrooms at the start. I didn’t see any bathrooms until we were a few miles into the trail!
*Treat yourself to hearty breakfast before your ride. You will need plenty of energy for all the cardio. I recommend Persy’s Place – one of my favorite local diners. I love the rustic country vibe and the menu is so big (and so are the portions). Mike and I have been dining here for years (basically every time we visit my sister) and we continue to enjoy breakfast here regularly since relocating to the area.
*Make sure to follow the CCRT at the rotary and not the Chatham County Rail trail.
*Wear a camelbak – you will need lots of water for this ride. Although there are places to stop, they are few and far between and it is inconvenient, not to mention costly to stop multiple times.
*Stop at Cobie’s (around mile 10) for a snack – this is a great little place to refuel!
*Start the trail early in the morning if you intend on completing the entire thing – we almost ran out of time!
*Stop at Hot Chocolate Sparrow (around mile 13) Their homemade ice cream is a real treat. They also have espresso drinks and the most delicious truffles! A great treat after biking all those miles!
Address/Additional Details
Check out the Rail Trail map to plan your ride.
Rt. 134
South Dennis, MA
Free parking available
There are so many beautiful places to explore in Cape Cod. While you are vacationing here, I also recommend checking out: Scusset Beach (I found so many beautiful seaglass pieces here) and the Great Island Trail (an underrated hike to a secluded beach).
