Your Source Book For Family Fun
CAPE COD TRAVEL WEBGUIDE
BIKING THE CAPE

The Cape is a beautiful place to explore on bicycle. With bike trailers, carts, and the new 'alleycats' (imitation tandems which hook on to an adult bike), even little kids can ride like big kids and last for up to an hour or more. These and all sorts of other bikes and accessories are available for rent at the Cape's many bike stores. A reminder: Massachusetts state law mandates helmets on all children 12 and under riding on public roadways. Here's a sampling of some great local bike trails:

Cape Cod Canal, Upper Cape: The bike trail that runs along the canal is a great place to ride with children -- the level terrain makes it easy for little tykes on training wheels. Everyone will marvel at the view along the canal, but be careful to watch the trail! Access the trail on the Cape side at the Sandwich Marina, Pleasant Street in Sagamore, and the Buzzards Bay Recreation Area, just west of the Bourne Bridge.

Shining Sea Bike Path, Falmouth: This trail runs between Falmouth and Woods Hole. Just seven miles, it's a lovely ride along the coast, with views of Nobska Light. Access the trail from Elm Road, Locust Street or Oyster Pond Road.

Nauset Trail, Eastham: 1.6 miles. Leaves the Salt Pond Visitor Center and runs all the way to beautiful Coast Guard Beach.

Nickerson State Park, Brewster: A great bike trail runs all through Nickerson State Park, wandering through 8 miles of lovely wilderness. The park is open to the public free of charge. Located off Rte 6A in Brewster, approx. 1 mile from the Orleans line. Free parking. Call 508-896-3491 for details. Bike rentals are available through Barbara's Rentals right in the park (phone number below).

Chatham: Although Chatham has no designated bike trail, a scenic three mile trek begins at the Oyster Pond Beach parking lot on Stage Harbor Rd. Take Stage Harbor Rd. south (away from Main St.); take a right on Cedar Rd. When the road dead ends, go left onto Stage Neck Rd., and left again on Champlain Rd. Champlain merges back onto Stage Harbor Rd. and continues back to the beach parking lot.

Mashpee: A Bike Path starts at Heritage Park on Rte 130 and continues for 2.4 paved miles, leading right by the Mashpee River herring run and the Wampanoag Museum.

Cape Cod Rail Trail -- Mid, Lower & Outer Cape: When freight rail cars stopped rolling around the Cape years ago, someone had the brilliant idea of pulling up those miles and miles of track and paving it over as a bike trail. Now, every year, thousands of cyclists of all ages don their helmets and hop on the Rail Trail. It begins in Dennis: access on Rt 134 -- look for signs across from the Mid Cape Home Center. It roams through forests, fields, marshes and cranberry bogs all the way to Wellfleet. It's a nice, safe place to ride ... but remind your kids to stay on the right! Harwich: access on Rt 124, near the parking area adjacent to Rte 6, or off Great Western Road. Brewster: access and parking on Underpass Road at the Rail Trail Bike Shop, or at Nickerson State Park on Rt 6A. Orleans: access on Main St. beside the Mid-Cape Home Center store or on Rock Harbor Rd. Eastham: access and parking at the Salt Pond Visitor Center, Wellfleet access behind the South Orleans General Store, free parking available.

Provincetown: Bikes are a very popular mode of transportation in P-town. The National Seashore is a lovely place to ride. A beautifully paved bike path meanders through lovely beechwood forests and is accessible off Race Point Road (take a right at the lights as you head North on Rte. 6) Watch for the parking lot.

Bike Shops (rentals available):

Rail Trail Bike & Kayak, Brewster, 508-896-8200

Nelson's Bike Shop, Provincetown, 508-487-8849

Little Capistrano Bike Shop, Eastham, 508-255-6515
and Wellfleet, 508-349-2363

Mike's Rail Trail Rentals, Orleans, 508-255-0411

Barbara's Bike Rentals, So. Dennis (head of trail), Harwich & Brewster, 508-760-4723

Idle Times Bike Shops, Eastham, Wellfleet. 508-255-8281

Harwich Port Bike, Harwich Port, 508-430-0200