National Seashore
Cape
Cod MA
The National Seashore at the tip of Cape Cod is all sand, and sand dunes.
You can view the sand dunes, but you have to pay to see the seashore during the summer.
The Cape Cod National Seashore, created in the early 1960's, stretches along the outer Cape from elbow that is Chatham to the fist that is Provincetown.
The wildest beaches, the highest dunes and the oldest lighthouse on the Cape are within the limits of the National Seashore. It is here that you go to see the ocean, to stand at the very end of the land, as it seems, and look out to sea.
The main information center is the Salt Pond Visitors Center in Eastham. Open daily year round from 9 to 4:30 and staffed by friendly, green uniformed rangers, the center gives you an amazing amount of information.
You can view a short movie of how the Cape was formed or take in an exhibit on marine life. Special events like nature walks, movies hikes and lectures are offered daily through October, and you can pick up an official map here.
A second visitor's center at Province Lands, closer to Provincetown, is open from April through November.
Outside the national seashore there are other great beaches and harbors, walks and drives.
We have heard of things getting exposed after a lot of sand has washed away from the storms. And you can go into Provincetown to the Whydah pirate ship museum to view some found treasure.
Special feature of the National Seashore includes the Marconi Station area, Nauset Beach, Coast Guard Beach, Pilgrims Heights, is where the highest dunes are, bike trails, which there are three paved ones, and the Highland Light, which is the oldest lighthouse on the cape.You can also go visit Fort Hill.
National Seashore Visitors Center Pictures
- On this cloudy, rainy morning we went to visit the National Seashore Visitors Center...Visitor's
Center view
- Near the parking lot are the restrooms and some maps... restrooms
and maps
- A park ranger talks to the visitors... park
ranger
- After they left I took a picture of the fees, (sorry there is rain all over it)... fees
- Here's a picture of the preserving estuaries info sign for the Salt Lake... preserving
estuaries 423k
- A picture of the popular Lobster Shanty across the street...
Lobster Shanty restaurant
- Walking up to the entrance of the visitor's center Open 9 to 5... visitor
center entrance
- Inside the visitor's center (sorry, it came out blurry)...
inside the visitors center
- A display of whale bones... whale bone
display ... another view
- A display of seashells found at the National Shoreline... seashells
- One of many informational boards they have on display... informational
board
- National Seashore regulations and rules... regulations
and rules 432k
Cape Cod National Seashore South Wellfleet, MA Phone: 508-349-3785 You can get by with the free Official Map and Guide that the National Park Service makes available everywhere. There are two special hikes: the Great Island Trail (7.5 miles long) and the short Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail (1.5 miles). Several interesting short trails also connect to the Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham.
Coast Guard Beach Off Route 6A Eastham, MA is also part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. There are lifeguards on duty. There is a fee for parking. See the sign where you turn and a picture of the entrance, and a picture of the coastguard house
See a huge map of the Cape Cod Shipwrecks. 398k
Also see Marconi Beach and read about the rest of our roadtrip to Cape Cod