Cool hikes to snowy vistas on Cape Cod: Get going before it melts
As one of the biggest snow fans in history, the lack of flakes is the only thing I don't like about Cape Cod.
Everything just looks better when it's covered with the stuff. Snow is like a vista condiment — just sprinkle some on and even a transfer station looks like Santa's Village. But most of the time Cape Codders are served rain and slop all winter, robbed of the chance to get our Robert Frost on.
Then, along came a minor miracle! We were served up several inches of divine precipitation the other day and temperatures stayed low enough for it to stick around. I knew I had to document the sweet snow while I had the chance, for it may never happen again.
I whistled for the Curious Prius and we decided to hike out to our favorite Outer Cape views before the big melt. It was a race against time and temperature, especially because my neck of the woods didn't get as much snow as the rest of the Cape. Here's what happened.
Featherbed Swamp, Truro
Our first stop was the mysterious Featherbed Swamp, deep in the woods of the Cape Cod National Seashore, off Collins Road in Truro. It's a quaking bog, which means vegetation has grown over water, forming a mat that would quiver, or worse, if you tried to walk on it. The open part of the water was frozen, and I walked out a step or two to take a photo. That was a mistake, and I would have a wet foot for the rest of the trip!
Pilgrim Heights vista, Truro
The Pilgrim Heights area in the Cape Cod National Seashore is a sneaky cool place that lots of folks drive past on their way to Provincetown. But it holds one of the best vistas on the Cape, along the Small's Swamp Trail. You get a marsh, a weird curlicue pond, dunes and the mighty Atlantic in one view. But snow was scarce here, and I started to worry that the entire enterprise was in jeopardy.
Province Lands trail off Snail Road, Provincetown
You pay a steep price to get up into the Province Lands here, or at least you have to walk up a wicked steep dune to get the big view. Happily, the epic sand bowl was still covered with snow! I ran out into the whiteness, spinning around like Julie Andrews at the beginning of "The Sound of Music." Suddenly, I wasn't just a hick from Wellfleet, I was a member of the Austrian ski team, accepting a gold medal for general awesomeness.
Province Lands Visitor Center observation deck
The Province Lands Visitor Center is closed for the season, but the rooftop observation deck is open. The view up top was stupendous, although the stairs were pretty dang icy and a bit scary. I was hoping for an epic snow and dune landscape, like the one in my science fiction novel "Seaside Robots Throw Snowballs," but the white stuff was kind of scarce. Still, the ocean was an impossible deep blue, a reasonable reward for a goofball on a quest.
Clapps Pond area, Provincetown
Access to the Clapps Pond world is found along the eastbound side of Route 6, roughly in the vicinity of the town's wastewater treatment facility. Part of the area is owned by the state, the rest is Cape Cod National Seashore territory. There are all sorts of splendid dirt roads and side trails, and I'm still learning about the hiking options. I followed cross country ski tracks to a high ridge, way above the pond and soaked up the snowy Lake Tahoe vibe. Next time, I'll bring my hot tub!
Eric Williams, when not solving Curious Cape Cod mysteries, writes about a variety of ways to enjoy the Cape, the weather, wildlife and other subjects. Contact him at ewilliams@capecodonline.com. Follow him on X: @capecast.
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Hiking Cape Cod: Cool trails with snowy vistas on the Outer Cape
