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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-Cape-Cod-Pathways-Trail-Guide1 Barnstable C. C. Pathways Trail Guide Map I 5 / 2 / 2024 The trail network extends from the west at the Sandwich Town Line easterly to the Barnstable/Yarmouth Town line. The hiker will find Cape Pathways Symbol insignias and Red Arrow Head symbols to provide directions over its entire length. In addition to the Red trails there are Green trails and Blue trails. They begin and end on the main Red trail. The Green trails will take you on alternate east/west trails that are south of the Red trail. The Blue trails are all north of the Red trail. They will take you from and leave you on the Red trail as well. Map 1 Sandwich Town Line to Route 149 Trail length 2.8 miles Access to the trail begins at the intersection of Great Hill Rd. and Old Mill Road. The ancient way, Old Mill Road, entrance is about 100 feet south of the southern edge of the Comm Electric power line easement and is defined by Red Trail markers as described above. Follow the Red arrows on Old Mill Rd. for about 1500 feet where it crosses the Sandwich/Barnstable town line. The Town Line has been cleared and runs northeast to southwest. Proceed around the gate in Old Mill Road an additional 150 feet to the Pathway trail signs. Red arrows show the main trail from this point to the Access Rd. west of Rt. 149. (At this spot you will also see a map kiosk and Green arrows. The Green arrows mark a southern loop that will take you along the cart roads to the next intersecting point with the Red Trail on Crocker Road.) The Red Trail is a narrow walking path until you reach about halfway along the 9/10ths of a mile route to the point of intersect at Crocker Rd. (A map kiosk is located at this juncture). From here the walker turns left, northerly, on Crocker Road for a distance of about 1500+/- feet (3/10ths +/- mile) on the Red Trail where it turns to the right heading east. This intersection is well marked with Red, Blue and Green trail markers and a trail map kiosk. Follow the Red arrows for about 9/10ths of a mile to the parking lot at the Service Road. Or you may want to try out the Green trail at a point about 2000 feet along the red trial where the Green arrow trail departs to the southeast for a distance of 1.5 +/- miles to the parking lot @ the Service Road. NOTE: The green trial is the longer of the two trails. (At the Crocker Road intersection you will also see Blue trail markers for a short northern loop. For the most direct cross-town hiking stay on the Red trail.) From the Access Road parking lot it is a short walk north on Route 149 (0.6 mile) to the West Barnstable fire station where the Red Trail resumes at the rear of the fire station parking lot on its way to the east as shown on map #2. 2 Barnstable C. C. Pathways Trail Guide MAP II 5 / 2 / 2024 Map 2. Route 149 to Cape Cod Community College Trail length 3.5 miles Beginning behind the West Barnstable Fire Station, a map kiosk defines the cross-town trail. Cape Cod Pathways markers and Red arrow trail markers will take you 4600 feet east to the Jenkins Preserve adjacent to the Bridge Creek Conservation Area. At the Jenkins Preserve parking area on Church Street, you will see Blue and Red arrows. The Blue arrows indicate the local Bridge Creek north loop path (see map); a full round trip is about 1.5 miles +/-. To continue on the Red trail go south across Church Street into a parcel that is owned by the West Parish Church. Continue on this southerly trail next through a second parcel owned by the Barnstable Land Trust and then exits onto the southerly end of Shaw's Lane at Parker Rd. At Parker Road there is a cranberry bog on the left and a second bog directly across the street. Follow Parker Rd south (right) for about 1000 feet to the edge of the Mid Cape Highway where you will see Red trail markers on the left. Follow the Red trail markers, which run easterly and parallel with the Mid Cape Highway for 8/10ths of a mile +/- to a perpendicular path that goes in a northerly direction away from the Mid Cape Highway for 1300 feet. At that point you will encounter the intersection of the Red Trail with the Blue loop trail, either trail will take you 1200 to 1300 feet east to a cart road headed northeasterly to the point of rejoining of the red and blue trails. The cart road is Spruce Pond Road, an ancient Way, and will end at Plum Street an additional 2700 feet to the east. Go south (right) on Plum Street about 400 feet to the Red trail on the left that takes you along the northerly edge of the electric power easement for 450 feet to Oak Street. Cross Oak Street to the Red trail markers and will take you along the northerly edge of the electric power line easement for 2000 feet. At this point, follow Red markers (trail name signs show this as “Keyes the Limit”) left on to a well- marked old cart road trail that will continue another 2,020 feet northerly to the northwest corner of the YMCA parking lot and on to Route 132. From this point walk directly down the YMCA driveway and out to Route 132 Cross Route 132 to the Community College, via the most northerly driveway (directly opposite the YMCA driveway) onto the campus. Turn left and follow the Red markers in a clockwise direction around the periphery of the campus or turn right to follow Green markers in a counter- clockwise direction. For the Main (Red) route, named/signposted trail segments include “Ivy League” (1,650’), “Scrub Forest” (530’), “Home Run” (500’), “Pond-Well” (900’) and “Spruce Trail” (1,600’). At the end of the Spruce Trail you are at a 4-way intersection opposite the “Response” trail and you can turn left or right on the “Free Fall” trail. If you turn right on “Free Fall” you will come out to a trailhead at parking lot #7. Turn left on Free Fall to continue easterly along the Main (red) 3 trail and areas shown on Map III . For the South Loop (Green), named/signposted trail segments include “Foxtrot” (1,450’), “First Class” (1,670’), “King’s View” (890’), and “Westwatch” (2,220’). Westwatch ends at a 3-way intersection; turn left on Old Neck Road and travel northerly about 1,400’ to rejoin the Main (Red) route. The beginning of the Map Three eastbound trails begins at the rear of parking lots #7. 4 Barnstable C. C. Pathways Map Guide Map III 5 / 2 / 2024 Map 3. C. C. Community College through Barnstable Village Trail length 4.2 miles The Red trail markers and a map kiosk are located on the backside of Parking lot # 7 and #12 for the Green southern route. You can also access the Red trail at Parking Lot #12 (see descriptions for loops around the periphery of the campus in the guide for Map II). Either trail takes you east to rejoin at Old Neck Lane and then on to Aunt Hatch Lane. Red arrows, are in place along the southerly leg of Aunt Hatch Lane. This leg of the trail will lead you to the west loop of the Old Jail Lane Preserve and on to the Parking lot. At the junction with Aunt Hatch Lane there are also Blue trail markers as well as a map kiosk to assist you in your direction decisions. A left turn here will take you North for 600 feet +/- to a point of decision on Aunt Hatch Lane as shown on map 3. A second kiosk is available at this spot as well The Blue loop trail can take you Northwest out to Route 6A or by keeping right off Aunt Hatch Lane and heading east following the Blue markers you will walk through the most northerly section of the Old Jail Lane preserve and then south on the eastern loop of the Old Jail Lane Preserve trails where it intersects with the Red Trail about 500 feet west of the Old Jail Lane parking lot. At the parking lot you will continue easterly across Old Jail Lane into Pine Lane (unimproved), follow Red markers for about 600 feet where there is an intersecting alternate-south loop trail on the right designated with Green markers. (See * below) To follow the Red arrows into Barnstable Village center, where public services are available, continue straight ahead on Pine Lane. Leaving the village continue east, proceed to the Red trail at the Trayser "Coast Guard" Museum 400 feet east of the traffic light on Main Street. The cross-town Red trail markers are visible between the Old Jail and the Coast Guard Museum carriage shed at the rear of the property. This part of the Red trail will bring you 3500 feet to the south onto Braggs Lane across from Acre Hill Road. At Bragg's Lane, go left (east) and walk 1500 feet to Flintrock Road on your right. Note: At the traffic light, at Hyannis Road and Main Street hikers have the option of following the Blue trail down to the harbor on Millway as shown on the map. Approximately a 0.6-mile distance. *If you choose to avoid the village center, turn right off of the Pine Lane Red trail and follow the Green trail markers (previously described) 1900 feet out to the Phinney's Lane and Old Hyannis/Barnstable Road intersection. Follow Old Hyannis-Barnstable Rd. to Braggs Lane on the left and continue east on Braggs Lane and you will pick up the Red trail markers opposite the paved Acre Hill Rd. Continue 1900 feet east to Flintrock Road as described above. 5 Barnstable C. C. Pathways Map Guide MAP IV 5 / 2 / 2024 When you reach Flintrock Road on your right you are on the red trail. Follow the paved road southeasterly for 1600 feet to the top of the hill and cross Boulder Road. Look for Red trail markers and a map kiosk on the right at the wood road extension of Flintrock Road. This 3500 foot long section of trail will bring you to Mary Dunn Road opposite the water tanks where a map kiosk is in place. Section 4. Mary Dunn's Road to Willow Street Trail length .9 miles When you reach Mary Dunn Road all signs and trail markers are discontinued. After descending the steep grade onto Marry Dunn's Rd. turn right and walk under the Mid Cape Highway. Approximately 600 feet beyond and south of the highway bridges on the east side of the road you will see a ten-foot boulder. (Note: The land belongs to the Massachusetts Department of Fish & Wildlife and they do not allow signs of any kind on their properties.) Go up the steep grade of the road shoulder to a well-used trail running east / southeast, follow it for about 900 feet where it intersects with a west to east rough grade gravel road. Follow the gravel road to a point where the road begins its final turn right. At that point there is a short cul- d'-sac roadway on your left which you follow to the end. At the end of the cul-d'-sac, a footpath will take you east, adjacent to and parallel with to Route 6. Red trail markers will reappear after you pass through the Fish & Wildlife preserve and guide you to the railroad tracks and Willow Street. Through hikers turn left at the Railroad tracks, follow the tracks north to a point just prior to the southerly edge of Dennis pond on the opposite side of Willow Street. Across the street you will see a parking area and trail head signs to take you further east in the town of Yarmouth along the southern edge of the pond.