The Eastham Hiking Club has set its schedule for the rest of December, as well as January and February.
Below is the essential information for the group, which hikes the woods, dunes, beaches and dirt paths of Cape Cod from Yarmouth to Provincetown. Most of the hikes in the area from Wellfleet to Provincetown. EHC hikes Wednesdays, beginning immediately after Labor Day until the week before Memorial Day. The Club is an informal group that is free and open to anyone. EHC hikes every Wednesday at 9 a.m. No signup is required, just show up. Contact information and other details are below. Most hikes are 2 hours with some extending to 2½. Participants walk at a decent pace to get a fair amount of exercise. The normal hikes have from 35 to 70 hikers.
Dec. 20: Yarmouth – Boy Scout Conservation area, Weeping Tree, Leader(s): Chuck. Rte. 6W to exit 7, R 1 mile to Rte. 6A, R .5 miles to curve sign, R on Summer St., .4 mi to Dennis Pond parking area. Very limited parking, please carpool. Hike woodland trails to Kelley Chapel, Weeping Beech, past ponds to Boy Scout Camp;
Dec. 27: Brewster – Nickerson Flax Pond, Leader(s): Don & Bob. Route 6A to state park. Take first left off entrance road to end of Flax Pond Road. Walk woodland trails around Higgins, Little Cliff and Cliff Ponds.
Jan. 3: Wellfleet - Griffin Island – Woods/Beach Leader(s): Chuck. Great Island Parking lot — Rte. 6, L at Wellfleet Center lights, L at Commercial St., 3.2 miles, L at triangle to parking. Hike the paths along the Herring River estuary to bay cliffs and beach walk.
Jan. 10: Provincetown — Hike the Dunes (Part 2) — Carpool: 8:10. Leader(s): Mark. Rte. 6, 3⁄4 miles past the “Entering Provincetown” sign, park on the side of Rte. 6 opposite the left turn to unsigned Snail Road. Hike the second half of our “Traverse the Dunes” adventure, Hills, sand and gorgeous desert views.
Jan. 17: Wellfleet — Marconi Station, White Cedar Swamp, Cook's Cottage. Leader(s): Don. Rte. 6, R at Marconi light. Take first left past NPS Headquarters building to end of road. Hike through Marconi Wireless site, along cliffs and woodlands to White Cedar Swamp trail and back.
Jan. 24: Truro – Head of the Meadow – Ridley Grave. Carepool 8:15 Leader(s): Chuck. Rte. 6 to Truro, R at Head of the Meadow Rd. Go 1 mile bear left at fork to the NPS parking lot. Hike through woods to isolated Ridley grave, return via Coast Guard Beach.
Jan. 31: Provincetown — Beech Forest / Clapps Pond, 2.5 hrs. Carpool, 8:10. Leader(s): Don & Bob. Rte. 6 to Provincetown R at first traffic light onto Race Point Rd. Beech Forest lot 1/2 mile on left. Walk Beech Forest, high dunes, smallpox cemetery and around Clapp's Pond.
Feb. 7: Truro — Ballston Beach, North. Carpool 8:20 Leader(s): Don & Bob. Rte. 6 to Truro, Pamet Roads exit , R then L to South Pamet Rd., parking lot at end of road. Bearberry Hill, north ocean cliffs, Ball estate, Old Kings highway and cranberry bog
Feb. 14: Wellfleet — Duck Harbor, Bound Brook Island, 2 1⁄4 hours. Leader(s): Chuck. Duck Harbor — Rte. 6, L at Wellfleet Center lights, L at Commercial St., go 3.2 miles. R at triangle in road, 1 mile to parking. Hike from Duck Harbor to Bound Brook Is. Visit cemetery on wooded paths.
Feb. 21: Harwich – Sands Pond — Lorna Hutcheons Memorial. Leader(s): Don & Bob. Rte. 6, Exit 10, S on Rte. 124. R at T at Church. Great Western Rd. to Sands Pond, parking lot on right.
Hike along Harwich ponds, herring run, marshland and cranberry bogs.
Feb. 28: Truro – Rose Road, MITRE sites, cliffs. Car Pool, 8:25. 2 1⁄4 hours. Leader(s): Chuck. Rte. 6, R on Rose Rd., immediately after "Entering Truro" sign. Park 200 yards down road. Hike woodland trails to highest cliff, return past three MITRE Sites and Snow Pond.
LEADER: Don Light 508-247-9887, VKLight@comcast.net. Co-leaders: Mark McGrath (508) 432-3775, Bob Rabenold (508) 255-6983, Chuck Thompson 508-255-8081. Emails: markmcgrath@verizon.net; robertojrabenold@gmail.com; ctorleans@yahoo.com. Email markmcgrath@verizon.net for bi-monthly schedules and/or weekly hike report with maps. Carpooling is optional; meet at Orleans (south of rotary) Stop & Shop, left lot off main entrance.