The Eastham Hiking Club’s schedule is set for the rest of 2018.
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.
Hikes are led by group leaders Don Light, Mark McGrath, Bob Rabenold, and Chuck Thompson. 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.
Oct. 24: Harwich, Hawksnest Park. Leader(s): Don. Rte. 6, Exit 11, L then 1st R on Spruce Road, Go 0.3 miles and park on left side of road just past fencing. Hike by several ponds on fire roads and woodland trails, including Harwich Conservation Land and cemetery.
Oct 31: Wellfleet, Griffin Island / Woods/Beach. Carpool 8:20. Leader(s): Chuck. Great Island Parking lot. Rte. 6, L at Wellfleet Center lights, L at Commercial Street, 3.2 miles, L at triangle to parking. Hike the paths along the Herring River estuary to bay cliffs and beach walk.
Nov. 7: Truro, Don Heyer’s Bay to Breakers. One way hike, 2.5 hours. Carpool, 8:25. Leader: Mark. Rte. 6, R on LaCount Hollow Rd. (PB Boulangerie), L on Ocean View Dr. to end at Newcomb Hollow Beach. Carpool to start Ryders Beach, Truro, on Cape Cod Bay, hike across Cape to Newcomb Hollow on the Atlantic.
Nov. 14: Truro, Pilgrim Heights. Car Pool, 8:15. Leader: Don. Rte. 6, R at Pilgrim Heights National Seashore sign to end of parking lot near gazebo. Hike Pilgrim Heights to sand road, over high dunes to dike and Pilgrim Springs.
Nov. 21: Brewster, Nickerson Park, Ruth Pond. Leader: Chuck. Rte. 6A to Nickerson entrance. Continue on entry road for 1.8 miles to Fisherman’s Landing, entry on left. Hike the “quiet side” woods of Nickerson past Ruth, Little Cliff, and Cliff ponds.
Nov. 28: Orleans, Nauset Beach, North. Leader: Don. Orleans Center East on Main St. becomes Beach Rd. towards Nauset Beach. Park at North end of parking lot. Hike beach north to Nauset Marsh inlet and return via Nauset Marsh.
Dec. 5: Brewster, Nickerson Flax Pond Road. Leader: Don. 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.
Dec. 12: Provincetown, MacMillan Wharf East. Carpool, 8:05. Leader: Mark. Rte. 6 to Provincetown. Park & meet in the parking lot on MacMillan Wharf, Commercial St., center of town.
Dec. 19: Provincetown, Blackwater Pond and West. Car Pool, 8:10. Leader: Chuck. Rte. 6 to Provincetown, R at first traffic light onto Race Point Rd., Beech Forest lot 1/2 mile on left. Hike paths, bike trail and soft sand past Blackwater & Great Ponds and cranberry bogs.
Dec. 26: Dennis, Crowes Pasture & Sesuit Harbor Leader: Don. Rte. 6 to Exit 9, N on Rt 134 to R on 6A, .8 mi. L on School St., first R on South St., first L on Sea St., .4 mi., park at end. Hike woodland trails & marsh to Crowes Pasture, Quivett Creek, bay beach and Sesuit Harbor.
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.
Carpooling is encouraged. Drive on your own if you wish. On hikes that are beyond Eastham the club will schedule general carpools that will leave from the Stop & Shop near the Orleans rotary. As you enter the main parking lot at Stop & Shop, the meeting place is first area on the left. The schedule will state carpooling and give a time. The time on the schedule is the time that you should leave the Stop & Shop. Arrive at Stop & Shop before the designated time. There will be no leader there so make your own carpools. If there is no one there proceed to the starting location on your own.
CONTACTS: Don Light — 508-247-9887, VKLight@comcast.net; Mark McGrath — 508-432-3775, markmcgrath@verizon.net; Bob Rabenold — 508-255-6983, robertojrabenold@gmail.com. Chuck Thompson — 508-255-8081, ctorleans@yahoo.com. E-mail markmcgrath@verizon.net for bi-monthly schedules and/or weekly hike report with maps.