The Eastham Hiking Club’s schedule has announced its schedule through the end of April.
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.
Feb. 20: Truro, George Nilson Rd., Paradise/Lombard Hollows. Carpool 8:25. Leader: Don. Rte. 6, .4 mi. past Truro town line, take L on George Nilson Rd., park on either side of road. Hike through woodlands and scenic hollows to Bay at Ryder Beach and back (2-1/2 hours);
Feb. 27: Truro, George Nilson Road, Scout Camp. Carpool 8:25. Leader: Chuck. Rte. 6, .4 mi. past Truro town line, take L on George Nilson Rd., park on either side of road. Hike through woodlands to old scout camp.
March 6: Truro – Rose Road, MITRE sites 2 1⁄4 hours. Car Pool 8:25. Leader(s): Chuck. Rte. 6, R on Rose Rd. immediately after "Entering Truro" sign. Park 200 yds down road. Hike woodland trails to highest cliff return past 3 MITRE Sites and Snow Pond;
March 13: Truro - Rose Rd., Round Pond. Carpool 8:25. Leader: Chuck. Rte. 6, R on Rose Road immediately after “Entering Truro” sign. Park 200 yards down road. Hike woodland trails and dirt roads past Round Pond to ocean view;
March 20: Brewster – Nickerson Park Main Entrance. Leader(s): Don. Rte. 6A to Nickerson State Park entrance. Park in lot on immediate right. Scenic woodlands walk passing several of Park’s premier ponds.
March 27: Wellfleet – Lieutenant Island. Carpool 8:30. Leader(s): Mark. Rt. 6, 1.5 miles past Wellfleet Drive-in, L on Lieutenant Is. Rd. Go 1 mile, park on side of road just before marsh. Walk over the wooden bridge and around Lt Island. Marshes, Cape Cod Bay, Blackfish Creek and oyster farms;
April 3: 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., 1st R on South St., 1st L on Sea St., .4 mi. to parking. Hike woodland trails & marsh to Crowes Pasture, Quivett Creek, Sesuit Harbor & bay beach;
April 10: Brewster - Nickerson Park - Main Entrance, Cape Cod Bay. Leader: Don. Rte. 6A to Nickerson State Park entrance. Park in lot on immediate right. Hike west side of Nickerson and out to the Bay and return;
April 17: Provincelands - Beeches and Dunes. Carpool 8:10. Leader: Mark. Rte. 6 to Provincetown, R at first traffic light on to Race Point Rd. Beech Forest lot 1/2 mile on left. Walk in the Beech Forest and the dunes enjoying the early signs of spring;
April 24: Truro – East Harbor (Pilgrim Lake), Dunes & Beach, 2 1⁄2 hours. Car pool, 8:15. Leader(s): Chuck. Exit Rte. 6 at High Head Road. Take first left fork onto dirt road to parking lot at end. Soft sand, over dunes along the back side of East Harbor to a vista, past dune shack to ocean return. 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.