Head of the Meadow Beach

Head of the Meadow is a broad Atlantic beach at the Cape's “wrist,” where the land begins to curl back toward the mainland. Low dunes edge the open sand, and offshore bars shift as waves move sand around. Come for a long shore walk, the surf, and the chance to spot seals; this is not a quick view from the car. For a landscape photo, include the waterline and a strip of dune—a frame of flat sand alone loses the shape of the coast.

From Route 6, follow Head of the Meadow Beach Road about two miles to the shore. The soft-sand dune crossing can feel strenuous with chairs or bags. The Town of Truro's 160-space lot requires a beach sticker in season. Its access offers a seasonal beach mat and beach wheelchairs, but confirm service before relying on them; other approaches may involve soft sand. Restrooms are seasonal and facilities vary by access, so do not count on showers at every lot. A food vendor operates in season; bring food and water if you need them outside that window.

At low tide, shallow pools and sandbars spread out, and seals sometimes lounge offshore. You may need to walk along the shore to look for them; sightings are never guaranteed. Surf and swimming conditions change, so follow posted beach warnings and check the tide if you want the broadest shoreline.

The Frances was a 199-foot, three-masted German iron-hulled bark carrying tin and sugar toward Boston when it grounded in a winter storm on December 27, 1872. Men from the Highland Life-Saving Station rescued the crew, and salvagers recovered cargo. Shifting sand can expose the wreck briefly on very low tides, sometimes after storms, before burying it again; it surfaced after Hurricane Sandy and a nor'easter in 2012, then disappeared within days. Do not plan a visit around seeing it. The wider coast between Truro and Wellfleet has more than 1,000 recorded wrecks; the Sparrowhawk, lost in 1626, was uncovered in 1863, and its ribs are now displayed in Plymouth.

The broad sandy shore is nesting habitat for the federally threatened piping plover. Follow posted seasonal closures; the beach is closed to pets through much of summer to protect nesting birds. The same shifting sand that makes new bars and pools also reshapes this habitat, so keep out of marked areas.