Cape Cod National Seashore, MA
Two paved miles through coastal woods to the beach.
Overview
Map & elevation
Plan your hike
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Cape Cod Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Cape Cod National Seashore. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
High Head Road and the Beach Bike Trail“You're coming up on the High Head Road trail access, where the paved Head of the Meadow Bike Trail leads through coastal woods to the Atlantic beach.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Cape Cod Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Head of the Meadow Bike Trail is a paved, 2-mile point-to-point route from the High Head Road dirt lot to the National Park Service parking area at Head of the Meadow Beach. Plan 2 miles one way or 4 miles out and back. A relaxed bike ride takes about 20 to 30 minutes each way; walking one way takes roughly 40 to 50 minutes. It is an easy route, though some pavement can be bumpy.
There is parking at both ends, but no bus service between them. Arrange a pickup or retrace the path if you need to get back to the same lot. High Head Road parking has a two-hour limit; seasonal beach fees may apply at the other end. Seasonal restrooms are available at the beach parking area, which makes it easy to add a beach visit after the ride.
The route runs beside berry bushes and trees, making for a calm ride through coastal woods. It is shared with pedestrians and two-way bicycle traffic, so cyclists should stay right and yield. Leashed pets are allowed year-round on this trail; keep them on a six-foot leash. Mosquitoes and deer flies can be around in season.
Wildlife
459 sightingsGray SealMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
84 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
297 sightingsRed FoxMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
49 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
263 sightingsHorseshoe CrabMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
73 sightingsGreat Blue HeronMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Cape Cod. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
EasyHigh Head Road Trail0.9 mi · 30 min · At the trailheadA short sandy path to the bay, with deep sand underfoot.
EasyPilgrim Spring Trail0.7 mi · 30 min · 0.5 mi awayA short wooded loop to a bluff view and historic spring site.
EasySmall's Swamp Trail0.6 mi · 30 min · 0.5 mi awayA quick loop with a boardwalk, wetland, and bluff views.
ModerateHead of the Meadow Beach and Bike Trail Loop4.5 mi · 2.5 hr · 1.8 mi awayA beach walk, sandy cut-through, and paved return.
ModerateWoods Walk at Highlands Center1 mi · 30 min · 3.6 mi awayA mile-long woods loop with a Cold War backstory.
EasyBeech Forest Trail1 mi · 1 hr · 4.1 mi awayA quiet pond loop with spring birds and one steep dune climb.
ModerateProvince Lands Bike Trail5.5 mi · 2.5 hr · 4.1 mi awayA paved 5.45-mile loop through dunes, pines, and cranberry bogs.
ModerateWood End Lighthouse Trail3 mi · 2.5 hr · 4.5 mi awayA rough, tide-exposed dike leads through sand to Wood End Light.
Picnic area · 0.5 mi awayPilgrim HeightsA covered picnic stop with a short, history-lined walk.
Beach · 1.7 mi awayHead of the Meadow BeachVery low tides sometimes uncover the wreck of the Frances.
Campground · 1.8 mi awayNorth of Highland Camping AreaWooded tent camping a short walk from Head of the Meadow Beach.
Lodging · 2.3 mi awayHighland Beach SuitesThree rental suites five minutes from Coast Guard Beach.
Beach · 2.5 mi awayCoast Guard Beach (Truro)High dunes, Atlantic surf, and a broad beach at road’s end.
Sight · 2.9 mi awayHighland House MuseumA former resort hotel packed with Outer Cape history.
Sight · 2.9 mi awayHighland LinksA nine-hole links course with Atlantic views and a lighthouse beside it.
Sight · 3 mi awayHighland LightClimb the 1857 lighthouse moved 450 feet inland from the cliff.Parkwolf’s Cape Cod ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
