Duck Pond–Great Pond Beach, 3 beaches is a 5.6-mile out-and-back in Cape Cod National Seashore near Wellfleet by the Sea, MA. The route passes Cape Cod National Seashore Beach and Great Pond Beach before reaching Duck Pond at the turnaround, 2.7 miles in. It climbs 263 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 20/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi10 – 82 ft6.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail 41.91279, -69.97362
Nearest town Wellfleet by the Sea, MA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Duck Pond–Great Pond Beach, 3 beaches
5.6 mi · ▲ 263 ft · 2 hr
Elevation 9–83 ft
Out & Back · Cape Cod National Seashore
Trailhead: Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail · 41.91279, -69.97362
Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 81°F / low 65° · precip 0% · wind 10 mph · sunrise 5:36 AM · sunset 7:57 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading W.
- 150 ftBear right onto Cape Cod Rail Trail, heading W.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading NW.
- 200 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 400 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Bell Road, heading NE.
- 350 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
- 300 ftPass Cape Cod National Seashore Beach.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 250 ftSharp right, heading N.
- 0.3 miPass Great Pond Beach.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading NW.
- 200 ftReach Duck Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 150 ftSharp left, heading W.
- 0.4 miSharp left, heading E.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 400 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 400 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 200 ftBear left onto Cape Cod Rail Trail, heading S.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading SE.
- 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
70% dirt14% paved3% sand13% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 81°F65°
Precip0%Wind10 mphUV8Humidity78%
Rained 1″ yesterday (1.2″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
85°65°
Sunrise 5:36 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:57 PM
Wed
79°65°
Thu
86°72°
Fri
89°73°
Sat
87°71°
16%
Sun
87°72°
16%
Mon
92°74°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.0 mi in (~24 min). Leave by 7:14 PM for the 7:57 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:38 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail Trailhead
- Lecount Hollow Beach via Cape Cod Rail Trail 4.1 mi · ▲ 81 ft
- Cape Cod Rail Trail 4.4 mi · ▲ 107 ft
- Cape Cod Rail Trail 4.4 mi · ▲ 107 ft
- Cape Cod National Seashore Beach via Cape Cod Rail Trail 4.5 mi · ▲ 263 ft
- Marconi Beach via Old King's Highway 4.9 mi · ▲ 107 ft
- Ralph & Dorthy Clover Conservation Land–Duck Pond, 3 beaches 5 mi · ▲ 229 ft
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Hikes near Wellfleet by the Sea, Massachusetts