The Eastham Hiking Club has set its schedule for November and December, beginning with hikes through the Provincelands and Wellfleet’s Great Pond Area on tap for the start of November.
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. EHC hikes Wednesdays from the Wednesday after Labor Day until the Wednesday 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. 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. Below is the schedule through the end of 2017:
Nov. 1: Provincelands / Beeches and Berries — Carpool 8:10. Leader: Mark. Rte. 6 to Provincetown, R at first traffic light onto Race Point Rd. Beech Forest lot 1/2 mile on left. Is there any foliage or are there any cranberries left? We’ll look for them in the dunes and forest;
Nov. 8: Wellfleet — Great Pond — Hortense Kelly Hike, 2 1⁄4 hours. Leader(s): Don & Bob. Rte. 6, R on Cahoon Hollow Rd., just before Wel1fleet Center. 1.1 miles to Great Pond parking lot on left. Hike to Ocean cliffs passing six ponds including Dyer, Long, Spectacle and Kinnacum;
Nov. 15: Truro — Ballston Beach, South (2 1⁄4 hours ~ Carpool 8:20) Leader(s): Don & Bob. Rte. 6 to Truro, Pamet Roads exit , R then L to South Pamet Rd., parking lot at end of road. Hike South along ocean cliffs to MITRE Site and return via woodland trails;
Nov. 22: 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 St., 3.2 miles, L at triangle to parking. Hike the paths along the Herring River estuary to bay cliffs and beach walk;
Nov. 29: Truro – Head of the Meadow – Ridley Grave ~ Carepool 8:15, Leader(s): Chuck. Rte. 6 to Truro, R at Head of the Meadow Rd. Go 1 mile, bear left at fork to the NPS parking lot. Hike through woods to isolated Ridley grave, return via Coast Guard Beach;
Dec. 6: Provincetown — Hike the Dunes, Part 1 (Part 1 of 2) — A one way hike. Carpool 8:10, Leader: Mark. All meet on right side of Rte. 6 opposite Snail Rd., 1st left in P’town. Car pool to start at High Head. Hike the entire length of the spectacular Provincelands dune system in two hikes. Part 2 in January.
Dec. 13: Brewster – Punkhorn, Leader(s): Don & Bob.From 6A in Orleans, go past Rte. 137, .75 mile, L at fork at blinking light onto Stony Brook Road, .6 mile, L at Run Hill Road about two miles to small parking lot on left. Hike to scenic ponds and woodland trails of the Punkhorn;
Dec. 20: Yarmouth – Boy Scout Conservation area, Weeping Tree, Leader(s): Chuck. Rte. 6W to exit 7, R 1 mile to Rte. 6A, R .5 miles to curve sign, R on Summer St., .4 mi to Dennis Pond parking area. Very limited parking, please carpool. Hike woodland trails to Kelley Chapel, Weeping Beech, past ponds to Boy Scout Camp;
Dec. 27: Brewster – Nickerson Flax Pond, Leader(s): Don & Bob. 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.
LEADER: Don Light 508-247-9887, VKLight@comcast.net. Co-leaders: Mark McGrath (508) 432-3775, Bob Rabenold (508) 255-6983, Chuck Thompson 508-255-8081. Emails: markmcgrath@verizon.net; robertojrabenold@gmail.com; ctorleans@yahoo.com. Email markmcgrath@verizon.net for bi-monthly schedules and/or weekly hike report with maps. Carpooling is optional; meet at Orleans (south of rotary) Stop & Shop, left lot off main entrance.