8 Cape Cod Boardwalks with Breathtaking Views

Aside from the 500+ miles of pristine coastline (where you can see the sunrise and sunset over the water on the same day), Cape Cod boardwalks are my favorite places to appreciate the Cape’s scenic views.

Here’s a list of my favorite boardwalks on Cape Cod with breathtaking views. Try to add them ALL to your Cape Cod itinerary!

Cape Cod Boardwalks With Breathtaking Views

Bass Hole Boardwalk in Yarmouth

Of all the Cape Cod boardwalks, Bass Hole Boardwalk might be the most well-known and is for sure a special place for visitors and locals alike.

Located next to Gray’s Beach in Yarmouth Port, Bass Hole stretches a quarter mile into the surrounding marshland. At low tide, watch tiny crabs scurry about the mud under the sea grass and keep an eye out for baby seals looking for a place to rest during high tide.

Sit on a bench on the spacious viewing platform at the end of the boardwalk to enjoy the views of Cape Cod Bay. I recommend visiting Bass Hole for sunset, but any time of day is beautiful. In addition to the boardwalk and beach, there is a playground, a covered picnic area, and seasonal bathrooms.

Gray’s Beach used to be totally free for locals and visitors, but they have recently begun charging a parking fee during peak summer months. Make the most of your time there and explore the surrounding trails in the marsh and forest!

For Planning Purposes:

• Dogs are allowed to walk the boardwalk.
• Seasonal bathrooms are located right off the parking lot.
• Wear proper clothing and use insect repellent to avoid mosquitos, greenhead flies, and ticks.

Sandwich Boardwalk in Sandwich

A truly unique treasure in the town of Sandwich, the Sandwich Boardwalk connects Town Neck Beach to the beautiful surrounding marshland. The boardwalk crosses over a tidal creek where kids jump into while the tide is high on hot summer days.

The Sandwich Boardwalk may also be known as the “Plank Walk” or the “Mill Creek Foot Bridge.” The boardwalk was originally constructed in 1875 and has been damaged by storms and rebuilt several times. Most notably, it was wrecked by Hurricane Bob in 1991 and reconstructed with funds raised from the sale of personalized planks.

More recent storms have also damaged it, prompting the town to seek a more permanent solution to reconstruct the boardwalk so many future generations can enjoy it.

Access the Sandwich Boardwalk from two parking lots. The one at the end of Boardwalk Rd, accessible from Rt 6A, is in the marsh, and you walk over the boardwalk toward Town Neck Beach. The other lot is at the end of Wood Ave (via Freeman Ave and Town Neck Rd), which is the Town Neck Beach parking lot.

For Planning Purposes:

• Dogs can only walk the boardwalk in the off-season from September 16 – May 14.
• Watch out for greenhead flies – especially if you jump into the creek!

Boardwalk at Taylor Bray Farm in Yarmouth

You might miss this one if you didn’t know it was there! The highlight of Taylor Bray Farm, aside from its history dating back to the 17th century, is all the animals that live there. Like, the Scottish Highland cattle, sheep, goats, chickens, and my personal favorite, Sam and Nestor, the Taylor Bray Farm donkeys.

So, while you are there enjoying the history and animals, look for the boardwalk amongst the towering phragmites – an invasive plant we hate. The boardwalk leads to a viewing platform overlooking the Black Flats Marsh, with Cape Cod Bay and Chapin Beach in the distance. Black Flats Marsh and the tidal Chase Garden Creek that runs through it are home to many species of fish and aquatic animals, plus many bird species, including osprey and some endangered birds.

Taylor Bray Farm is free to visit, but the non-profit Taylor-Bray Farm Preservation Association accepts donations.

For Planning Purposes:

• Dogs are not allowed on the property.
• Wear proper clothing and use insect repellent to avoid mosquitos, greenhead flies, and ticks.

Nauset Bike Trail in Eastham

The boardwalk on the Nauset Bike Trail has some spectacular views of Nauset Bay, a marshy inlet protected by barrier beaches. This paved bike trail connects three Cape Cod National Seashore areas: the Salt Pond Visitor Center, Doane Rock Picnic Area, and Coast Guard Beach, and you can access the trail at any of these locations.

However, I suggest parking for free at the Salt Pond Visitor Center and traveling the entire 1.6-mile trail to Coast Guard Beach and back, making the total trip 3.2-miles. Birdwatchers will love this trail, so remember to bring your binoculars!

Don’t skip over exploring the Salt Pond Visitor Center, which is free to visit. Inside there is a National Park store, a cultural museum with exhibits ranging from Wampanoag history (the earliest settlers) to modern tourism, a beautiful glacial history map of Cape Cod, and a theater with viewings of an award-winning orientation video. This is a great first stop on your way to other Cape Cod National Seashore attractions.

For Planning Purposes:

• This trail is wheelchair accessible.
• No dogs are allowed on this trail.
• Public bathrooms are available at Salt Pond Visitor Center year round (limited hours) and seasonally at Coast Guard Beach and Doane Rock Picnic Area.
• Wear proper clothing and use insect repellent to avoid mosquitos and ticks.

Red Maple Swamp Trail in Eastham

The Red Maple Swamp Trail is yet another Cape Cod National Seashore treasure in Eastham. Located on the opposite side of Nauset Bay from the Nauset Bike Trail, this trail has even greater views of Nauset Marsh and winds through the swamp with thick red maple stands.

The best time to hike this trail is in the fall when the thick forest changes from bright green to blazing red and orange. Combine this trail with the Fort Hill Trail to see additional attractions like the historic Captain Penniman House, a former whaling captain’s house.

Free parking is available in three spots in this area. First, try parking at the trailhead for the Fort Hill Trail that connects to the Red Maple Swamp Trail less than a quarter mile from the trailhead. If that lot is full, try the overflow lot further up Fort Hill Road. Additional free parking is available at Hemenway Landing.

For Planning Purposes:

• No dogs are allowed on this trail.
• Seasonal restrooms are available near Hemenway Landing.
• Wear proper clothing and use insect repellent to avoid mosquitos and ticks.

Uncle Tim’s Bridge in Wellfleet

A charming boardwalk called Uncle Tim’s Bridge is just a block from Main Street in Wellfleet. It is named after Timothy E. Daniels, a beloved man who owned a shop across the street from the bridge in the 1800s.

The boardwalk leads to the tadpole-shaped Hamblen Island on the other side of Duck Creek, where you can walk the trails around and across the island. My favorite part of the trails on Hamblen Island is getting an up-close view of the remnants of the Duck Creek Railway Bridge. At low tide, watch as thousands of fiddler crabs scurry about the mud in the exposed marsh.

Parking near the bridge is extremely limited. A few hundred feet from the bridge is a small free parking lot. If it is full and you can manage it, park at the lot by Hatches Produce and Fish Market, then walk less than a quarter-mile to the boardwalk.

For Planning Purposes:

• The closest public restrooms are located behind the town hall in the parking lot next to Hatches Produce and Fish Market.

Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail in Wellfleet

Yet another Cape Cod National Seashore trail with a must-see boardwalk! This one is near the Marconi Wireless Station, where the first radio transmission to cross the Atlantic from the United States happened.

The 1.2-mile trail loops through a stand of Atlantic White Cedar trees, a rare sight after decades of cutting them down and draining and filling the swampland where they grow best. This swamp is more ethereal than other swamps I’ve been to, with its moss-covered hummocks and canopy-distorted light shimmering down. Enchanting and fairytale are often used to describe it – and they are not wrong.

I’ve hiked this trail during all four seasons, and it’s beautiful any time of year. It’s a bonus that the beach is also accessible from the parking lot.

Side Note: I’ve read some reviews of the two swamp trails of the CCNS complaining that there isn’t much of a “view of the swamp” on these trails, but these hikers are mistaking marshland with swampland. A swamp is a forested wetland ecosystem, while a marsh is a wetland ecosystem dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants. The trees on these two trails are the view!

For Planning Purposes:

• Dogs are not allowed on this trail.
• Seasonal bathrooms are available.
• Wear proper clothing and use insect repellent to avoid mosquitos and ticks.

Beech Forest Trail in Provincetown

Last but not least on my list of Cape Cod boardwalks is the Beech Forest Trail in the Cape Cod National Seashore in Provincetown. The one-mile loop trail skirts Beech Forest and Blackwater Ponds, ascends Provincetown’s steep dunes and meanders through a thick beech tree forest that is reminiscent of the way Cape Cod might have looked before it was colonized.

Keep an eye out for the Pilgrim Monument, which you can see hovering above the tree line at a certain point on the trail. In the spring, the ponds are covered with beautiful lily pads that bloom come summertime. Birders will enjoy this trail, especially during the spring and fall migrations.

For Planning Purposes:

• Dogs are not allowed on this trail.
• Seasonal bathrooms and picnic tables are available at the trailhead.
• Wear proper clothing and use insect repellent to avoid mosquitos and ticks.

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