Truro Trail To Paradise
One of my favorite things to do on the Cape is to find hiking trails that are unknown, remote, and lead to beautiful views. During the week of July 4th last summer, I was looking for a good trail to hike on the National Seashore. I have done many of the classics, and since it was a busy week, I was hoping for something more low-key. I also wanted a shady trail, if possible, since my dog, Millie, was joining me on the adventure.
I ended up finally exploring a trailhead I had noticed before in Truro, right on the border of Wellfleet. I had no idea what to expect, but after checking OpenStreetMap, I found a few different trails in the area leading toward the dunes. I decided to park by Great Pond along Collins Road and take the first trailhead, assuming it wasn’t overgrown.
After parking near the entrance to Great Pond along Collins Road, we walked up the road and found the trailhead, which was the first opening on the east side of the road. It is mostly unmarked, though there is a small sandy parking area just north of it. That could be another parking option if you want to save some distance and avoid walking up Collins Road.
Once we found the trailhead, we entered the forest. A beautiful path quickly revealed itself under a canopy of trees, leading us through a pristine forest.
The trail was mostly straight for about 0.7 miles, featuring gentle rolling hills and untouched surroundings. At 0.7 miles in, we encountered a slight S-turn.
After another half mile through the forest, the trail opened up to a pristine stretch of dunes.
The path climbed up the dunes to an incredible viewpoint.
This viewpoint was home to some of the highest dunes I have ever found on the Cape. It offered a perfect vantage point to look out over the Atlantic, watching boats go by and seals swimming below.
We were hoping to spot a whale, but none passed by during this trip. It was hard to leave such a stunning spot, but we had worked up an appetite.
After soaking in the view for a while, we followed the path back to the car. Millie got a big drink of water, and then we headed to Mac’s on the Pier for lunch—a perfect Cape Cod adventure!
Trail Map and Information
Trail Router link: https://trailrouter.com/UyuSf
Trail Length: 3.20 miles
Trail Type: Out-and-back
Difficulty: Easy
Parking Directions: HERE (GPS: 41.975722, -70.027389)
Trailhead Directions: HERE (GPS: 41.979028, -70.028972)
Viewpoint Directions: HERE (GPS: 41.985722, -70.011528)