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Long Walks on Cape Cod

Copyright 1998 Cape Cod Trails Conference

Hawks Nest State Park

USGS Map:        Harwich

Sketch Map of Route

Trailhead        1.  Small parking area on Route l37 at Spruce Road,
                     just south of exit 11 from Route 6.

                 2.  Parking area for the Cape Cod Rail Trail, on
                     Headwaters Drive, 0.3 mile west of Route 124,
                     and just north of exit 10 from Route 6.

Guide:

        Plan this walk as a shuttle.  It is very easy to spot a car at
Trailhead 2, and then zip up Route 6 to Trailhead 1 to start the walk.
That will give you more time to explore all the trails and ponds in
and near this undeveloped state park.

        Across route 137 is the southern terminus of our Freemans Way
walk.  From trailhead 1, walk west on Spruce Road for 0.4 mile, and
look for a foot path to the left, just past the cable vehicle
barrier.  Follow it to a ridge overlooking Olivers Pond, about 0.2
mile.  Walk down to visit the pond.

        Then backtrack to the dirt bike track that you crossed,
heading west paralleling the shore of the pond.  In another 0.2 mile,
you will reach a dirt road heading south.  It is Hawks Nest Road.  If
you miss the path to Olivers Pond, you will see this road joining
Spruce Road in 0.6 mile from Trailhead 1.

        Walk south on Hawks Nest Road for 0.4 mile from Spruce Road,
to an east-west track that is Round Cove Road.  Walk west on it to a
vehicle turnaround near the south shore of Hawks Nest Pond.  Walk
down to the pond for another scenic vista.

Note:  Although Hawks Nest is a state park open to all, there is a
small hunting camp on the shore of Hawks Nest Pond that is private
property.  The owners ask that you respect the "No Trespassing" sign.

        Then backtrack to the turnaround.  Look for a path heading
west, that has been thoughtfully provided for you by dirt bikers.
Follow this path as it heads southwest above the south shore of
Black Pond, then comes to a dirt road in 0.7 mile from Hawks Nest
Road.

        Walk north on the dirt road to a triangle of roads.  Bear
right and follow the main dirt road going north.  It will pass
along the west shore of Black Pond and Hawks Nest Pond.  Originally,
we had this walk routed around Walkers Pond, but that old woods road
has been blocked.  The new route skirts the boundaries of the park
on a friendly and scenic dirt road.

      Continue north for 0.6 mile to Spruce Road.  Walk west on
Spruce Road 0.6 mile to a woods road.  Walk west on the woods road.
When you come to a break in the fence along Route 6, bear left,
staying to the outside of the fence, and walk west on a dirt
bike trail.

      In 0.5 mile, at the second break, go through the fence.
Continue west on the highway side, passing along the north
edge of Aunt Edie's Pond.  When you come to a little clearing
at the edge of Route 6, bear left to walk through a little
pine grove, then through the fence and out to Route 124.

      Cross Route 124 carefully and walk north to Headwaters Drive,
then west to trailhead 2.  From there you can use the Cape Cod Rail
Trail to connect to our Brewster Ponds walk, one mile to the north,
at Seymour Road.

      Or walk south on the rail trail one mile to connect to the
Island Pond portion of our Herring River walk.   You will have to
take the bicycle detour over Route 6 on 124.  A bridge is planned
over Route 6, to eliminate that detour.  Do not attempt to cross
Route 6 directly until the bridge is built.