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Long Walks on Cape Cod

Copyright 1997 Cape Cod Trails Conference

South Orleans

USGS Maps:              Orleans, Chatham

Trailheads:      1.  Parking lot for Charles Moore Arena in Orleans,
                     on O'Connor Lane, off Lots Hollow Road, south of
                     Eldredge Park Way, just east of exit 12, Route 6.

                 2.  South Orleans Center (shopping area) on Route 28,
                     0.1 mile north of Route 39.

Guide:

        Walk to the southwest corner of the parking lot. Walk south on  
the track which was heavily used by mountain bikes and all-terrain vehicles.
This is a long reach to the south, passing in and out of the fence
near Route 6.  Stay to the outside of the fence for 1.5 miles until you
reach a wide track that heads east past utility pole 360/1.

       
        This is Cliff Pond Road.  Follow it northeast.
You will pass a marker for the Brewster-Orleans town line.
The road becomes gravel in about 200 yards.  Continue walking east
on it for another 200 yards to a woods road heading south.  Walk
south on it, and continue as it curves to the southeast.  When you
reach a dirt road with houses, in about 0.3 miles, turn left and
walk east to Route 28, another 100 yards.

        The road sign tells you that you are on Eli Rogers Road.
Directly across the road is the South Orleans Center, a small shop-
ping area that has a gas station and the South Orleans post office.
Cross the road carefully, and walk east to the back of the parking
lot.  This is trailhead 2.

        From the back of the parking lot, walk south to the end and
follow a well-worn foot path to the south and east. The trail
meanders between houses to the north and south.  You may find the
trail blocked, as the area is undergoing significant development.
If you cannot continue east, walk due south to Portanimicut Road and
continue east to Richwood Farm Lane on the right.

        At the T intersection, walk south, passing along the edge
of a clearing.  The paved road ahead is Portanimicut Road.  Walk
east on the edge of the road for about 0.4 mile until you reach
Richwood Farm Lane on the right.  It is labelled "Private Way,"
but shows signs of frequent use by walkers. 

         Walk south on Richwood Farm Lane as it passes by houses and
then bear left on a path in the woods just past the last house.
Walk east on a major east-west woods road, in about another 0.1 mile.
Follow it past the rear of a sizeable estate with a horse paddock.
The woods road then becomes paved with a rail fence on the left.

        Follow it to the east for about 0.6 mile.  Little Pleasant
Bay and Sampson Island are in the distance.  Ignore the No Trespass-
ing sign along the way.  The little paved road you are on is an
ancient way that cannot be blocked to walkers.  Of course, you will
not trespass on the property to your right.

        When you reach the shore of Little Pleasant Bay, walk south
along it.  As a sign will inform you shortly, the shore of the bay
is open to anyone for fishing, fowling, and navigation.  Most home-
owners also welcome walkers, who pass along without stopping.  We
are seeing more "Welcome" signs on private beaches.  If asked, say
that you are engaged in land navigation with map and compass.

        When you round the point at The Narrows, you are looking at
Sipson Island ahead.  Walk west on the foot path around the concrete
abutment.  Then walk northwest on the sandy road.  You will come
out to a sign telling you that have been on Crowe Landing, with
signboards prohibiting access.  That's for vehicles, boats, campers,
etc.  Again, you cannot be prohibited from walking on an ancient way.

        Turn right and walk northwest on the sandy track that is Davis
Road.  You will pass Sarah's Pond on your left.  Davis Road is a
private road of the PBN Trust, as the sign on Quanset Road will
inform you.  Mike, the caretaker, stated on March 3, l997, that
walking is permitted on the road.   That is according to the Massa-
chusetts law which prohibits blocking access to the shore on a
foot path that has been used by the public for twenty years.

      Keep off the private drives that go to houses on the bay.  Dr.
Bill Dickson showed us this walk, and took us out to his house on
one scheduled hike.  Walk to the end of Davis Road, where it inter-
sects Quanset Road.  Turn right and walk north on Quanset Road,
passing Ellerslie Road on your right and Uncle Israel's Road on
your left.  You may continue walking on Quanset Road to Portanimicut
Road to return to trailhead 2, or work your way through the woods
as below.

        At the top of the next rise, walk into the water station area
and around the back heading north.  Pick up the foot path that goes
northwest into the woods.  When you reach a major woods road, walk
east.  This is the same road that you took to reach Little Pleasant
Bay.  In 0.3 mile, you will see the buildings that you passed before.

        Look for the trail to Richwood Farm Lane, and walk out on
it to Portanimicut Road.  Walk west 0.4 mile to the trail at the
at the edge of the clearing that you followed from trailhead 2.
Walk west on it to return to trailhead 2.  

        From the South Orleans Center, cross the road carefully to
Eli Rogers Road.  In about 100 yards, follow the woods road to the
northwest.  When you reach Cliff Pond Road again, walk east to the
second water pumping station.  Immediately opposite is a woods road
heading north.  Follow it briefly to a foot path that continues to
a fork.

        Walk left and northwest on the foot path which goes along the
north shore of a little kidney-shaped pond.  Continue northwest to a
woods road near the utility right of way.  Follow it north as it weaves
in and out of the right of way, to an east-west road to walk west to
trailhead 1.  Depending on the zigs and zags that you take along the
way, the total walk is between nine and ten miles.