The Scene
Over 6,000 years ago the area now known as Province Lands was created. The wind and rain helped to form the dozens of 100-foot dunes in the 3,000-acre section of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Toads and sand grasshoppers blend into the sand here. And this section is a good spot for birdwatching. Hidden in the dune walls is a mature beech forest, reminiscent of the original forest. A must-see is the Mount Ararat Sand Bowl.
The Experience
Beech Forest Trail winds through a forest of American beech, skirts two dune ponds and meanders by marsh and dunes. It's a one-mile loop done in under an hour. Stay on the trails and avoid walking in areas where beach grass grows. The beach grass anchors the sand, halting erosion.