Cape Cod National Seashore
Managed by National Park Service
7,577 acres29.8 mi of trail
Pole Line ORV AccessRace Point BeachBeech Forest Trail
Dogs usually limited
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Photo: WestportWiki · CC BY-SA 3.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Provincetown
More than half of Provincetown’s land is conserved: 100%
100% of Provincetown’s land is conserved, about 7,610 acres. 35 miles of mapped trail cross Provincetown, 3.6 per square mile of land. 5,291 acres are parks and preserves, 1,429 per 1,000 residents.
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns · #1 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
100%
7,610 acres · of 9.7 sq mi of land
Trails
35 mi
3.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
5,291 ac
1,429 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
15 mi
2.5 mi lanes · 9.1 mi paths
Highest peak
85 ft
Ocean View Hill
Lakes & rivers
5
37 beaches · 6 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Provincetown?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Provincetown have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Provincetown is among the top 1% of U.S. towns, #1 of 283 in Massachusetts. All four inputs put Provincetown near the top nationally; conserved land ranks highest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Provincetown’s overall grade.
Conserved land100% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%A+Trails3.6 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (35 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land1,429 acres of park per 1,000 residents (5,291 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13A+Parks close to homeVirtually all residents within a half mile of a park · MA 93% · U.S. 72%A+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Among the top 1%
LessMore
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)#1 of 283
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Provincetown’s 100% is ahead of 100% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 84% of them.
Water is 45% of Provincetown’s area (8 of 17 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 68%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would still be A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Cape Cod National Seashore, with 29.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Railroad Row
Nature preserve
17 acres1.5 mi of trail
Old Colony Nature Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Provincetown Corridor Wildlife Management Area
Managed by MA Department of Fish and Game
121 acres0.6 mi of trail
Whistle Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Clapps Pond Access
Managed by MA Department of Fish and Game
68 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Clapps Pond & Evans Field
Nature preserve
40 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Shank Painter Pond Wildlife Sanctuary
Managed by Town of Provincetown
8 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 24 parks & preserves
Cape Cod National Seashore7,577 acres · 29.8 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsRailroad Row17 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
DirectionsProvincetown Corridor Wildlife Management Area121 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · MA Department of Fish and Game
DirectionsClapps Pond Access68 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · MA Department of Fish and Game
DirectionsClapps Pond & Evans Field40 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsShank Painter Pond Wildlife Sanctuary8 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Town of Provincetown
Motta Field6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsFoss Woods16 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Provincetown
DirectionsWhistle Path Woods7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Provincetown
DirectionsHawthorne Wildlife Sanctuary3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Provincetown
DirectionsJimmy's Pond Conservation Area2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town Of Provincetown
DirectionsNicky's Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town Of Provincetown
DirectionsFox Run2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Provincetown
Heibert Parcel12 acres
Dwyer Family Woodlands5 acres · Town of Provincetown
DirectionsDowney Parcel4 acres
DirectionsB Street Garden Conservation Restriction3 acres · Town of Provincetown
DirectionsDel Deo Conservation Restriction3 acres
DirectionsHowland Street Wye3 acres · Town of Provincetown
DirectionsSumner Robinson Land3 acres · Provincetown Conservation Trust
DirectionsHarry Kemp Way Conservation Area2 acres · Provincetown Conservation Trust
DirectionsJerome Smith Field1 acres
Helm Realty Conservation Land1 acres · Provincetown Conservation Trust
DirectionsTown Hall Grounds1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
7,610 conserved acres
100% of Provincetown’s land. Water is left out: Provincetown has 9.7 square miles of land and 7.8 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Provincetown’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
National Park Service7,208 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits101 ac
State fish & wildlife68 ac
Town or city50 ac
Not recorded245 ac
National Lakeshore or Seashore · 7,208 acState Conservation Area · 190 acConservation Easement · 123 acPrivate Conservation · 53 acLocal Other or Unknown · 34 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 76 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 3 of 70 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Cod National Seashore National Lakeshore or Seashore | National Park Service | 7,208 | Open |
| Provincetown Corridor Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 122 | Open |
| Clapps Pond Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 68 | Restricted |
| Shank Painter Pond Wildlife Sanctuary Private Conservation | Not recorded | 34 | Open |
| Old Colony Trail Nature Path Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 17 | Open |
| Provincetown Cemetery Local Historic or Cultural Area | Not recorded | 13 | Open |
| St Peter's Cemetery Private Historic or Cultural | Not recorded | 12 | Open |
| Bayberry Avenue Conservation Area Private Conservation | Not recorded | 8 | Open |
| Pilgrim Momument And Museum Private Historic or Cultural | Not recorded | 7 | Open |
| Unknown Park Local Park | Town or city | 5 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
66 places to go in Provincetown
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Provincetown
Boy BeachIn Cape Cod National Seashore
DirectionsHerring Cove BeachIn Cape Cod National Seashore
DirectionsHerring Cove BeachIn Cape Cod National Seashore
DirectionsRace Point BeachIn Cape Cod National Seashore
DirectionsRyder Street Beach
DirectionsTown Beach
DirectionsTown Beach
Directions37 beaches are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Public pools in Provincetown
1 public pool without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Provincetown
Chelsea Earnest Playground
DirectionsMildred Greensfelder PlaygroundHours: sunrise-sunset
DirectionsPlus 1 playground without a name on the map.
Dog parks in Provincetown
Pilgrim Bark Park
DirectionsPilgrim Bark Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Provincetown
6 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Provincetown
Shank Painter Pond OverlookIn Shank Painter Pond Wildlife Sanctuary
DirectionsPlus 5 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Provincetown
Ocean View Hill85 ft elevation · In Cape Cod National Seashore
DirectionsTelegraph Hill79 ft elevation
DirectionsOak Head69 ft elevation · In Cape Cod National Seashore
DirectionsMiller Hill52 ft elevation
DirectionsHigh Pole Hill49 ft elevation
DirectionsTown Hill49 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Ararat46 ft elevation · In Cape Cod National Seashore
DirectionsMount Gilboa39 ft elevation
Directions1 more peak
Snake Hills33 ft elevation · In Cape Cod National Seashore
DirectionsCampgrounds in Provincetown
Coastal Acres Camping Court
DirectionsDunes Edge CampgroundFee · The Trustees
DirectionsTrails & water
7 named trails and 5 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.7 miHorses · 1.0 miUnpaved · 19.8 mi
Pole Line ORV Access1.8 mi
Race Point Beach1.7 mi
Old Colony Nature Trail1.5 mi
Beech Forest Trail0.8 mi
Whistle Path0.2 mi
Motta Field Path0.2 mi
Fox Run0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
15 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
2.5 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
9.1 mi
off-road bike paths
3.1 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
13Tennis
3Basketball
2Soccer
2Baseball
1Equestrian
1Pickleball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →10 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 15 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
First Universalist ChruchBuilding · listed 1972
About itProvincetown Public LibraryBuilding · listed 1975
About itCenter Methodist ChurchBuilding · listed 1975
About itHawthorne Class StudioBuilding · listed 1978
About itRace Point Light StationStructure · listed 1987
About itWood End Light Lookout StationStructure · listed 1987
About itLong Point Light StationStructure · listed 1987
About itUS Post Office-Provincetown MainBuilding · listed 1987
About itProvincetown Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1989
About itDune Shacks of Peaked Hill Bars Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2012
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Provincetown: May to September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 38 | 40 | 45 | 54 | 63 | 72 | 79 | 78 | 72 | 61 | 52 | 44 |
| Rain (in) | 4.0 | 3.4 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 2.7 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.7 |
July is the driest month (2.7 in) and the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 4.7 inches fall in December, the wettest month. The climate in Provincetown →
Next door
Provincetown and its neighbors
Provincetown has the second most mapped trails of the 2 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Provincetown | 100% | 3.6 | 1,429 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Truro | 77% | 3.7 | 5,157 | 99%+ | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Provincetown
Where can I hike in Provincetown?
The longest trail networks: Cape Cod National Seashore, 29.8 miles; Railroad Row, 1.5 miles; Provincetown Corridor Wildlife Management Area, 0.6 miles; Clapps Pond Access, 0.5 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Provincetown is conserved land?
100% of its land, against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Provincetown’s trails?
Cape Cod National Seashore and Railroad Row don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Provincetown?
15 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.5 of painted or protected lanes, 9.1 of off-road paths and 3.1 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Provincetown?
21,884 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Provincetown or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 5,337 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Provincetown have?
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #1 of 283 in Massachusetts. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Provincetown neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →