The Outer Cape · National Park Service
A living coast of Atlantic surf, salt marsh, cedar swamp and shifting dunes—with human stories reaching far beyond the beach.
Coastal illustration
A park woven through towns
The National Seashore stretches along the Outer Cape through six towns. Ocean beaches face the Atlantic; behind them lie kettle ponds, heathlands, pine woods and sheltered marshes. Wind, waves and currents continually reshape this edge, so a beach or trail may look different after a storm.
Start at Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham for the southern park, or Province Lands Visitor Center in Provincetown for the dunes and northern shore. Their schedules and exhibits vary; check the park’s current information before relying on either stop.
People and place
The National Park Service describes more than 9,000 years of occupation in the area, including Wampanoag use that continues today. The Outer Cape is not an empty wilderness: Indigenous communities, fishing and maritime work, and generations of residents have shaped its cultural landscape.
President John F. Kennedy signed legislation establishing the seashore in 1961. The park preserves places tied to lifesaving, lighthouses and communication as well as coast and habitat. At the Marconi Station Site, look out over the bluff where early transatlantic wireless history meets a coastline still being reshaped by erosion.
This connection is living, not only archaeological. At Salt Pond Visitor Center in 2014, Aquinnah Wampanoag artist Elizabeth James-Perry shared traditional weaving, wild-harvested fibers and wampum, a coastal art made from shells. Her work carries Wampanoag traditions into contemporary art and education. Read the park’s account of her program.
On foot
1.3-mile loop · Eastham
From Salt Pond Visitor Center, follow the edge of Salt Pond and Nauset Marsh, then return through fields and woodland. Sections can be submerged at the highest tides; check conditions before walking. It is a good introduction to the sheltered water behind the Atlantic barrier beach.
Park trail details →1.2-mile loop · Wellfleet
A path descends through oak and pine to a boardwalk among Atlantic white cedars, returning along the sandy Wireless Road. Expect steep stairs and a half-mile of soft sand, not a fully accessible boardwalk loop.
Park trail details →3.9–8.8 miles round trip · Wellfleet
Cross pitch-pine uplands and salt-marsh edges toward a colonial tavern site or the Jeremy Point overlook. The park rates this its most difficult trail: much is soft sand and portions flood at high tide. Bring water and check tides before setting out.
Park trail details →Trail surfaces, stairs, tide and closures matter more than mileage alone. Stay on marked paths and off fragile dunes; check accessibility and current conditions with the park before setting out.
At Nauset Light in Eastham, the lighthouse and nearby Three Sisters connect today’s shore with the navigational challenges of an eroding coast. At Fort Hill, open views across Nauset Marsh offer a different perspective from the beach below. Farther north, the Province Lands trails and visitor center introduce a vast dune landscape; stay on designated routes to protect vegetation.
Summer brings seasonal lifeguards, beach services and entrance-fee collection at park beaches, but schedules and parking arrangements vary by location. Outside the main season, services may be reduced even when the landscape is open. Check park alerts, tides, weather and beach access before a visit; ocean water can be cold and surf and currents dangerous in any season.
Park beach fees and passes do not automatically cover town beaches. For swimming choices across the Cape, compare the Cape Cod beaches guide.
Official resources
Use the National Park Service for current closures, fees, maps and the park’s history.