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Highlight Hiker Blog
August 29, 2020
Kent’s Point and the Misc/Mass
Unquestionably, the most used recreational area that the Orleans Conservation Trust maintains is Kent’s Point. It has a reputation as being the best park in town to walk your dog, but over the years I’ve watched this park become really exhausted with overuse. Poor, sweet Kent’s Point.
It was August 29th, and the cars were packed and ready to head back to New Jersey. We were ready: kids, dogs, bikes, kayak and about 8 metric tons of sand from our feet that will be stuck in the tiniest cracks and crevices of the car until it falls apart.
The last fingerlings of Hurricane Laura were sweeping over the eastern seaboard and while we didn’t get much rain, the wind, clouds and humidity were permeable. It was time to say our farewells to Cape Cod, and we wanted to end it by playing catch in Little Pleasant Bay with the dogs.
It was a quick and short walk, and because I was trying to manage both dogs at the same time, I didn’t get many photos. But suffice to say that Kent’s Point was looking a bit ragged on our visit. The parking lot was stuffed to the brim (it fits 12 cars) and many walkers are from the neighborhoods near by, so this park gets a heavy dose of foot traffic. Still, it is familiar and full of good things for the dogs to sniff! Many walkers here do not leash their dogs, and a good many of those unleashed dog owners aren’t paying attention to their dogs behavior, so be forewarned if you visit that the dog rules are a little loosey-goosey. You will get the occasional curious sniff, or a lick of the hand by wandering pets. If friendly dogs aren’t your thing, you should definitely seek out another place to hike in Orleans!
Once we were back in New Jersey, I had some time to really browse through all of my vacation photos, and I found several from either dog walks in the neighborhood where we stayed, or on Nauset Beach or in town that couldn’t be qualified as a specific hike to blog about, so rather, I’m creating a Misc/Mass gallery: miscellaneous photos from Massachusetts. I hope you’ll like them, even if they don’t quite fit the mold.
If you love the outdoors, but have never visited Cape Cod, I do recommend it. Life happens at a slower pace, and whether your preference is life on a boat, life on a beach, life in the woods, or life out on the town, everything you could want or need is a short car ride away. BONUS: It’s also a National Park!
Life is better on the Cape.
Kent’s Point
Kent's Point parking area fits 12 cars, but sometimes extra cars can squeeze in.
The Welcome Kiosk here is just a map. A bit different from the rest of the OCT trails.
The Welcome Kiosk. Luckily, they also have a big garbage bin for doogie doo doo bags and the like.
The woods road is meant for handicap accessible and official vehicles.
A little different from the other rocks we saw, but very pretty nonetheless.
Kent's Point trail leading to the Welcome Kiosk.
Pathway to Little Pleasant Bay.
This path is more than twice it's width than it was five or six years ago.
The path is still very pretty, but overuse is taking its toll on the forest.
A fragile bank is protected by this fence.
The bank hasn't deteriorated over the years, in fact, it looks more healthy than it did when we first came here eight years ago.
A bench.
The view from the bench.
More bench (and sniffing dog).
View from bench.
Even more bench.
Even more view from bench.
Little Pleasant Bay.
The trail continues along the shore of Little Pleasant Bay. The dogs love to roll int eh stinky seaweed that has washed ashore. The tide was in and high when I took this photo.
High tide at Little Pleasant Bay in Kent's Point.
Handicap accessible parking and a ramp that leads to Little Pleasant Bay.
Misc/Mass
Outer Nauset Beach.
Mill Pond at sunset.
Mill Pond at sunset.
Mill Pond at sunset.
Mill Pond at sunset with crane.
Mill Pond at sunset with crane.
Nauset waves.
Mill Pond view from our neighborhood.
Mill Pond at sunset.
Mill Pond at sunset.
Our favorite place in Orleans: Hot Chocolate Sparrow.
Rugosa Rose rosehips along the roadside.
Outer Nauset Beach.
The outermost point of Outer Nauset Beach. The Olden Golden was waiting patiently for me.
Federated Church of Orleans at night.
Federated Church of Orleans at night.
Federated Church of Orleans at night.
From the Federated Church of Orleans at night.
Federated Church of Orleans at night.
Federated Church of Orleans at night.