Cape Cod National Seashore · Massachusetts

Nauset Marsh

2.5 mi of trail, end to end · Hike the Doane Trail: 0.6 mi loop in the Service's write-up · about 100 ft of climbing · 4 ft–52 ft · aggregate surface · trail class Developed · hiking

Views

25 ft 23 ft · 0.4 mi high 25 ft

Along the way Eastham Coast Guard Overlook

Trailheads Buttonbush Trail 26 ft Drive there · Nauset Marsh Trail 20 ft Drive there

Hike the Doane Trail 0.6 mi loop · the Park Service's write-up

30-60 Minutes · dogs allowed

Start Doane Rock

A large glacial boulder surrounded by a trail and shrubs against a blue sky.
Doane Rock stands at the beginning of the Doane Trail. Photo: NPS Photo

Find your trail to explore at Cape Cod National Seashore! One of eleven trails in the park is the Doane Trail, a 0.6-mile loop trail that begins at Doane Rock in Eastham. This paved, wheelchair-accessible loop trail with interpretive text winds through an emerging pine and oak forest. A picnic area is adjacent to the parking area.

The trail is rated as easy. It has solid, paved surface for the duration of the trail. Leashed pets are permitted on this trail.

Accessibility The trail is rated as easy. The trail is paved and 6-8 feet wide in most sections. There are seasonal restrooms at the trail head. Contact the visitor center with any accessiblity questions, 508-255-3421.

This hike on nps.gov

Hike the Nauset Marsh Trail 1.5 mi loop · the Park Service's write-up

1-2 Hours · no dogs

Start Nauset Marsh Trailhead

Trees and a trail surround Salt Pond in Eastham.
Nauset Marsh Trail at Salt Pond Photo: Nauset Marsh Trail at Salt Pond

Find your trail to explore at Cape Cod National Seashore! One of eleven trails in the park is the Nauset Marsh Trail, a 1.5-mile loop trail that circles around Nauset Marsh. The trail winds along the edge of Salt Pond and Nauset Marsh, crosses fields, and returns to the Salt Pond Visitor Center through a recovering forest. There are several spectacular vistas along the way. A minimally-maintained one-mile trail extension leads to Doane Picnic Area and Coast Guard Beach. The extension is one mile each way.

The trail is rated as easy. It has solid surface, some log steps on slopes, and restrooms at the visitor center. Pets are not allowed on any of the hiking trails in the park.

Pets Pets are not allowed on any of the Seashore's walking trails. Pets are allowed seasonally on bike paths, seasonally on beaches, and year round on fire roads. Please call 508-255-3421 for more information.

Accessibility The trail is easy and relatively flat with a few small slopes and log steps. Sections may be submerged at highest tides. Check at the Salt Pond Visitor Center for conditions, 508-255-3421.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

Other trails from the same trailheads

All 12 trails in Cape Cod National SeashoreFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.