Cape Cod's Crosby Landing - A Special Spot of Natural Beauty

 

Cairn and vegetation along Namskaket Sea Path.

       A lesser known part of Nickerson State Park in Brewster, MA is Crosby Landing. While not a designated accessible area it is worth considering a visit, especially if you have someone to assist you if you use a wheelchair. You may be surprised to find that just past a short stretch of soft sand there is a natural hardpacked trail that parallels the beach for a half mile or so, with spectacular bayside views of marsh and tidal flats. It is called the Namskaket Sea Path. The trail width is just wide enough for wheelchair passage though dune vegetation.

        To get there, almost opposite the main entrance to Nickerson State Park, there is a short drive to the beach parking lot at the end of Crosby Lane. Along this paved lane, you'll pass a beautiful old estate, Crosby Mansion. In the lot there is one designated accessible parking space. 

Soft colors of sky reflected on the tidal flats.

     Most people head directly onto the beach. It's a fairly short stroll over a modest dune on soft sand. Beach wheelchairs, should one be needed, can be brought over by the park staff if you provide advance notice. They can also be rented from SMILEMass, a helpful organization that also rents out an accessible vacation house on the Cape. There is no facility or staff at this quiet beach, which seems to operate much like a town beach. Town stickers are required from late spring to mid-September, so be mindful of when you visit.

        My visits there last week coincided with low tide. The water here is exceptionally shallow for a long ways so its a great place to visit with family. It must have been a mile out to the bay. There is a wonderful sense of spaciousness and beauty, especially early morning and sunset, whether you are on the beach or up on the Sea Path. Even in mid-October, the birding was productive - I spotted a modest array of shorebirds, a water pipit among sparrows along the dune edge, and a peregrine falcon winging by.

Sun setting on the Crosby Landing tidal flats.

        As I returned to the parking lot, I saw an older man coming off the dune trail, moving very slowly by himself. We exchanged pleasantries and he told me that Crosby Landing was once a military site, which accounted for its lack of development. Even now you can still make out some foundations of whatever was installed in the marsh, perhaps a radio tower. This independent man, well into his 80s, introduced himself as Elliot Carr and told me he had written a book "Walking the Shores of Cape Cod" about his adventures hiking the perimeter of the cape. It's always a joy to meet interesting people while out exploring new trails, one of the many benefits of time spent in beautiful outdoor places. 

        DCR (Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation) advocates for people to be mindful of the pandemic situation and follow current safe practices outlined by the CDC and Massachusetts Department of Public Health.