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Great Island
4.8 ★★★★★ 116 Google reviews · Running trail in Wellfleet, Massachusetts · Hours vary
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Not reported
We have not been able to confirm the surface, distance or shape of Great Island yet from its own listing, the park's website or runner reviews — so those cells stay blank rather than guess. What is below comes straight from the listing and from reviewers' own words. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Nature preserve featuring a beach, hiking trails, dunes, and marshes.
What runners say about Great Island
“Great Island is a beautiful undeveloped nature preservation area that has walking paths as well as a very long, pristine beach.”
One of the finest places to experience wild Cape Cod. You can lounge on bayside beaches, stroll through the gentle hills of the interior to lose yourself in pitch pine and rolling tufts of lichen, or time your hike to the tides to make it all the way out to the barnacled shingle of Jeremy Point, with only seals and…
Amazing walk, jog, run, hike, bike, beach etc. There are two islands to explore. If you want to go all the way out to the tip and back, that's almost a full 10 miles. One can also just walk to the bay and back which is roughly 1 mile. So tons of options for the whole family. Bird watching and sea life abound.
One of our favorite places on the Cape. Fun to walk and see the fiddler crabs, horseshoe crabs, and birds. For variety, walk through the Pine Woods and on the harbor side. The beaches on the Bay side are the boring Bay beaches. For beaches, go to the ocean.
Great Island is a beautiful undeveloped nature preservation area that has walking paths as well as a very long, pristine beach. We had a wonderful 3 hour walk on a fabulous sunny warm Fall d Day.
Trail conditions & character
“If you are willing to take a one mile trek you will be rewarded with an amazing cool water beach with snad dunes and views of Provincetown in the distance.”
“Walk is moderate in difficulty, about 10-15 min from parking lot to beach.”
Plan your run at Great Island
The practical stuff
- AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, water — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitenps.gov
- Phone+1 508-255-3421
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Running trails near Wellfleet
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Great Island Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 305 reviews
Well-known coastal area featuring dunes, hiking trails, seals, marshes, wildlife and a cliff.
Red Maple Swamp Trail
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Family-friendly wetland area featuring scenic trails, a boardwalk and a gazebo.
Spruce Hill Conservation Area
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Cape Cod Rail Trail
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Popular paved path where families can bike, walk, run or stroll among lakes, shops and eateries.
Eddy Bay Trail
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Popular forested trail that overlooks Cape Cod Bay.