Dune Shacks Trail

Hike this all the time! Really awesome here, I’m actually hiking it right now! If you come to this beautiful trail be sure not to stray off the normal path because it could be quite damaging to the beach grass around the dunes. Thank you!

This is a great hike. You walk through beautiful dunes with great views in all directions. Eventually you will get to a wonderful ocean view. There is a sign saying no ocean access but it is possible to walk down to the ocean and watch the many seals sticking their head out of the water. Definitely bring water and bring your shoes along! Don’t be fooled by the pile of flip flops at the beginning of the hike. The sand gets HOT! A hat is also a good idea. It is a strenuous hike with some steep hills but totally worth it! It is a good idea to do this early in the day or towards evening. There is nowhere to hide from the midday sun and it does get hot.

OK so this was crazy. I had no idea what we were in for. I read in a bunch of books about the dune shacks. I had no idea how hard the trek out to them would be. Basically you pull onto snail road off of route 6 and park along the road. there is room for about 3 cars at the «entrance» to the opening but there were cars parked across 6 along snail road too. you then hike up a huge steep dune, then many many crests/​dunes of sand until you finally make it to see some shacks and the water. the beach is basically deserted. it felt like I was in the desert walking to that beach. it was strenuous, but in a good way. so much sand. beautiful views though, and such a sense of openness and sereneness. but do you know how difficult it is to hike up a huge pile of sand?! with the sun blaring down, barefoot, feet being sucked down, like treading water for what seemed like an eternity! the beach was gorgeous though. and there was a bunch of areas for the pipers roped off as it was nesting season. passed about 5 dune shacks (there are supposed to be 17 in that area). saw some people living in them too. amazing. the beach was full of flies though. which was annoying. you wouldn’t see them. then you would lay down for a while and feel them all over you. the water was freezing!!! so cold couldn’t go in. I have no idea what the name of this beach was. I did however see a seal!!! it was bobbing up and down in the water swimming quite close to shore. I was able to watch it for a while before I lost sight of it. apparently I have now learned that you can also reach the shacks by walking east from Race Point Beach. (according to an explorer’s guide cape cod by Kim Grant). that might be an easier route!