When we hike at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and want to go out to the outer beach across the boardwalk on the salt marsh, we always look at the tide charts to make sure it is not near high tide. We got stuck a few years ago in February and ended up wading in, rolling up our jeans and holding our shoes. Thank goodness it was a warm day but the water was still pretty cold.
A few summers ago they put in new markers where they think the tides will be in future years as they seem to be getting higher each year. You can see where they think high tide will be in 2075. Each marker represents about 25 years. Wow! It’s amazing how high the tides might rise with the warming climate.
“Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary on Cape Cod provides peace and unmatched beauty on the hillsides and shoreline overlooking Wellfleet Harbor.” Click on blog link for other photo.)
It is a wonderful place to go for a hike alone or with the whole family as there are many different types of trails. On the Bay View Trail you can see the salt marsh, the harbor and take a nice walk through the woods along the water’s edge.
Have you ever hiked at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary?
The view doesn’t get much better on the Goose Pond Trail which takes you to the outer beach at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. It’s a gorgeous trail through the woods and over the salt marsh out to the beach. This is just one of the many benches along the trails where you can sit down, relax and take it all in.
This bench overlooks the salt marsh out by the beach which is mostly filled in with water at high tide. Beware that the salt marsh fills in very quickly, so best to hike to the outer beach only when the tide is going out or at low tide.
These little, bright orange Jewelweed wildflowers are tubular spotted flowers that dangle like pendants from a branch. (Click on blog link for 2nd photograph.)
Their flowers are only 1″ and bloom in shady areas from July through September, so you don’t have much more time to see them. I saw these on the trails at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.
The unique Water-Willow is an 3-9 foot aquatic shrub with 1/2 to 1 inch magenta flowers that blooms in July and August. (Click on blog link for other photo.)
I’ve seen them growing in the shallow waters on the Red Maple Swamp Trail at Fort Hill, the Silver Spring Trail at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary in Wellfleet or at Wiley Park by the bridge. It is really cool to see how they grow in clusters along the main stem.
Have you seen any Water-Willows this summer? #eastham #wellfleet
Cape Cod daily articles on the wonderful Cape Cod places to hike, experience and photograph. A Cape Cod Outdoor Adventure Series.
