With its beautiful coastal scenery, magnificent natural landscapes, and easy riding on a well-maintained network of trails, outer Cape Cod is perfect for exploring on two wheels. Between the Province Lands Bike Trail, Head of the Meadows Trail, and the Cape Cod Rail Trail, you’ll have over 30 miles of gentle terrain and stunning views just moments away. Provincetown Bike Rentals offers affordable bikes of all styles for rent a couple of blocks down from our Provincetown bed and breakfast. Our local topography and biking culture are welcoming to all – whether your desired ride is leisurely or adventurous, you’ll love seeing the outer Cape while exploring bike trails near Provincetown, pedaling amidst the invigorating seashore breeze and picturesque scenery.
Province Lands Bike Trail – Exploring the Best of the Cape Cod National Seashore
Since its founding in the early 1960s, the Cape Cod Seashore has preserved 68 square miles of sprawling dunes and gorgeous coastline, easily accessible from downtown Provincetown on two wheels via the Province Lands Bike Trail. The trail’s entire loop runs 5.5 miles, connecting all the main beaches and popular destinations, but you can also split it into shorter sections. Start by heading out on Race Point Road, where you can link into the bike trail at Beech Forest. Enjoy the views of Bennett Pond and Pasture Pond, where you’ll likely see geese and waterthrush, among other bird species, especially during the spring and fall avian migration periods. A couple of miles in, make another stop at the Province Lands Visitor Center, which opens seasonally from May through October, and enjoy the pristine dune views from their observation decks and get some hydration from their water fountain.
From there, head out to Race Point Beach, named the best beach on Cape Cod by AAA (no small feat). Cool off with a dip in the waves, and you may even spot massive humpback whales frolicking offshore, a common sight during the peak Provincetown whale-watching season between April and October. Continue your ride past Hatches Harbor, and bring your binoculars, as the bird-watching is excellent – keep an eye out for herring gulls, great blue herons, terns, and the once-endangered but now-thriving piping plovers. Finish your biking loop at Herring Cove Beach, located on the protected western side of the peninsula’s outer tip, so the water is often a bit warmer, and the sunsets are spectacular. During the summertime, catch the sunset live music series every Wednesday evening right on the sand at Far Land on the Beach before riding back into town on Province Lands Rd and Commercial St, both of which have roadside shoulders for safe riding.
Head of the Meadow – Casual Riding, Pilgrim History, and Accessible on Bike from Provincetown
The Head of the Meadow Trail combines unspoiled nature with a historical pedigree just south of Provincetown, in neighboring Truro. After the Pilgrims arrived in 1620, when they celebrated the first Thanksgiving in Provincetown, they discovered a source of fresh water just outside Truro, an essential resource as they began settling on the Cape. As you cruise along the 2-mile trail, you’ll pass by a historical marker pointing out Pilgrim Spring, nestled between the dunes and the dense vegetation along the route and accessible from a 0.5-mile side trail, worth exploring midway on your bike ride to see the marshland (wear bug spray though, as the mosquitoes and biting flies can be intense during the warmer months). Like the Province Lands Bike Trail, Head of the Meadow’s paved path is laid-back, made even smoother by resurfacing work completed in the last few years. Pleasantly enough, the trail ends at Head of the Meadow Beach – great for taking strolls on the dunes, swimming near the adorable seals that gather in the surf, and during low tide, you may even spot the remnants of the 200-foot-long Frances just offshore, a ship that wrecked here in 1872.
One benefit of Head of the Meadows being so close to Provincetown is that you can bike all the way there from our location, only a 7.5-mile ride to the parking area on High Head Rd, where the trail begins. Head east out of town on Commercial St, which turns into Shore Rd, and cross Highway 6 onto High Head Rd in North Truro. This route stays on surface streets and off Highway 6, which isn’t the safest for biking, as vehicles go high speed just feet from where you’re riding on the limited shoulder.
Cape Cod Rail Trail – The Ultimate Way to Bike the Cape Peninsula
The Cape Cod Rail Trail is the quintessential bike path on the outer Cape, extending 25 miles and crisscrossing several charming towns, ideal for relaxed riding while exploring classic Cape panoramas. The 10-foot-wide, paved trail follows the former route of the Old Colony Railroad, which ran until 1960 and connected the Cape peninsula to mainland Massachusetts through the 19th and early 20th century. Beginning with a 19-mile section built in the early 1970s, the biking, walking, and running thoroughfare extends north to Wellfleet now — only 17 miles from downtown Provincetown and an ideal starting point. If you happen to be riding the rail trail on a Wednesday, grab some fresh fruit and breakfast at the Wellfleet Farmers Market, one of many fantastic local Cape Cod farmers’ markets, held from 8 a.m. to noon through early October.
As you ride south, you’ll pass through pastoral landscapes ranging from kettle ponds and cranberry bogs to marshes and dense forest, providing shaded relief from the summer sun and showcasing the best Cape Cod fall foliage and leaf-peeping during the autumn months. As you pass through the various towns en route, stop for coffee and specialty donuts at the Hole-In-One in Orleans or lobster rolls and refreshing beers on tap at Arnold’s Lobster and Clam Bar, just off the trail in Eastham. Other points of interest include Nauset Light, just a couple of miles off the route in the bottom zone of the Seashore, and Nickerson State Park in the southern section of the rail trail, where a few miles of the route pass by multiple ponds and lovely stands of pine, fir, and spruce trees.
Renting Bikes in Provincetown
If you need to rent bikes during your visit, stroll down Bradford Street to Provincetown Bike Rentals they are open daily from 9 am – 7 pm. For going on a decade, they have offered a top-notch fleet of rentals, including a super comfortable 21-speed hybrid with front suspension, a classic beach cruiser with wide tires (think your old-school beach-cruising bike but with seven gears instead of only one), and e-bikes that allow for a far-reaching range of 60 miles – ideal if you want to ride the complete length of the Cape Cod Rail Trail from Wellfleet to Dennis and make the return trip. They include locks, helmets, and lights with your rental, covering all the basics, and they even provide roadside service in/around Provincetown, offering reassurance in the event of a flat tire or slipped chain.
If you plan to ride the Cape Cod Rail Trail and don’t have a bike rack on your vehicle allowing for transportation of your bikes from Provincetown to the start of the trail in Wellfleet, look into renting bikes right in Wellfleet at Idle Times Bike Shop. In business for over four decades and certified biking pros, they can set you up with whatever you need, from 24-speed commuter and electric bikes to tandem, road, and children’s bikes. If you just plan to do a shorter portion of the rail trail, rent in two or four-hour increments, or rent for the whole day, with their 24-hour return policy making the process extra convenient.
Stay with us and explore Cape Cod’s breathtaking scenery on two wheels!