Sandy Pond, West Yarmouth & Corporation Beach, Dennis

           Spring is in the air!!! Almost 60 degrees which felt even warmer after walking in 20 degree weather all winter. The heavy rain had cut my hike short the day before at Sandy Pond. There were 2 paths I didn’t get a chance to find out where they led so I went back to find out. The main trail of Sandy Pond circles around the pond with a connecting trail that heads north around the half way point. The trail breaks to the east and heads to the beginning of Horse Pond Trail. The west trail loops back to the south, which leads behind the fire station and an old access road bringing you back to the parking lot. When the trail starts to loop back there are two other trails, one to the west and one that leads north. The west trail turns south and ends up at Buck Island Road close to Camp St. If you are driving or even walking on Buck Island you would have no idea there was a trail there. I laughed when I thought of what people driving by thought, what this guy coming out of the woods climbing over the guide rail was up to.
The trail that went to the north ends up at Chandler Gray Cemetery that is off of Higgins Crowell Road north of the school and police station. All in all the Sandy Pond Trail was much better than I was led to believe. The trail, beach, life course, courts and ball fields make it a real nice destination.
             I was all set to try Horse Pond, which not only connects to Sandy Pond but follows the north side of the pond with other connecting trails to Basset’s Lot Pond, Plaches Pond cranberry bogs and eventually to R.J. Syrjala Trail. I didn’t. It was such a nice day I went to Corporation Beach in Dennis. I timed it perfect, low tide, so the walk from one end to the other is a little over a mile. During high tide the walk would be less than half that. The water comes in so far there is hardly a beach. The next couple of months on the real nice days are the time to walk the beaches. Summer time, not only are they packed with tourists, the towns charge at least $20 a day to park. All the towns sell summer long passes to residents, some do for non-residents, and they all sell weekly passes for tourists. So Horse Pond lost to the beach that day and The next 2 days because a friend invited me about another to hike another trail I hadn’t heard of - Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary- which will be tomorrows post.
                              

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Ratings 1- the cellar  2- shoddy  3- tolerable  4- worthy  5- wicked good

Accessibility - 5
Parking - 5 - Free all year
Length-   2 - If you stay at Sandy Pond but you can make it a 5 if you head to Horse Neck Trail
Degree of Difficulty-  4 easy with narrow trails
Dog Friendly- 3  better in other part of park
Good for Family- 5 - tennis courts , basketball court , soccer and softball fields, playground, beach and facilities,
Trail Markings-  5  Cape Cod pathway stickers on trees along with direction signs
Trail Maintenance-   5-. Well traveled
Variation - 4  thanks to connecting trails and the life course
Scenic  - 2-  can see the pond

Beach -   fresh water

What I like - The park
What I don’t like-  it’s not very challenging

Overall Rating-    40 out of 50