The Knob, Falmouth MA.

     
        When I first started blogging about the trails I hiked, a friend suggested I do The Knob, a local landmark in Falmouth, a rocky outcropping that overlooks Buzzards Bay and Quissett Harbor. The biggest problem was I never go to Falmouth. I usually head east towards Dennis, Brewster and Eastham. To get to Falmouth you have to go Rte 28 ( the commercial road) which has a ton of traffic and a bunch of traffic lights.
         I needed to go somewhere totally new and it was a perfect day. I new if I was going to The Knob it was better now before the unbearable summer traffic. The directions looked easy - Rte 28 through downtown Falmouth - head towards Woods Hole on Locust and take a right on Woods Hole Rd. Well I drove up and down Locust - past the ferry to Marthas Vineyard, downtown Woods Hole and every street near the water. No Woods Hole Rd.  I had seen Quissett Harbor Rd and took that. At the stop sign I took a left on Quissett Harbor Ave. I should have gone straight at the stop sign. I did eventually and came across the harbor with free parking in a couple of different spots.
         Once I found it I could tell it was going to be great. WOW !! A sign next to the harbor and the private property points you down a path that leads through tall bushes. The trail brings you to an information kiosk where there is a split. The main trail is up stairs to the right and the harbor cliff trail is to the left up another set of stairs. I took the cliff trail which follows the shoreline of the harbor. The trail is narrow with rocks, hills, and roots( natures stairs) winding through thick woods. There are a few small trails that lead to the water, some easy some others you have to climb down. The first one I started going down I saw a guy fishing and didn’t want to bother him so I went to the next one. I had to climb down, holding onto some branches so I wouldn’t fall. I found a nice small secluded beach. I climbed out and went back on the wooded trail that eventually brought me to the main trail that was wider and open with bushes on the sides and a hard sandy surface to walk on. You can take the staircase to the crescent-shaped sandy beach, or stay on the trail that goes across a narrow causeway of coarse beach grass to “The Knob.” This tiny round peninsula juts out into Buzzard’s Bay -WHAT A VIEW. To the far left, the Elizabeth Islands mound on the horizon. The towns of Wareham, Marion, Mattapoisett, and Fairhaven follow the coast from right to left. Sakonnet is the last town before the coast shifts around into Rhode Island Sound. After taking in the breathtaking scene I followed the main trail back to the beginning, coming upon a couple of chipmunks along the way. They didn’t pay any attention to me, just kept eating like I wasn’t there. It was only a mile and a half hike so I did it again this time adding the crossover trails. When I finished I went back to the small beach area - swam and read for a while- A perfect Day !! JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED !!!

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

Accessibility - 5 - Easy if you have the right directions
Parking -  5 - Not bad for where it is
Length-  4 -  Short, but so good you want to do it again - plus can add beach
Degree of Difficulty- 4- Main trail easy - cliff trail narrow and hills
Extras-  5 - Minutes from Woods Hole and downtown Falmouth. Boating, Kayaking,
Trail Markings-  5 - Easy to follow
Trail Maintenance-   5   Very good
Variation - 4 - Connecting trails from the main to the side
Scenic  - 5++ - FANTASTIC !!
Worth Returning - 5++ - No Doubt
Surface - Pine needles, stones, roots
Beach -   Yes
Facilities - No
What I liked - Everything
What I didn’t - Even the length didn’t bother me.

Rating 47 out of 50