Hiking in Nantucket

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Hiking

Nantucket supports approximately 1,200 species of vegetation: that's a greater variety than is found in any other area of equivalent size in the United States. It has 82 mi of beaches, and though almost 97% of the shoreline is privately owned, it's a point of pride that almost all is open for public use. There are hardwood forests, salt marshes, cranberry bogs, squam swamps, freshwater ponds, and coastal heathlands, and, with Martha's Vineyard and nearby Tuckernuck Island, the island holds more than 90% of the acreage of sandplain grassland worldwide. The island is home to a huge number of deer; significant colonies of harbor seals, gray seals, and harbor porpoises; turtles, frogs, rabbits, voles, and other reptiles and small field mammals. A lack of land-bound predators such as skunks and raccoons allows bird populations to thrive, and hundreds of species either live on the island or pass through on their annual migrations.

Nearly all of the 8,900 acres maintained by the Nantucket Conservation Foundation (118 Cliff Rd. 508/228-2884. www.nantucketconservation.com) are open to the public; though only a few trails are marked, you can feel free to wander knowing that you can't get lost -- if you keep going in one direction, you're bound to hit a road or a beach eventually. The foundation, open weekdays 8 AM to 5 PM, puts out maps and informative brochures on the most popular hiking spots. Remember that these conservation areas are set aside to preserve and protect Nantucket's fragile ecosystems -- tread carefully -- and also be aware that ticks are a serious problem here. Dress accordingly and carry plenty of repellent.

A 5- to 10-minute bike ride from Nantucket Town on the way to Madaket, the Sanford Farm, Ram Pasture, and the Woods (Madaket Rd., between Milford and Cliff Rds.) comprises 300 acres that were saved from developers by the Nantucket Conservation Foundation in 1971. The southern edge of the property borders the ocean.

The Tupancy Links (165 Cliff Rd., 1¼ mi west of town) runs between the Cliff Road bike path and Nantucket Sound. It's a smaller property that passes mainly through grassland populated by plants like false heather, oxeye daisy, and Queen Anne's lace, and it provides wonderful views once you reach the overlook at the water's edge. The cliff is only 42 feet above sea level, but from it you can see great stretches of the island's north shore.