Shining Sea Bike Path
The Prettiest Cape Cod Bike Trail

The Shining Sea Bike Path (a.k.a. the Shining Sea Bikeway) used to be a picturesque, leisurely ride from Falmouth into Woods Hole. While arguably the prettiest Cape Cod bike trail, our one criticism used to be that, at a mere three-and-a-half miles, it didn't really give us the physical workout we craved.

That is no longer a problem.

The path has recently been extended all the way to North Falmouth, beginning at the junction of Route 151 and Route 28A, and now runs for ten-and-a-half miles, more than three times its original length.

So, if you want to take in the entire length of the newly extended path, don't do what we did, and set out at 5:30pm. Somehow we had the impression that the extension only added a mile or two, so the first time we tried it, we set out for our usual late afternoon ride, expecting to have dinner in Woods Hole at about seven.

We never made it. In fact, fearful of cycling the last few miles in the dark, we turned around long before we got to the end, and had to grab a slice of pizza on the way home instead.

The new bike path really is lovely, though, and takes you through cranberry bogs and marshes, offering an array of landscapes that weren't available on the original ride. Although the new section is longer than we had anticipated, it is fairly flat, so you don't need to be super fit to take in the longer ride.

There is lots of wildlife to see, as well. We saw a heron fishing for its supper, lots of rabbits, and signs all around the stretch that carries you past Quahog Pond, warning us to watch out for crossing turtles.

There is Plenty of Wildlife to See Along the New Shining Sea Bike Path

The path also runs along the back of some prime historic seaside property – there are some pretty magnificent houses lining the path, and we can't help but wonder if the owners aren't a little irritated that the new bike path meanders through their front and back gardens.

We tried not to gawk too much, but it really was quite fascinating.

There are plenty of spots to take a rest or take in the view, and the path itself is in prime condition, as you might expect. And there are certainly enough places to grab a bite to eat, both on this new section, as well as on the original route.

Once you get to Falmouth, of course, the original Shining Sea Bike Path still carries you along Surf Drive and into Woods Hole. It's sill the prettiest of the Cape Cod Bike Trails. Just remember to leave yourself enough time to finish the ride.

Directions

To take the Shining Sea Bike Path from its new starting point in North Falmouth, take Route 28 to the 151 exit. Head north from there for a few hundred yards and cross over Route 28a. Cross the railway lines and take an immediate right into the unpaved parking lot. You have to ride back out of the parking lot the way you came in to pick up the path right by the side of the railway line.

If you're more into the idea of a leisurely ride, you can still pick up the path at numerous points in Falmouth, from where the ride into Woods Hole is just a few miles. We always used to start at the ice arena on Route 28, just past Falmouth Hospital on the right heading into Falmouth from Bourne. Parking there is free and access and egress is about as good as you can expect in Falmouth.