Coast Guard Beach is the southernmost beach in Cape Cod National Seashore that is managed by the park and not a local municipality. It got its name from the US Coast Guard Nauset Station that stood about 350 feet southeast of the current building. The former station was constructed in 1872 as part of the US Lifesaving Service and moved at least once to avoid being destroyed by the ocean. When it became evident that the old station was once again in danger of destruction due to the relentless erosion of the ocean, land was procured at the current hilltop location in 1933. The station and connected boathouse were used by the Coast Guard from early 1937 until 1958 as the Nauset Station.
The National Park Service has repurposed the building as a residential educational facility for the National Environmental Education Development Program (NEED). With educators residing in the building, it is not open to the public. This is the beginning of Henry David Thoreau's Great Beach, a strip of sand that runs north for twenty miles.
A total of 52 paved parking spaces are available at the station building, including five dedicated handicap spots. During summer, the parking lot at the station is reserved for Eastham residents and handicap placarded vehicles, but a shuttle runs from the Little Creek Staging Area 0.6 miles west on Doane Road. The paved staging area is located 1.5 miles east of the Salt Pond Visitor Center and has 8 handicap spots, 3 RV spots, and about 350 spots for standard-sized automobiles. The open-air shuttle is very similar to those used at amusement parks throughout the country. This design allows for rapid boarding and discharge, limiting the inconvenience to visitors. This is also one of the six beaches that require an entry fee during the summer season.
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| Back of the station |
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| South end of the station |
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| Benches and interpretive displays at the south end of the parking lot |
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| Nauset Bay from a bench |
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| Another view from a bench |
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| Atlantic Ocean from a bench |
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| A solitary soul walks along the beach |
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| This driveway north of the station building was once the path to the ocean |
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| View of the ocean from the east end of the driveway |
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| A glimpse of the beach far below |
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| Another view of the ocean |
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| The equipment building/garage has been converted into a restroom and shower facility |
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| The gazebo and benches likely provide a welcome relief while waiting for a tram |
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| The current pathway to the beach descends the hill on the sidewalk |
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| Ramp to the beach |
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| The Atlantic Ocean |
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| A small wave crashes ashore |
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| View south |
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| Rollers |
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| A gull |
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| Several sea ducks |
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| Breakers on the beach |
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| More waterfowl |
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| The Great Beach |
Cape Cod National Seashore beach entrance fees are collected daily from late June through Labor Day, and on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day to the middle of September at select beaches. The six national seashore beaches where fees are collected are Coast Guard and Nauset Light in Eastham, Marconi in Wellfleet, Head of the Meadow in Truro, and Race Point and Herring Cove in Provincetown.
When an entry fee is collected, a fee of $25 per vehicle, $20 per motorcycle, or $15 per person is valid for the same day at Cape Cod National Seashore. Other fee payment options include the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes including the Annual Pass ($80), Senior Pass ($80 for a lifetime), Access Pass (free with a documented disability), and Military Annual Pass (free for active-duty personnel). Also available is a Cape Cod National Seashore Annual Pass for $60.
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