Our second attempt to hike the Small's Swamp Nature Trail before running out of daylight was successful during our October 2021 trip to Cape Cod National Seashore.
The trailhead is located ½ mile north (road east) of US 6 on Pilgrim Heights Road in Truro, Massachusetts. There are two large paved parking lots with a total of about 150 spaces. There are no designated handicap or RV spaces. A restroom building is open seasonally. Several picnic tables are located throughout the parking area.
The trail starts on the left at the north end of the first parking lot. According to my GPS, the roundtrip distance from the trailhead around the loop and return to the trailhead is 0.63 miles. The trailhead sign lists the distance as 0.7 miles while the park service webpage for the trail lists the distance as 0.6 miles. The trail descends about sixty feet down to the boardwalk and then ascends sixty feet on the way back to the trailhead. We hiked the loop in a clockwise manner. This trail is listed as easy.
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| Topographic map with GPS route overlay |
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| Trailhead |
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| Beginning the loop, we took the left fork |
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| Stairs leading down |
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| More stairs |
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| Still more stairs |
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| Instead of removing the organic material on the trail, the grass was left to soak up the water |
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| Timber guards keep visitors on the trail and out of the poison ivy |
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| Beginning the boardwalk |
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| Continuing on the boardwalk |
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| Common winterberry (Ilex verticillata) |
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| Someone left a jacket behind |
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| End of the boardwalk |
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| The bike trail continues through the fence while we turn right |
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| Stairs on the way up |
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| More stairs |
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| Dunes on the Cape |
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| More of the dunes |
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| Scenic view |
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| Typical trail conditions |
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| View across the swamp |
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| Another view of the dunes and the ocean |
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| End of the loop |
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| Picnic shelter at the trailhead |
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| View of the swamp from the shelter |
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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