For those exploring the beauty-filled, historic island summer destination, your trip would be sorely missing something if you don’t enjoy one of the many Nantucket hikes among the unique dunes and wooded trails to experience the island’s natural beauty. While the museums, boutiques, spectacular fresh fish, postcard lighthouse vistas and homey feel may capture your attention, there’s a reason that this little island is a historic art destination. People have been travelling to Nantucket for nearly a century, with no reason but to capture the feelings and allure that the collision of the island’s natural beauty and human history create. 30-Miles from Cape Cod, the flowing grasses, open fields, beautiful beaches, and oceanic atmosphere of the top Nantucket hikes truly creates a one-of-a-kind experience.
Our Top 5 Nantucket Hikes:
1. Miacomet Pond Trail to Miacomet Road
- 3 Miles with 52 Feet of Elevation Gain
- Trail Type: Out and Back with an easy hike level of difficulty
- Start/End Coordinates: 41.26169, -70.11052
This less trafficked trail begins as a wooded hike that fades into a beach road. Offering an easy, scenic walk, this is a great option for a fast walk or run by a scenic pond and the low brush leading to a beach. If you’re looking for a flat, relaxed walk that has a good chance of crossing paths with wildlife this is a great option. Plenty of wildflowers, plants and trees are right by the path, as well as the occasional turtle and bird. Nearby buildings are cleanly silhouetted among the trees and grasses during dawn and sunset. After popping out at the beach, relax in the sand and listen to the waves before your walk back through the Miacomet watersheds and wildlife.
2. Nantucket State Forest: North Pasture
- 2 Miles with 68 Feet of Elevation Gain
- Trail Type: Loop with an easy difficulty level
- Start/End Coordinates: 41.27255, -70.07857
The Nantucket State Forest North Pasture may not be the natural setting that comes to mind when you think of the island, it’s a great 2 mile, sheltered trek through pastures and woods. The short hike varies between the pine and leaf-filled wooded areas of the State Forest, as well as the open green pastures that can be found on Nantucket. This short gem of a hike is a spectacular option for someone looking for a short, relaxed walk-in a less common natural setting on Nantucket.
3. Tupancy Links Trail
- .65 Miles with 45 feet of Elevation Gain
- Trail Type: Loop with an easy difficulty level
- Start/End Location Coordinates: 41.28883, -70.12618
This 73-acre section of land is among the most popular areas to walk on Nantucket. Tupancy Links used to be a golf course before the property was donated by Sallie Grail and Oswald “Tup” Tupancy in an effort to preserve the area’s natural beauty. While this trail is only around .7 miles in length, a total of 1.5 miles of trails spans the area. Amazing views of the North Shore and Nantucket Harbor are to be found in the rolling grasses and wildflowers, as well as amazing opportunities to search out for bird species on the island. At the edge of the property a bluff marks a highlight of the area, standing just 42 feet above sea level. The sights of the shoreline and silhouettes of Nantucket Town’s landmarks dot the horizon. While there are no public facilities or beach access on the property, Tupancy Links is a highlight of the island’s natural development and gives visitors a great view of the sights of Nantucket Island.
4. Sanford Farm, Ram Pasture, and The Woods
- 5.8 Miles with 147 Feet of Elevation Gain
- Trail Type: Loop with an easy difficulty level
- Start/End Coordinates: 41.28387, -70.13682
Sanford Farm, Ram Pasture and The Woods is a 780-acre property that was originally considered common land for settlers of the island and was used through the 17th and 18th century as grazing land for sheep and cows, farmland, and for harvesting natural resources like wood. This longer distance moderately traveled hike is a great example of what you would expect to see on a Nantucket hike and represents the agricultural heritage and undeveloped beaches of the island’s history. You will take well marked and maintained trails on a calm walk with views of a lake, grassy pastures, forests, and beaches. One of the most serene hikes one can find on the island, this trail is great for anyone looking for a relaxed walk in peaceful, varied nature. There are plenty of information plaques along the way, and the large swathes of rare, sandplain grasslands mean that this area has been home to several research initiatives, some of which continue today. Studies include efforts to observe how preservation efforts of the rare wildlife and plants fare, and other natural management practices. This trail is accessible year-round, and despite the long distance, it is suitable for anyone who would like to experience the various landscapes on the island.
5. Sconset Bluff Walk
- 2 Miles with 62 Feet of Elevation Gain
- Trail Type: Out and Back with an easy difficulty level
- Start/End Location Coordinates: 41.26214, -69.96423
The Sconset Bluff Walk is a moderately trafficked 2-mile trek that’s great for all levels of hikers and fitness levels. While it’s more of a nature-meets-man, backyard trodding, footpath journey through Nantucket than a traditional hike, this local favorite takes you on a scenic walk through the Sconset community. You will walk through the backyards of residents with beaches and bluffs close by. This public right of way was granted by William J. Flagg in the 1880s, and historical signs along the way offer an interesting peek into the local history. If you’re seeking a journey into the wild this hike may not be for you, but few treks on the island offer the sounds and sights of the ocean, dunes and beaches, and the well-manicured green grasses, ledges, and flowers of the local towns.
There are plenty of wonderful and unique hikes and walks across the island, these are just a few of the well-loved areas where you can experience Nantucket’s nature. With so much to do it may seem challenging to work a hike into your itinerary, but it’s well worth the beauty you will experience, even if it’s just a short backyard walk through this unique and beautiful space. The top Nantucket hikes are a worthy experience for any trip, and it’s almost wasteful to ignore the opportunity for these ventures into such a perfect environment.
