The Trail
This is yet another place that we don't really know what to call it. We found it while looking for Hyannis Ponds Conservation Area following these directions: http://www.capecodbikeguide.com/willowst.asp#directions and we could see where the guard rail was and turned around several times and even parked in a nearby parking lot but could not figure out how to get our car to be in the place where they took the photo. However, while driving up and down the road, we found this other parking area, and another trail, and it made for a nice windy thin path around a pond that connected with a road on the other side that had beautiful houses and a rustic cemetery. By the looks of Google Maps, this looks like Dennis Pond, though a sign said Yarmouth Conservation Area. Let's call it Dennis Pond Conservation Area for now!
The trail was thin and windy and went over small rises and had patches of rocks and roots. Other parts were just dirt. The majority of the path hugged the pond and in early spring it appears as though the pond leaked over the trail in some parts. There are side trails into the conservation lands that are also thin paths and there were a lot of thin branches at leg and face level. It was not too long before we found ourselves at the end of the main path along the pond where it joined Summer Street.
Leaving the Trail
The choice is to turn back, take side trails, or to ride along Summer Street at the end of the single path that leads along the pond. We decided to do all three, of course, but the short ride along Summer Street was really pretty and in one direction turned into an opportunity to ride along power lines if you like sand. We liked the other half that went along the road and went past a pretty cemetery and ended at a fountain with an arch that had bird silhouettes made out of metal and painted black.
The End, Side Trails, and the Return
We were only out about two hours, so we combined this trip with a visit to the Barnstable Conservation Land a little later in the day. It was nice light riding and pretty scenery. I would not chalk it up to rough riding, but I have a friend with a hybrid bike and I don't think she would have liked this. It is not a place we would go out of our way to get to again and again, but if we were in the area we would certainly drop by for a quick ride.
Getting There
We took Exit 7 off of Route 6 and headed in what our compass would consider North. The Cape has its own sense of direction, but in other words, if you were a bird flying over the Cape - closer to Boston and further away from Nantucket. Very soon you will pass Summer street and there is a one or two car parking lot on the right, and a pull out across the street for another car or two. if you grab Summer street, you will find a beach with parking (probably requires a sticker, we don't know) and it is near the other side starting at a sign marked Town of Yarmouth Conservation Area