November - December 2015

When the temperature drops, go take a hike!

Cape Cod Life  /  November/December 2015 / , ,

Writer: Taylor Lange / Photographer: Dan Cutrona 

When the temperature drops, go take a hike!

November - December 2015

Cape Cod Life  /  November/December 2015 / , ,

Writer: Taylor Lange / Photographer: Dan Cutrona 

2015

Photography by Dan Cutrona

Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Martha’s Vineyard

Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary consists of 194 acres of shoreline, marshland, woodlands and ponds as well as four miles of hiking trails managed by the Massachusetts Audubon Society. At 7/10ths of a mile, Marsh Trail is the longest of these and winds through a remote area of pitch pines and marsh. At the end of the trail, one can look out at Sarson Island.

“It’s a great walk for a lot of reasons,” Suzan Bellincampi, Mass Audubon’s director of the sanctuary, says of the trail system. “The trails are flat and they’re great for everyone.”

Throughout the winter—and the rest of the year—Mass Audubon offers guided tours of the property, leading walkers through a variety of habitats and shorelines. Visitors can also tour the property on their own and maps are available. Hikers at this time of year are likely to see ducks, deer, raccoons, and woodland birds such as Cedar Waxwings and Baltimore Orioles.

When the trails are covered in snow, Bellincampi says it’s not uncommon for visitors to use the trails for cross country skiing and snow shoeing—as well as hiking. “All around, it’s the perfect place to go,” Bellincampi says, “no matter what the season is.”

Located at 100 Felix Neck Drive in Edgartown, the nature center at the sanctuary is open year-round, Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Taylor Lange

A resident of Boston and a native of Cummaquid, Taylor Lange has written a number of articles for Cape Cod LIFE in recent years including a piece on five great winter hiking areas on the Cape and Islands. When not working, Taylor enjoys skiing in Vermont or boating and fishing on the Cape.