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SaveNickerson State Park is located in the middle of Cape Cod just about where the peninsula begins to dog-leg north. Nickerson’s 1900 acres host about 400 campsites, and eight ponds. Oddly no streams or rivers feed these ponds and they are all interconnected by subterranean tunnels. I was snorkeling there once and could feel a very strong current trying to suck me into a cave. Weird!
But swimming under water is not why I go to Nickerson.
There is an 8 mile paved bicycle path in Nickerson. This is great for kids and gives one a brief introduction to the park. The bike path also connects to the 22 mile long Cape Cod Rail Trail.
But they aren't the big draw either. It's the singletrack. They abound in and around Nickerson. The DCR map only shows a few of them. But, Cape Cod NEMBA working with the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce has come up with a complete one. The only riding restrictions are the shoreline trails that surround the three larger lakes. (See the map above.)
Highlighting the trails are the many scenic views afforded of the park's lakes. But the most notable feature of them, to someone who normally rides off the Cape anyway, is the almost total lack of stones and rocks. The trails here define the word "buffed".
On a recent ride we did over 12 miles of mostly singletrack and didn’t have enough time to explore the entire park.
Speaking of trails. On the bottom of the Cape Cod NEMBA map you'll see a parking area at Freeman's field and below that some trails leading into the Training Loop. These trails, add about another 10 miles of mostly singletrack to the Nickerson system
How can you find these trails for yourself? Well, the Map suggests quite a few. But the best way is to join some Cape Cod NEMBA folks for a guided ride. Go to CC NEMBA’s Facebook Page, and see when the next ride is. Or, ask for guided tour. You’ll find that CC NEMBA people are very friendly, and are riding at Nickerson 3-4 times a week.
Orleans Cycle often leads rides here too. Check them out the next time that you're in town.
Do you recall that old Cape Cod aphorism, "Once you get the sand of the Cape in your shoes, you'll never get rid of it". Well that couldn't be more true of the sands of Nickerson State Park.
By Bill Boles
But swimming under water is not why I go to Nickerson.
There is an 8 mile paved bicycle path in Nickerson. This is great for kids and gives one a brief introduction to the park. The bike path also connects to the 22 mile long Cape Cod Rail Trail.
But they aren't the big draw either. It's the singletrack. They abound in and around Nickerson. The DCR map only shows a few of them. But, Cape Cod NEMBA working with the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce has come up with a complete one. The only riding restrictions are the shoreline trails that surround the three larger lakes. (See the map above.)
Highlighting the trails are the many scenic views afforded of the park's lakes. But the most notable feature of them, to someone who normally rides off the Cape anyway, is the almost total lack of stones and rocks. The trails here define the word "buffed".
On a recent ride we did over 12 miles of mostly singletrack and didn’t have enough time to explore the entire park.
Speaking of trails. On the bottom of the Cape Cod NEMBA map you'll see a parking area at Freeman's field and below that some trails leading into the Training Loop. These trails, add about another 10 miles of mostly singletrack to the Nickerson system
How can you find these trails for yourself? Well, the Map suggests quite a few. But the best way is to join some Cape Cod NEMBA folks for a guided ride. Go to CC NEMBA’s Facebook Page, and see when the next ride is. Or, ask for guided tour. You’ll find that CC NEMBA people are very friendly, and are riding at Nickerson 3-4 times a week.
Orleans Cycle often leads rides here too. Check them out the next time that you're in town.
Do you recall that old Cape Cod aphorism, "Once you get the sand of the Cape in your shoes, you'll never get rid of it". Well that couldn't be more true of the sands of Nickerson State Park.
By Bill Boles
source: NEMBA.org
Primary Trail Type: Cross-Country
Land Status: State Park

Links
Activities Click to view
- Mountain Bike
76 trails
- Hike
77 trails
- Trail Running
77 trails
Region Details
- 25
- 29
- 20
- 2
Region Status
Open as of May 12, 2022Stats
- Avg Trail Rating
- Trails (view details)
- 77
- Trails Mountain Bike
- 76
- Trails Hike
- 77
- Trails Trail Running
- 77
- Trails Snowshoe
- 51
- Total Distance
- 56 miles
- Total Descent Distance
- 21 miles
- Total Descent
- 3,385 ft
- Total Vertical
- 116 ft
- Highest Trailhead
- 137 ft
- Reports
- 68
- Photos
- 16
- Ridden Counter
- 4,442
Popular Nickerson State Park Mountain Biking Trails
Nickerson State Park Mountain Bike Routes
title | rating | distance |
---|---|---|
Training Loop - Nickerson Loop Adventure | 17 miles | |
Easy Vasqueezy Loop | 10 miles | |
Easy Vasqueezy Loop | 11 miles |
Photos of Nickerson State Park Mountain Bike
trail: Into The Heart
22 |
May 30, 2022 @ 6:29pm
May 30, 2022
trail: The Training Loop
69 |
Jul 18, 2021 @ 8:41am
Jul 18, 2021
trail: Pyro
27 |
Apr 5, 2021 @ 8:22am
Apr 5, 2021
trail: Pyro
21 |
Apr 5, 2021 @ 8:22am
Apr 5, 2021
trail: Cemetery Trail
99 |
Mar 3, 2021 @ 10:48am
Mar 3, 2021
trail: Winterberry Express
47 |
Oct 1, 2020 @ 7:36am
Oct 1, 2020
trail: Unicorn Blood
74 |
Aug 4, 2020 @ 12:45pm
Aug 4, 2020
trail: Horse Trail
82 |
Aug 4, 2019 @ 11:11am
Aug 4, 2019Videos of Nickerson State Park Mountain Bike

trail: The Race
2:40 |
207 |
May 6, 2014
Recent Trail Reports
status | trail | date | condition | info | user |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nickerson Start Alternate | Apr 30, 2022 @ 9:15am Apr 30, 2022 | Dry | Platimer | ||
The Training Loop | Apr 10, 2022 @ 10:52am Apr 10, 2022 | Dry | kevinebaugh | ||
Cemetery Trail (New Beginning) | Oct 19, 2021 @ 9:06am Oct 19, 2021 | Ideal | saltyseadog | ||
Bomber Connecter | Oct 19, 2021 @ 9:06am Oct 19, 2021 | Ideal | saltyseadog | ||
Cool Whip | Oct 19, 2021 @ 9:06am Oct 19, 2021 | Dry | saltyseadog | ||
Freeman escape | Oct 19, 2021 @ 9:06am Oct 19, 2021 | Ideal | saltyseadog | ||
Winterberry Express | Oct 19, 2021 @ 9:06am Oct 19, 2021 | Dry | saltyseadog | ||
Higgins Hill | Oct 19, 2021 @ 9:06am Oct 19, 2021 | Dry | saltyseadog | ||
Lawn Mower | Oct 19, 2021 @ 9:06am Oct 19, 2021 | Dry | saltyseadog | ||
Take Me To Church | Oct 19, 2021 @ 9:06am Oct 19, 2021 | Dry | saltyseadog |
Activity Feed
username | action | type | title | date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | JimmyEggs | wishlist | region | Nickerson State Park | Jun 30, 2022 @ 8:15pm 1 day |
![]() | spmcewen | wishlist | route | Training Loop - Nickerson Loop Adventure | Jun 30, 2022 @ 1:08pm 2 days |
![]() | ChristopherYoDu7P | ridden | trail | Fire Tower Trail | Jun 28, 2022 @ 7:34am Jun 28, 2022 |
![]() | Ritwik | add | karma | Nickerson State Park | Jun 27, 2022 @ 12:39pm Jun 27, 2022 |
![]() | konradzik33 | wishlist | route | Training Loop - Nickerson Loop Adventure | Jun 22, 2022 @ 1:04pm Jun 22, 2022 |
Recent Comments
username | type | title | comment | date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | trail | Fun connecting trail. Gotta build up speed for... | Aug 4, 2020 @ 12:47pm Aug 4, 2020 | ||
![]() | trail | Great ride. Watch out for the deer! | May 8, 2020 @ 4:18pm May 8, 2020 |
Nearby Areas
name | distance | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Punkhorn Parklands | 19 | 5 | 5.2 km | ||
Cape Cod National Sea Shore - Eastham | 8.4 km | ||||
The Badlands | 16 | 20 | 5 | 10.4 km | |
Camp Greenough | 14 | 3 | 1 | 12.1 km | |
Dennis Pond Conservation Area | 2 | 2 | 12.7 km |
Local Badges
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Activity Type Stats
activitytype | trails | distance | descent | descent distance | total vertical | rating | global rank | state rank | photos | reports | routes | ridelogs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mountain Bike | 76 | 56 miles | 3,386 ft | 21 miles | 115 ft | #1,941 | #1,021 | 12 | 68 | 3 | 3,153 | |
Hike | 77 | 56 miles | 3,386 ft | 21 miles | 115 ft | #1,522 | #906 | 1 | 68 | 52 | ||
Trail Running | 77 | 56 miles | 3,386 ft | 21 miles | 115 ft | #1,526 | #905 | 68 | 26 | |||
Snowshoe | 51 | 38 miles | 2,641 ft | 15 miles | 112 ft | 1 |
- By StephaneMarceau
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