Cape Cod Canal
The Cape Cod Canal is a seriously impressive engineering feat, one of the U.S Army Corps of Engineering's busiest projects ever. With over 3 million annual visitors to this 'gateway to historic Cape Cod', the canal connecting this 17.5-mile waterway is a highly important local piece of infrastructure.
The exact spot this canal is located on is considered to be Buzzards Bay and Sandwich, the area surrounded by 1,000 acres of gorgeous Cape Cod land. Here you can hike, fish, bike, picnic, camp, or simply ship watch for the afternoon, a great opportunity for your group to get out and get active for a bit! Take a 1.4-mile hike on Bournedale Hills Trail, fish from the banks, or bike or walk the 13.5 miles of paved waterside service roads that line the Canal. Parking areas and access points can be found at multiple locations along both sides of the Cape Cod Canal.
Visit the Visitor Center before you leave, which 'offers excellent insight into the rich history, fascinating features, and vigilant operation of the Cape Cod Canal'. Inside is a fun, fascinating, family-friendly, and free museum filled with interactive exhibits, a small bookstore, and the opportunity to book any interpretive programs with the local park rangers. Here are a few things you can see and do inside:
- Board a retired 40-foot US Army Corps of Engineers patrol boat
- Scan live radar and camera images to locate vessels in the waterway.
- Investigate what’s inside many of the ships transiting the canal
- Discover wildlife that lives in or around the canal
