Massachusetts's more than 1,500 miles of coastline varies from the rocky bluffs of the North Shore to the sandy beaches of the Cape and Islands. To help enjoy this beauty (and variety), below is a list of trails close to the coast.

North Shore

Coolidge Reservation
Manchester-by-the-Sea
http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/292_coolidge_reservation.cfm
Part of historic Coolidge Point, the Coolidge Reservation is named for the prominent family who came to own the peninsula. The diverse woodland features a mix of oak and pine with numerous wildflowers and ferns, and is home to an array of birds and other wildlife, including fishers and fox. Formed by rocky outcrops, Bungalow Hill offers views of Magnolia Harbor.

Crane Beach
Ipswich
http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/294_crane_beach.cfm
The white sands of Crane Beach stretch for miles along both sides of Castle Neck, forming one of the most picturesque swimming beaches in all of New England. Crane Beach also provides important wildlife habitat and is an important natural barrier that protects the Essex River Estuary and its inland communities.

Essex National Heritage Area
North Shore
http://www.essexheritage.org/visiting/placestovisit/itineraries/index.shtml
The Essex National Heritage Area covers the 500 square miles of eastern Massachusetts that lies north of Boston. It contians miles of coastal landscape, including the Great Marsh; beaches, parks, and wildlife areas; a variety of biking, walking, and hiking trails; and thousands of historical sites.

Halibut Point State Park
Rockport
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/northeast/halb.htm
Halibut Point is a uniquely beautiful coastal seascape. Looking seaward on a clear day, the view stretches from Crane Beach in Ipswich to Mount Agamenticus in Maine and the Isles of Shoals off the coast of New Hampshire.

Misery Islands
Salem
http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/323_misery_islands.cfm
Misery Islands offer coastal views, rolling rocky terrain, diverse wildlife habitats, and interesting ruins that recall the Islands' past as an exclusive resort and summer colony. A system of trails provides access to most parts of Great Misery Island, including spectacular overlooks, stony beaches, and grassy fields.

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
Plum Island
http://www.parkerriver.org/pages/about.htm
Located on Plum Island, this refuge is famous as a birders' paradise. During the summer, the parking lots fill quickly. Winter is the perfect time to spot waterfowl and raptors and to walk one or all of the four nature trails.

Ravenswood Park
Gloucester
http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/357_ravenswood_park.cfm
Long treasured by residents of Gloucester and neighboring towns, Ravenswood Park offers a tranquil wooded setting for walking, cross-country skiing, or snowshoeing along almost ten miles of trails and carriage paths. Visitors may enjoy the overlook to Gloucester Harbor and traverse a boardwalk through the Great Magnolia Swamp, home to native sweetbay magnolias.

Salisbury Beach State Reservation
Salisbury
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/northeast/salb.htm
Salisbury Beach is one of the state's most popular ocean beaches stretching for 3.8 miles along the Atlantic Ocean. This 521-acre park offers swimming, boating, fishing, and camping.

Sandy Point State Reservation
Ipswich
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/northeast/sndp.htm
Sandy Point is at the very southern tip of Plum Island, a classic Atlantic Ocean barrier island. The 77-acre park is among the state's most beautiful and popular coastal beaches. It is also an important nesting area for the piping plover, a federally endangered species, and the least tern, a species of special concern in Massachusetts. Passive recreational activities include walking, beachcombing, fishing, and birding. Access is through the abutting Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.

Boston Area

Boston Harbor Islands National Park
Boston Harbor
http://www.bostonislands.com/
Boston Harbor Islands national park area includes 34 islands rich in natural and cultural resources. This unique destination makes for a great day trip or camping expedition.

Boston Harbor Winter Wildlife Cruises
Boston Harbor
www.bostonharborcruises.com/harborcruises/wildlifecruise.htm
Ferries to the Boston Harbor Islands close for the winter, but a Boston Harbor Winter Wildlife Cruise is a great way to explore at least one of these spectacular islands without the crowds. Led by Department of Conservation and Recreation park rangers, you'll see many of the birds that spend their winter on the islands.

Webb Memorial State Park
Weymouth
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/metroboston/webb.htm
Located on Boston Harbor, Webb State Park offers quiet enjoyment and vistas of the harbor and Boston skyline. The park is a scenic peninsula that extends nearly half a mile into Hingham Bay. Recreational activities include fishing, picnicking, and walking.

World's End
Hingham
www.thetrustees.org/pages/393_world_s_end.cfm
World's End, owned by the Trustees of Reservations and now part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area, has been used by humans since pre-historic times. Walk, ski, or snowshoe along several miles of paths and carriageways designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and enjoy the 360-degree view from the top of Planter's Hill.

South Shore

Ellisville Harbor State Park
Plymouth
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/southeast/ells.htm
Ellisville Harbor is a unique coastal property, including an 18th century farmstead, beachfront, salt marsh, rolling meadows, and red pine forest. Recreation activities include walking, bird watching, beach combing, and sightseeing. In fall and winter, harbor seals can often be seen just off-shore.

North River Wildlife Sanctuary
Marshfield
http://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/North_River/index.html
This site includes a half-mile boardwalk leads through a red maple swamp and small cattail marsh to a salt marsh overlooking the North River, as well a Woodland Loop. Harbor seals are visible in the river as they occasionally swim past the platform at the end of the boardwalk.

Pilgrim Memorial State Park
Plymouth
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/southeast/plgm.htm
Pilgrim Memorial State Park attractions include Plymouth Rock where, tradition tells us, the passengers on the Mayflower first set foot in the New World. This simple glacial boulder on the shore of Plymouth Harbor has become a world famous symbol of the courage and faith of the men and women who founded the first New England colony.

Cape and Islands

Cape Cod National Seashore, Self-Guiding Nature Trails
Cape Cod
www.nps.gov/caco/activities/images/Self-gui1.pdf
In winter, you can easily imagine what the Cape looked and felt like before it became a popular summer vacation spot. This online brochure from the National Park Service highlights 11 trails found throughout the Cape Cod National Seashore.

Cape Cod Rail Trail
Dennis to Wellfleet
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/southeast/ccrt.htm
The Cape Cod Rail Trail follows a former railroad right-of-way for 25 miles through the towns of Dennis, Harwich, Brewster, Orleans, Eastham, and Wellfleet. Its smoothly-paved surface, few hills, and well-marked automobile crossings make it ideal for cyclists. In addition, the trail’s design creates perfect conditions for horseback riding, walking, and running.

Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge
Chappaquiddick Island
http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/286_cape_poge_wildlife_refuge.cfm
Chappaquiddick Island's eastern edge is a barrier beach formed thousands of years ago by offshore currents that deposited tons of sand. Today this beach extends for seven miles from Wasque Point past the Cape Poge Lighthouse to the Gut.

Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge
Nantucket
http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/293_coskata-coatue_wildlife_refuge.cfm
While Coskata-Coatue ("co-skate-uh co-too") Wildlife Refuge may be best known for its historic lighthouse, many miles of white-sand beaches, and world-class fishing, the Refuge is a complex ecosystem that features rare habitats, plants, and birds.

Directory of Cape Cod Walking Trails
Cape Cod
http://www.capecodcommission.org/pathways/trailguide.htm
Cape Cod Pathways is a growing network of trails linking Cape Cod's coastal areas, historic villages, and open space. The Pathways network will encompass all 15 Cape Cod towns from Falmouth to Provincetown. The program is coordinated by the Barnstable County Commissioners through the Cape Cod Commission.

Long Point Wildlife Refuge
Martha's Vineyard
http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/315_long_point_wildlife_refuge.cfm
Long Point Wildlife Refuge is a remnant of a broad sandplain prairie with scattered woods that was formed over many years by natural and man-made fires, intensive agriculture, and periodic hurricanes. The Refuge supports plants and wildlife uniquely adapted to this dry, acidic landscape, coastal salt ponds, and sandy beach. A two-mile trail leads through oak forest and savanna bordered by Middle Point, Long Cove, and Tisbury Great Ponds.

Scusset Beach State Reservation
Sandwich
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/southeast/scus.htm
Scusset Beach is located on Cape Cod Bay at the east end of the Cape Cod Canal. It is a popular swimming and camping area. For salt water anglers, the area offers a popular fish pier, a 3,000-foot breakwater, and 1.5 miles of frontage along the canal. The Reservation is also a popular spot for watching the variety of boats and ships passing through the canal.

South Cape Beach State Park
Mashpee
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/southeast/socp.htm
South Cape Beach, located between Waquoit Bay and Vineyard Sound, contains a wide variety of coastal environments, including barrier beach and dunes, salt marsh, scrub oak/pitch pine woodland, and "kettle" ponds. A magnificent white sand beach stretches for over a mile. Interpretive programs are offered during the summer months.

Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Falmouth
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/southeast/wbnr.htm
The Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (WBNERR) is located on the south shore of Cape Cod, in the towns of Falmouth and Mashpee. It encompasses some 2,700 acres of open waters, barrier beaches, marshlands, and uplands.

Wellfleet Bay's Wildlife Sanctuary
Wellfleet
www.wellfleetbay.org/nature.html#trails
Wellfleet Bay's 1,000 acres of woodlands, wetlands, and grasslands attract an exciting variety of wildlife, especially songbirds and shorebirds. Five miles of scenic trails wind through these habitats and provide a lovely view of Cape Cod Bay.

South Coastal

Demarest Lloyd State Park
Dartmouth
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/southeast/deml.htm
This park is one of the best kept secrets in the Massachusetts forest and park system. Here, an 1,800-foot saltwater beach is backed by rambling hills of beach grass and shaded, grassy picnic sites. A broad, scenic marsh lines the Slocum River on the park's eastern edge.

Fort Phoenix State Reservation
Fairhaven
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/southeast/ftph.htm
One of the smaller parks in Massachusetts, Fort Phoenix State Reservation combines historic features, scenic views, and a variety of recreational facilities. Minutes from downtown New Bedford, the park contains a half-mile of Buzzards Bay beachfront. Adjacent to the park (and managed by the Town of Fairhaven) is Fort Phoenix, a national landmark Fort that gives the park its name.

Horseneck Beach State Reservation
Westport Point
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/southeast/hbch.htm
Spread across nearly 600 acres of barrier beach and salt marsh, Horseneck Beach is one of the most popular facilities in the Massachusetts State Forests and Parks system. Located at the western end of Buzzards Bay, the sandy, southwest-facing, 2-mile long beach is breezy all year round, providing excellent wind surfing and a dependable respite from sweltering inland temperatures every summer. The combination of ocean beach and estuary habitat makes Horseneck one of the premier birding locations in New England.

Lloyd Center
South Dartmouth
www.thelloydcenter.org/visit-us/trail-map.htm
Five trails wander over 55 acres of maritime forest on the edge of an estuary in South Dartmouth. The Osprey Point Trail takes you past two of the largest hollies in the state, which are spectacular to witness in winter.