Lee Baldwin Nature Walk
| Vital Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Town | Harwich |
| Administered By | Harwich Conservation Trust |
| Where | Lothrop Avenue |
| Distance | 0.25 mile |
| Surface | Boardwalk, leaf covered trail, old dirt road |
| Ratings | |
| Overall | Easy |
| Walking | Good |
| Running | Poor |
| Biking | Poor |
| Hiking | Poor |
About The Trail
A short boardwalk with a bench and an overlook area look out over a vernal swamp crisscrossed by old irrigation ditches. The boardwalk quickly gives way to a short wooded trail which then turns out on to an old dirt road. Following the dirt road to the left will take you back to the parking lot while a right turn will take you out to a mid-1800’s family cemetery. After the cemetery, the road ends and degenerates into a series of meandering tracks through swampy areas and woods. A small trail to the south just before the cemetery will take you to the back of a private property located on Route 28. A few potential side trails off the road take you quickly into vernal pools and swampy forest. The remains of an old automobile or two also dot the area. A project of the Harwich Conservation Trust, this is a nice place to get away from some of the hustle and bustle and sit in peace for a few minutes but there isn’t much else to draw one here apart from its unique position as one of the sole wheelchair accessible trails on Cape Cod. For a much better walk in a very similar environment, try the Coy’s Brook Woodlands (page XXX) a half mile up the road.
Getting There
From route 6, take exit 10 south on route 124 to Harwich Center. Turn right and follow Great Western Road to Lothrop Avenue. Turn left on Lothrop Avenue and the parking area for the Nature Walk is about 3/4 mile on your left.
Maps
[[image:leebaldwin-hct.jpg|thumb|none|Source: Harwich Conservation Trust]