Squall-a-palooza! Snowy First Day Hike at Cold Brook kicks off 2026 with gusto
Snowflakes the size of Winnebagos floated down onto the brave crew of nature lovers at the trailhead of the Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve. We had come to celebrate the dawn of 2026 with a First Day Hike, led by Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT) Board President Tom Evans.
Heavy snow didn’t deter a brave band of participants in Harwich Conservation Trust’s First Day Hike at the Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve. Photo by Gerry Beetham
What happened next would go down in HCT lore as one of the grandest and snowiest adventures ever, and a fitting way to kick off the New Year in memorable style.
The Cold Brook walk was one of HCT’s offerings for First Day Hikes Cape Cod, a unique one-day regional celebration featuring free special walks, talks, and hikes across the Cape. These programs, sponsored by 15 land conservation groups across Cape Cod, provide a range of opportunities for families, children, residents, and visitors to explore nature on the first day of the new year.
A sudden turn of events
A typical tour of Cold Brook centers on the incredible transformation of the former cranberry bog into a wildlife oasis, the happy result of HCT’s Cold Brook Eco-Restoration Project, completed in 2025. The effort included rewilding a mile of stream, native plantings, sculpting in four ponds and creating a half-mile wheelchair accessible All Persons Trail, allowing people of all abilities and ages to experience the beauty of nature.
The eco-transformation in the heart of Harwich Port earned two top statewide awards last year and allowed Cold Brook to flow freely for the first time in over a century to Saquatucket Harbor on Nantucket Sound.
A northern shoveler doesn’t seem to mind the snow at HCT’s Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve. Photo by Gerry Beetham
The engaging and informative Evans has led dozens of tours at Cold Brook, and these voyages of discovery always uncover something new. This time around, instead of uncovering, the merry band of participants would be covered in an astonishing amount of snow in a short period of time.
As we crossed the first bridge over Cold Brook, the wind roared to life, changing a festive snowfall into a sideways whiteout. It seemed to be a classic snow squall, associated with a cold front that was sliding across the Cape. According to the National Weather Service, “squalls can occur where there is no large-scale winter storm in progress and might only produce minor accumulations.” They can be particularly challenging for drivers, coating roads with snow and ice.
Thankfully, we were on foot. All we could do was marvel at the chilly quirks and mighty power of nature. Simply put, it was crazy out there!
But the squall was the catalyst for something wonderful: suddenly, we were a team of friends, bonded by the storm, starting 2026 in a way that none of us would ever forget.
The wind picked up, the snow blew sideways, but the band trudged on, at least for a while at HCT’s First Day Hike at the Cold Brook Preserve. Photo by Gerry Beetham
A graceful retreat
Plans called for us to do the whole two-mile loop at Cold Brook. But a hastily-called group meeting resulted in decisive action. We would cut across on the trail behind the first pond, and head back toward the parking lot. The beautifully-restored Old Bank Street Firehouse would serve as our warming hut, and Evans promised a good long look at the gleaming 1928 Maxim Fire Engine that occupies a place of honor in the front of the building.
A 1928 Maxim Fire Engine graces the beautifully-restored Old Bank Street Firehouse. Harwich Conservation Trust photo
And so, we gracefully retreated, pausing to greet a mallard in the pond that didn’t seem to care a whit about the squall. Soon we were admiring the restoration work at the firehouse, where the Harwich Fire Association (HFA) has created an elegant gathering space for events (complete with an awesome kitchen), as well as three one-bedroom affordable apartments on the second floor.
In collaboration with HCT and HFA, the stunning renovation was funded by the Harwich Community Preservation Fund, the Town’s Affordable Housing Trust, foundations and many donors.
We dripped our way over to the fire truck and marveled at the gleaming machine that served as the first motorized fire engine for the Town of Harwich. Nearly a century old, it looks like it could roar out the door and get right back to work. And perhaps best of all, it was red, which was a nice change of pace from the snow-white world we had escaped from.
—Sign up for HCT eNews, a great way to stay in the loop about exciting HCT events, guided walks and other interesting news.
—Your tax-deductible contributions help fulfill the mission of the Harwich Conservation Trust to preserve land that protects woods, water, wildlife and our shared quality of life. And your land-saving financial support helps us preserve beautiful properties that can become stellar trail destinations. Find out how to donate by clicking here.