Walks & Events


Mindful Outdoor Experience


Date: March 25, 2023
Time: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Andrea Higgins
Price: 18
Attendee Limit: 15

Take in the sights, sounds, and smells of spring during a Guided Mindful Outdoor Experience at some of the most scenic conservation destinations on the Lower Cape. Naturalist and Kripalu Certified Mindful Outdoor Guide Andrea Higgins invites you to rekindle your sense of curiosity, discovery, and wonder.

Spring on Cape Cod is a celebration of hope and new life as osprey, alewives, and flowers return. It is a perfect time to unbusy and admire all the beauty that surrounds us. Share in a mindful outdoor experience as Andrea guides participants on a leisurely stroll offering gentle prompts to awaken a greater connection to place.

Photo courtesy of Vince Dewitt.


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Kendrick History Tour at Pleasant Bay Woodlands


Date: March 25, 2023
Time: 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Todd Kelley
Price: 20
Attendee Limit: 15

Please join naturalist and 12th generation Cape Codder Todd Kelley at the Pleasant Bay Woodlands to take a step back in time along the trail to the Kendrick Homestead. The patina of six generations of one family living upon the land remains a strong presence. Remember cultural values and expectations of old as society and technology progressed from the days of oil lamps and hand pump wells to electricity and automobiles. See how local community life transitioned through the generations as our story culminates through the changing ecology of the land.


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Mindful Outdoor Experience


Date: March 26, 2023
Time: 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Andrea Higgins
Price: 18
Attendee Limit: 15

Take in the sights, sounds, and smells of spring during a Guided Mindful Outdoor Experience at some of the most scenic conservation destinations on the Lower Cape. Naturalist and Kripalu Certified Mindful Outdoor Guide Andrea Higgins invites you to rekindle your sense of curiosity, discovery, and wonder.

Spring on Cape Cod is a celebration of hope and new life as osprey, alewives, and flowers return. It is a perfect time to unbusy and admire all the beauty that surrounds us. Share in a mindful outdoor experience as Andrea guides participants on a leisurely stroll offering gentle prompts to awaken a greater connection to place.

Photo courtesy of Vince Dewitt.


Register For This Event

Otter Sign Walk


Date: March 26, 2023
Time: 3-5:30 p.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Andrea Higgins
Price: 18
Attendee Limit: 15
Age Limit: Recommended for ages 10 and up

You otter join Naturalist Andrea Higgins for a walk at the beautiful Bell’s Neck Conservation Lands to discover where river otters are living in Harwich. Search the trails for otter tracks, scat, and slides. Hike approximately 3 miles around the West Reservoir to find evidence of this elusive mammal while enjoying scenic views during the "golden hour," a time of soft warm light before sunset. You are invited to bring your binoculars for the hike as Bell's Neck is home to a diversity of birds and other wildlife.

This hike involves varying terrain including wooded paths, sandy trails, and some steeper inclines and declines.

Otter photo by John Tunney.


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Wildlife Observation and Tracking Adventure


Date: March 27, 2023
Time: 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Todd Kelley
Price: 20
Attendee Limit: 15

Join naturalist and 12th generation Cape Codder Todd Kelley to enhance your wildlife observation skills by learning to recognize and decipher the tell-tale signs of animal life all around us. Along each walk you will develop a keener eye for connecting the forested landscape with evidence of animal activity by learning about mammal natural history. Earn the “dirt” time with the art and science of tracking and you will find new and engaging enthusiasm for your next trek out on the trail.

Photos courtesy of Janet DiMattia (raccoon & fox), James Carbone (deer), & Peter Trull (coyote).


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Preschool Explorer Adventure


Date: March 28, 2023
Inclement Weather Date: March 29, 2023
Time: 9-10:30 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Andrea Higgins
Price: 15
Attendee Limit: 15
Age Limit: for kids ages 2-5

As winter makes her seasonal departure, we eagerly await the return of red-winged blackbirds, osprey, alewives, singing spring peepers, and Preschool Explorers! Families with youngsters aged 2-5 along with their parents, grandparents, and caregivers have lots to discover with spring just around the corner. Join an adventure with Naturalist Andrea Higgins to get outside, get creative, and get moving while discovering a different conservation destination each week.

This season's lineup will bring us to admire salt marshes, patches of daffodils, white pine-filled Preserves, and lots more. Together we will admire the abundant beauty and gifts nature holds while we play and wander, learn and ponder, create and question.


Register For This Event

Bell’s Neck Birding Field Class


Date: March 28, 2023
Time: 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Peter Trull
Price: 20
Attendee Limit: 12

Cape Cod birders, bird lovers, and nature enthusiasts – we cannot deny the warming rays of the sun in mid-March. Revealing the oncoming rejuvenation of spring, these days are highlighted by the first singing northern cardinals, the whistling songs of tufted titmice and black-capped chickadees, and the familiar “kon-ka-ree” of the first returning red-winged blackbirds. Longer days (photoperiod) stimulate avian hormones, which in turn evoke migration, singing, courting, scouting for nest sites, and an overall increase in activity. Join Field Naturalist Peter Trull for a guided walk to immerse yourself into the life of birds at Bell's Neck Conservation Lands. Observe, experience, and learn about bird identification, adaptations, and behaviors while supporting Harwich Conservation Trust.

Photo courtesy of Sue Swartzlander.


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Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve Walk


Date: March 29, 2023
Time: 9-10:30 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Connor O'Brien
Price: FREE
Attendee Limit: 15

Please join us for a free guided walk led by Harwich Conservation Trust's Director of Land Stewardship Connor O’Brien at the Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve. Learn about the important changes that will result from the planned ecological restoration designed to improve the health of habitats, water quality, and wildlife as well as enhance the visitor experience.

In 2001, HCT acquired this property of retired bogs and surrounding upland in the heart of Harwich Port. Cold Brook flows through the 66 acres to Saquatucket Harbor on Nantucket Sound. In the fall of 2015, the Preserve was named in honor of Robert F. Smith, HCT Founding Trustee and President for 27 years.


Register For This Event

Cold Brook Birding Field Class


Date: March 30, 2023
Time: 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Peter Trull
Price: 20
Attendee Limit: 12

Cape Cod birders, bird lovers, and nature enthusiasts – we cannot deny the warming rays of the sun in mid-March. Revealing the oncoming rejuvenation of spring, these days are highlighted by the first singing northern cardinals, the whistling songs of tufted titmice and black-capped chickadees, and the familiar “kon-ka-ree” of the first returning red-winged blackbirds. Longer days (photoperiod) stimulate avian hormones, which in turn evoke migration, singing, courting, scouting for nest sites, and an overall increase in activity. Join Field Naturalist Peter Trull for a guided walk to immerse yourself into the life of birds at the Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve. Observe, experience, and learn about bird identification, adaptations, and behaviors while supporting Harwich Conservation Trust.

Photo courtesy of Gerry Beetham.


Register For This Event

Beech Forest Mindful Outdoor Experience


Date: April 1, 2023
Time: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Andrea Higgins
Price: 20
Attendee Limit: 15

This guided walk is sponsored by Harwich Conservation Trust and Provincetown Conservation Trust. Join Kripalu Mindful Outdoor Guide Andrea Higgins for a unique way to experience the beauty of the Beech Forest. Slowly saunter the trails while admiring brilliant green moss, sand dunes, the Beech Forest, and the sparkling Blackwater Pond to immerse yourself in the gifts of nature. This guided meditative walk will gently invite you to notice all that is around you, engage your senses, and absorb the healing properties of the forest.

Please dress appropriately for the weather including wearing comfortable supportive walking shoes. Please bring water and wear insect repellent.


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Preschool Explorer Adventure at Lee Baldwin Memorial Woodlands


Date: April 4, 2023
Time: 9-10:30 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Andrea Higgins
Price: 15
Attendee Limit: 15
Age Limit: for kids ages 2-5

If you have kids or grandkids ages 2-5, join Harwich Conservation Trust for a Preschool Explorer Adventure to discover different sanctuaries and admire the abundant beauty nature holds with naturalist Andrea Higgins. April is such an inviting time to get outside and learn about nature as the earth springs back to life. Birds are singing, frogs are calling, and flowers are blooming. Join us to traverse trails, listen to stories, and learn about plants and animals while creating memories with your youngsters. Together we will discover patches of daffodils, white pine-filled preserves, and more!


Register For This Event

Bell’s Neck Birding Field Class


Date: April 4, 2023
Time: 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Peter Trull
Price: 20
Attendee Limit: 12

Join us to celebrate the return of spring at Bell's Neck Conservation Lands by welcoming our seasonal, avian visitors from the south as the breeding season begins. Enjoy scenic trails through the forest as species of all kinds awaken with the longer days and warmer weather. Listen to the many melodies of songbirds as they search for their mates and watch as they flitter through tree branches in search of nesting materials. Turn your gazes to the reservoirs and marshes of Bell's Neck to search for returning osprey, great blue herons, and other waterbirds. You might even spot a bald eagle!

Photo courtesy of Sue Swartzlander.


Register For This Event

Cold Brook Birding Field Class


Date: April 6, 2023
Time: 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Peter Trull
Price: 20
Attendee Limit: 12

As the daylight lengthens and bird migration becomes more evident, please join naturalist Peter Trull for a birding field class at the Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve. Traverse scenic trails to observe, experience, and learn about bird identification, adaptations, and behaviors. Listen to the many melodies of songbirds as they search for their mates and watch as they flitter through tree branches in search of nesting materials.

Photo courtesy of Gerry Beetham.


Register For This Event

Preschool Explorer Adventure at Sylvan Gardens


Date: April 11, 2023
Time: 9-10:30 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Andrea Higgins
Price: 15
Attendee Limit: 15
Age Limit: for kids ages 2-5

If you have kids or grandkids ages 2-5, join Harwich Conservation Trust for a Preschool Explorer Adventure to discover different sanctuaries and admire the abundant beauty nature holds with naturalist Andrea Higgins. April is such an inviting time to get outside and learn about nature as the earth springs back to life. Birds are singing, frogs are calling, and flowers are blooming. Join us to traverse trails, listen to stories, and learn about plants and animals while creating memories with your youngsters. Together we will discover patches of daffodils, white pine-filled preserves, and more!

This walk is sponsored by HCT and Friends of Sylvan Gardens.


Register For This Event

Bell’s Neck Birding Field Class


Date: April 11, 2023
Time: 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Peter Trull
Price: 20
Attendee Limit: 12

Join us to celebrate the return of spring at Bell's Neck Conservation Lands by welcoming our seasonal, avian visitors from the south as the breeding season begins. Enjoy scenic trails through the forest as species of all kinds awaken with the longer days and warmer weather. Listen to the many melodies of songbirds as they search for their mates and watch as they flitter through tree branches in search of nesting materials. Turn your gazes to the reservoirs and marshes of Bell's Neck to search for returning osprey, great blue herons, and other waterbirds. You might even spot a bald eagle!

Photo courtesy of Sue Swartzlander.


Register For This Event

Cold Brook Birding Field Class


Date: April 13, 2023
Time: 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Peter Trull
Price: 20
Attendee Limit: 12

As the daylight lengthens and bird migration becomes more evident, please join naturalist Peter Trull for a birding field class at the Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve. Traverse scenic trails to observe, experience, and learn about bird identification, adaptations, and behaviors. Listen to the many melodies of songbirds as they search for their mates and watch as they flitter through tree branches in search of nesting materials.

Photo courtesy of Gerry Beetham.


Register For This Event

Preschool Explorer Adventure at the Cold Brook Preserve


Date: April 18, 2023
Time: 9-10:30 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Andrea Higgins
Price: 15
Attendee Limit: 15
Age Limit: for kids ages 2-5

If you have kids or grandkids ages 2-5, join Harwich Conservation Trust for a Preschool Explorer Adventure to discover different sanctuaries and admire the abundant beauty nature holds with naturalist Andrea Higgins. April is such an inviting time to get outside and learn about nature as the earth springs back to life. Birds are singing, frogs are calling, and flowers are blooming. Join us to traverse trails, listen to stories, and learn about plants and animals while creating memories with your youngsters. Together we will discover patches of daffodils, white pine-filled preserves, and more!


Register For This Event

Bell’s Neck Birding Field Class


Date: April 18, 2023
Time: 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Peter Trull
Price: 20
Attendee Limit: 12

Join us to celebrate the return of spring at Bell's Neck Conservation Lands by welcoming our seasonal, avian visitors from the south as the breeding season begins. Enjoy scenic trails through the forest as species of all kinds awaken with the longer days and warmer weather. Listen to the many melodies of songbirds as they search for their mates and watch as they flitter through tree branches in search of nesting materials. Turn your gazes to the reservoirs and marshes of Bell's Neck to search for returning osprey, great blue herons, and other waterbirds. You might even spot a bald eagle!

Photo courtesy of Sue Swartzlander.


Register For This Event

Cold Brook Birding Field Class


Date: April 20, 2023
Time: 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Peter Trull
Price: 20
Attendee Limit: 12

As the daylight lengthens and bird migration becomes more evident, please join naturalist Peter Trull for a birding field class at the Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve. Traverse scenic trails to observe, experience, and learn about bird identification, adaptations, and behaviors. Listen to the many melodies of songbirds as they search for their mates and watch as they flitter through tree branches in search of nesting materials.

Photo courtesy of Gerry Beetham.


Register For This Event

Preschool Explorer Adventure at Sylvan Gardens


Date: April 25, 2023
Time: 9-10:30 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Andrea Higgins
Price: 15
Attendee Limit: 15
Age Limit: for kids ages 2-5

If you have kids or grandkids ages 2-5, join Harwich Conservation Trust for a Preschool Explorer Adventure to discover different sanctuaries and admire the abundant beauty nature holds with naturalist Andrea Higgins. April is such an inviting time to get outside and learn about nature as the earth springs back to life. Birds are singing, frogs are calling, and flowers are blooming. Join us to traverse trails, listen to stories, and learn about plants and animals while creating memories with your youngsters. Together we will discover patches of daffodils, white pine-filled preserves, and more!

This walk is sponsored by HCT and Friends of Sylvan Gardens.


Register For This Event

Bell’s Neck Birding Field Class


Date: April 25, 2023
Time: 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Peter Trull
Price: 20
Attendee Limit: 12

Join us to celebrate the return of spring at Bell's Neck Conservation Lands by welcoming our seasonal, avian visitors from the south as the breeding season begins. Enjoy scenic trails through the forest as species of all kinds awaken with the longer days and warmer weather. Listen to the many melodies of songbirds as they search for their mates and watch as they flitter through tree branches in search of nesting materials. Turn your gazes to the reservoirs and marshes of Bell's Neck to search for returning osprey, great blue herons, and other waterbirds. You might even spot a bald eagle!

Photo courtesy of Sue Swartzlander.


Register For This Event

Cold Brook Birding Field Class


Date: April 27, 2023
Time: 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Meeting Place: Directions emailed with registration confirmation.
Leader: Peter Trull
Price: 20
Attendee Limit: 12

As the daylight lengthens and bird migration becomes more evident, please join naturalist Peter Trull for a birding field class at the Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve. Traverse scenic trails to observe, experience, and learn about bird identification, adaptations, and behaviors. Listen to the many melodies of songbirds as they search for their mates and watch as they flitter through tree branches in search of nesting materials.

Photo courtesy of Gerry Beetham.


Register For This Event

Past Events

Cold Brook Birding Field Class

Date: March 23, 2023

Image not found

Cape Cod birders, bird lovers, and nature enthusiasts – we cannot deny the warming rays of the sun in mid-March. Revealing the oncoming rejuvenation of spring, these days are highlighted by the first singing northern cardinals, the whistling songs of tufted titmice and black-capped chickadees, and the familiar “kon-ka-ree” of the first returning red-winged blackbirds. Longer days (photoperiod) stimulate avian hormones, which in turn evoke migration, singing, courting, scouting for nest sites, and an overall increase in activity. Join Field Naturalist Peter Trull for a guided walk to immerse yourself into the life of birds at the Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve. Observe, experience, and learn about bird identification, adaptations, and behaviors while supporting Harwich Conservation Trust.

Photo courtesy of Gerry Beetham.

Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve Walk

Date: March 22, 2023

Image not found

Please join us for a free guided walk led by Harwich Conservation Trust's Director of Land Stewardship Connor O’Brien at the Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve. Learn about the important changes that will result from the planned ecological restoration designed to improve the health of habitats, water quality, and wildlife as well as enhance the visitor experience.

In 2001, HCT acquired this property of retired bogs and surrounding upland in the heart of Harwich Port. Cold Brook flows through the 66 acres to Saquatucket Harbor on Nantucket Sound. In the fall of 2015, the Preserve was named in honor of Robert F. Smith, HCT Founding Trustee and President for 27 years.

Preschool Explorer Adventure

Date: March 21, 2023

Image not found

As winter makes her seasonal departure, we eagerly await the return of red-winged blackbirds, osprey, alewives, singing spring peepers, and Preschool Explorers! Families with youngsters aged 2-5 along with their parents, grandparents, and caregivers have lots to discover with spring just around the corner. Join an adventure with Naturalist Andrea Higgins to get outside, get creative, and get moving while discovering a different conservation destination each week.

This season's lineup will bring us to admire salt marshes, patches of daffodils, white pine-filled Preserves, and lots more. Together we will admire the abundant beauty and gifts nature holds while we play and wander, learn and ponder, create and question.

Bell’s Neck Birding Field Class

Date: March 21, 2023

Image not found

Cape Cod birders, bird lovers, and nature enthusiasts – we cannot deny the warming rays of the sun in mid-March. Revealing the oncoming rejuvenation of spring, these days are highlighted by the first singing northern cardinals, the whistling songs of tufted titmice and black-capped chickadees, and the familiar “kon-ka-ree” of the first returning red-winged blackbirds. Longer days (photoperiod) stimulate avian hormones, which in turn evoke migration, singing, courting, scouting for nest sites, and an overall increase in activity. Join Field Naturalist Peter Trull for a guided walk to immerse yourself into the life of birds at Bell's Neck Conservation Lands. Observe, experience, and learn about bird identification, adaptations, and behaviors while supporting Harwich Conservation Trust.

Photo courtesy of Sue Swartzlander.

Cold Brook Birding Field Class

Date: March 16, 2023

Image not found

Cape Cod birders, bird lovers, and nature enthusiasts – we cannot deny the warming rays of the sun in mid-March. Revealing the oncoming rejuvenation of spring, these days are highlighted by the first singing northern cardinals, the whistling songs of tufted titmice and black-capped chickadees, and the familiar “kon-ka-ree” of the first returning red-winged blackbirds. Longer days (photoperiod) stimulate avian hormones, which in turn evoke migration, singing, courting, scouting for nest sites, and an overall increase in activity. Join Field Naturalist Peter Trull for a guided walk to immerse yourself into the life of birds at the Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve. Observe, experience, and learn about bird identification, adaptations, and behaviors while supporting Harwich Conservation Trust.

Photo courtesy of Gerry Beetham.

Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve Walk

Date: March 15, 2023

Image not found

Please join us for a free guided walk led by Harwich Conservation Trust's Director of Land Stewardship Connor O’Brien at the Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve. Learn about the important changes that will result from the planned ecological restoration designed to improve the health of habitats, water quality, and wildlife as well as enhance the visitor experience.

In 2001, HCT acquired this property of retired bogs and surrounding upland in the heart of Harwich Port. Cold Brook flows through the 66 acres to Saquatucket Harbor on Nantucket Sound. In the fall of 2015, the Preserve was named in honor of Robert F. Smith, HCT Founding Trustee and President for 27 years.

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