Water views and a sweet meadow: Visit Cornelius Pond Woodlands
Take a break from a busy Cape Cod summer with a spin around lovely Cornelius Pond Woodlands. The 15-acre Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT) property offers a half-mile trail that winds through forest, around a bucolic meadow and offers a splendid view of Cornelius Pond, complete with a comfy bench. The Woodlands are conveniently located off Queen Anne Road, so you can pull in and enjoy nature any time you’re out and about.
A peaceful bench provides a great pond view at Harwich Conservation Trust’s Cornelius Pond Woodlands. Harwich Conservation Trust photo
This beautiful green space is a conservation success story. In May 2015, this pond front gem was listed for sale at $1.15 million. But the Ovaska family, who had owned and cherished the property since the 1930s, wanted to see it preserved. They agreed to sell the land to HCT for $800,000. Then, generous HCT donors, Town Meeting voters, the State, businesses, and foundations rallied to raise the land-saving funds.
A recent visit to Cornelius Pond Woodlands provided a welcome respite from the hurly-burly of a busy summer day. Suddenly, we were enveloped in the cool forest, with a soothing soundtrack of bird songs. We made our way to the pond overlook, plunked down on the handy bench and savored the serenity.
Cornelius Pond is a unique habitat called a “coastal plain pond.” About 18,000 years ago, the mile-high receding glacier left massive melting blocks of ice in the coastal meltwater plain of Cape Cod. Over time, these deep bowls in the landscape filled with rising groundwater and became ponds. They now support a variety of species, including rare plants and animals.
You’ll love the beautiful meadow at Harwich Conservation Trust’s Cornelius Pond Woodlands. Harwich Conservation Trust photo
We bid the pond view adieu and headed over to the meadow. What a gorgeous open field! Pollinators patrolled, flowers waved in the breeze and we felt like we had landed in a Vermont country scene. We could almost hear bluegrass music, and it seemed appropriate to dance a little jig. The regular world was now far away and spirits were high.
Join the nature party and treat yourself to a stroll at Cornelius Pond Woodlands. It will put a spring in your step for the rest of the day!
A trail map of Cornelius Pond Woodlands.
Trailhead Parking: From Rt. 124 take Queen Anne Rd. approx. 0.5 mile east to the parking area on your left. From the Rt. 39 rotary, take Queen Anne Rd. approx. 1.8 miles west to the parking area on your right.
—To see the complete lineup of HCT Trails with maps, descriptions and locations, click here.
—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.