By Ken VanTassell
I've been vacationing in Dennis, Massachusetts since I was four months old. In all this time I had never ventured onto the Indian Lands Conservation Area in South Dennis.
Indian Lands Conservation Area has been closed since last winter due to the Cape Cod Rail Trail (CCRT) extension which is adjacent to the conservation area. Since construction has halted for the winter, the town has once again opened up Indian Lands to hiking enthusiasts and their four legged friends.
The hike through this small conservation area is beautiful as it abuts the Bass River and the trail is mostly flat so it is an easy walk for all ages. The "frost layer" blacktop is in place on the yet unopened CCRT extension which currently goes almost up to the River and the missing railroad bridge. The rest of the trail including the bridge replacement over the Bass River is a separate MASSDOT project which is currently out to bid and construction should hopefully start in the spring of 2017.
Once the CCRT extension including the bridge over the Bass River are completed, I can see this section of the trail through Dennis as being one of the best parts of the CCRT. This spot on Main Street in South Dennis will be a major parking area for the rail trail and Indian Lands. It is also the spot of the original South Dennis Railroad Depot when passenger service ran through Dennis ending sometime in the late 1930's. There is a plan to reconstruct the Depot building and use it as a museum, but currently there is no funding so when and if this gets built remains to be seen.
No comments:
Post a Comment